Christmas tree dubbed the ‘humblest in the world’ sells at auction in Oxfordshire for thousands
Dating back to around 1920, the sparse 31 inch tree with just 25 branches, went for over £3000.
The ‘humblest Christmas tree in the world’ which captured festive magic for a child more than a century ago has produced a jaw-dropping auction result.
The sparse 31in tree with 25 branches, 12 berries and six mini candle holders went under the hammer with an estimate of just £60-£80.
But it sparked a global bidding battle at Hansons Auctioneers’ Oxfordshire saleroom and sold for a total of £3,411.
The astonishing result has been put down to ‘the magic of Christmas’ fuelled by nostalgia and a little girl’s story.
Dorothy Grant was given the tree when she was eight years old in 1920, and kept it her entire life. She lived to be 101.
Hansons described the auction result as astonishing. The tree was purchased by a private UK buyer and is now set for a new festive life.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said:
“The magic of Christmas lives on! The humblest Christmas tree in the world has a new home and we’re delighted for both buyer and seller.
“It would have been bought for pennies originally but it’s sold for thousands and that’s astonishing. I think it’s down to the power of nostalgia. Dorothy’s story resonated with people.”
Dorothy, who was born in 1912, was wildly excited when the Christmas tree arrived at her home in Forest Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, in 1920.
And though baubles were an extravagance after the 1914-18 First World War, she got round that by decorating the tree with cotton wool to mimic snow.
After Dorothy passed away in January 2014. It was inherited by her daughter, Shirley Hall, 84, who lives near Loughborough.
Estimates on timings making the tree 123 years old. Shirley thinks it may have been purchased from a shop in London.
“It resembles the first mass-produced artificial trees sold by popular department store Woolworths. However, the red paint decoration on its wooden base is different to Woolworths examples sold previously. Perhaps Dorothy’s tree was produced for an expensive London department store.
“A similar Christmas tree, purchased in Scotland for the equivalent of 6p in 1937, sold for £150 at Hansons in 2019. Another example, found in Derby, hammered at £420 in 2017. It was secured by the American Christmas Tree Association. But Dorothy’s tree has truly excelled.