‘Drowned’ bottle of wine $62

Press, 18 April 1981, Page 22

‘Drowned’ bottle of wine $62

'A bottle of wine recently rescued from the wreck of the S/S Rangitoto, which sank in Cook Strait in 1873, fetched $62 at auction this week. Bidding started at $2 but two bidders pushed the price to $62, said Mr R. G. Bell, who conducted the auction at his Kaiapoi rooms.' A Merivaie antique dealer bought the 118-year-old quart bottle of. wine and planned to add it to his collection. rather than drink it, Mr Bell said. A Sheffield-plate fourbranch candelabra, which sold for $2300, brought the highest price at the auction. A folio of ferns and

photographs of Dunedin taken about 100 years ago. by Burton Brothers sold for $175. The folio had been taken to the Netherlands, some years ago by visitors and had been sent back be-'“ cause the owners .felt it J should be returned to New'j Zealand. ... s • -J A 1907 edition of Mrs/? Beeton’s book, Management,” sold for $llO,-1 and a Victoria music box*? fetched $lOOO. The . music'fS box was probably Swiss, and;4 played six tunes. wound up, a drumstick beat’J out the tunes on sma!lj| drums and bells,' Mr Bell ;f said. Between 200 and 250 people attended the auction.