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The missing bird's feather is sold at a staggering price at auction! Find out the price
2024-05-22 08:52:13 / JETË
A single feather of New Zealand's now-extinct Huia bird has set a world record after selling for NZD$46,521.50 ($28,417, £22,409) at auction.
The feather, originally expected to fetch up to $3,000, smashed the previous record for a feather of the same species by 450%.
The huia bird was sacred to the Maori people. Their feathers were often worn as headdresses by their chiefs and families and were also given away or traded.
The last sighting was in 1907, but unconfirmed sightings were reported for twenty to thirty years after that, according to the New Zealand Museum.
The huia was a small songbird of the bird family in New Zealand and was known for its dancing skills and beautiful plumage, which is distinguished by the white tip along the edge.
The feather sold on Monday was "in wonderful condition," says Leah Morris, Head of Decorative Arts at Webb Auction House.
"It still has its very distinctive shine and has had no insect damage," she told the BBC.
She adds that the auction house has framed the feather with UV protective glass and archival paper, meaning it will have an infinite lifespan.
The feather is registered as a taonga tuturu under a system to protect Maori-made objects. Only collectors who had a license in the system were allowed to buy it and cannot leave the country without permission from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
High interest and enthusiasm from New Zealand also helped boost the price.
In the past, huia feathers were a sign of status for Maori people. Rare before the arrival of Europeans, the bird became a target for collectors and fashion traders after it gained popularity among those who came to New Zealand, leading to its extinction, according to the New Zealand Museum.
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