What is Your Hair Worth?

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 September 1914, Page 2

What is Your Hair Worth?

Hair from the head of the groat Napoleon stimulates keener bicMing in public auction-rooms than the hair of any other famous man or ruler. None the less, the prices given have varied considerably. On one occasion, a prominent auctioneer was unable to command a higher figure than five humble guineas for a lock cut from the Kmpcror's head during his capti\ity at St. Helena; whilst on another occasion a big firm of auctioneers disposed of a similarly interesting relic! for only three sovereigns. On the other hand, some hair removed while Napoleon lay on his death-bed was sold recently for £800. Nelson's hair also is popular in auction-rooms, a .single lock having fetched so much as £400. Hut, by way of contrast, one of the immortal admiral's boyish curls was sold only a short while ago for C 2 10s. Yet even this was more than could be obtained for some hair which adorned the head •of Napoleon's conqueror. When it was offered for sale by auction, no one would bid more than five-and-twenty shillings for this relic of the Duke of Wellington. A lock from the head of the poet I'yron was sold recently for £17.