A melted watch frozen in time during the Hiroshima bombing has been sold for more than $31,000 (£24,000) at auction.
The wristwatch shows the exact moment the atomic bomb was detonated over the Japanese city, at 8.15am on 6 August 1945, during the final days of the Second World War, according to Boston-based auction house, RR Auction.
The brass-toned timepiece is believed to have been recovered from the ruins of the blast zone by a British soldier on a mission to provide emergency supplies and assess the damage.
It fetched a total of $31,113 (£24,550) at auction on Thursday, with a number of other historically significant items also listed.
Despite the cloudiness of the crystal, the watch’s hands remain at 8.15am, when the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb.
It is an eerie reminder of the devastating destruction triggered by the first atomic bomb to be detonated over a city.
RR Auction executive vice president, Bobby Livingston, said: “It is our fervent hope that this museum-quality piece will stand as a poignant educational symbol, serving not only to remind us of the tolls of war, but also to underscore the profound destructive capabilities that humanity must strive to avoid.
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“The wristwatch, for instance, marks the exact moment in time when history changed forever.”
The winning bidder of the artefact has chosen to remain anonymous.
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Image: The timepiece is believed to have been found in the ruins of the blast zone by a British soldier. Pic: AP/RR Auction
Also under the hammer at the auction was a signed copy of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s “The Little Red Book,” which sold for $250,000 (£197,000).
A cheque signed by former US president George Washington – one of just two known cheques signed as president to ever come to market – went for more than $135,000 (£107,000).
Meanwhile, Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 lunar module prep checklist was bought for more than $76,500 (£60,000), the auction house said.
Read more on Sky News:Military vehicle carries unexploded WW2 bomb through UK cityTreasure hunting on the rise as number of finds hits record high
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Treasure finds hit ‘record high’
Earlier this week, a collection of Anglo-Saxon pennies fetched more than £325,000 at auction.
The coins are believed to have been buried in 1066, centuries before they were discovered by two metal detectorists.
An extremely rare 1978 Star Wars Jawa figure – believed to be among just 10-15 left in the world – attracted a winning bid of £21,000 at auction in January.
Source : Sky News
