Hundreds of historic items salvaged from shipwrecks, including cannons, crockery, and other maritime artifacts, are set to be auctioned.
Spanning from the 16th century to more recent wrecks, these artifacts were once part of the Shipwreck Treasure Museum’s collection in Charlestown, Cornwall.
Sir Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project, purchased the museum and its collection a decade ago but has now decided to sell both.
While the museum has a unique charm, Sir Tim explained, “It’s a good little business, but it doesn’t make enough surplus to turn it into the great museum it could be, so we put it up for sale because we know it will all go to very good homes.”
Sir Tim, who began as a wreck diver and had a personal connection to the museum, noted that he bought it on a whim when it became available.
In preparation for the sale, the Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust acquired 500 of the most historically significant pieces.
The remaining 700 lots are scheduled for auction on Wednesday and Thursday, with the museum buildings to be sold separately at a later date.
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