Life-size mold of Princess Diana’s hand goes up for auction

A life-size mold of Princess Diana’s hand is expected to sell for up to R$235,000 when it goes up for auction. The auction house said the piece was “extremely rare and considered unique”.

The plaster cast of Diana’s left hand, depicting her wedding band, will be up for auction at Reeman Dansie in the county of Essex, south east England. The 24cm long sculpture was made by renowned Croatian artist Oscar Nemon shortly before his death in 1985, with Lady Di being his last model.

Nemon’s distinguished portfolio included sculptures of other members of the British royal family, such as the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and Prince Philip. The sculptor, who moved to England in 1936, also gained a studio in St. James Palace, London, where the Diana sculpture was made.

Reeman Dansie managing director James Grinter called the cast “delicate beauty”. “It has a wonderful presence actually,” he told the CNN .

The sculpture previously belonged to Nemon’s assistant, sculptor Karin Churchill, who was also his pitcher, the auction house stated in its description.

Molds are typically made by placing something – in this case Diana’s left hand – in a bath of liquid silicone that adjusts to form a mold. The mold is then filled with plaster of Paris, which when it hardens, is the mold.

After 25 years of her death, items belonging to the former Princess of Wales that go up for auction typically attract significant public interest.

In August, Diana’s Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 sold for around R$4.2 million, while last year, a slice of Charles and Diana’s 1981 wedding cake sold for an unexpected price of R$ 4.2 million. 10 thousand at auction. Also up for auction on November 8 will be a life-size mold of Nemon from the right hand of Sir Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during World War II, which is estimated to reach R$40,000.