Eric Morecambe's trademark glasses fetch £20,000 at auction

Eric Morecambe's glasses were synonymous with his comedic persona.

Sunday 12 January 2025 12:28, UK

A pair of Eric Morecambe's trademark glasses have fetched £20,000 at an auction.

Memorabilia and personal items from the comic's former home in Hertfordshire, went up for sale following the death of his widow Joan in March 2024.

His glasses were synonymous with his comedic persona and a pair in imitation tortoiseshell by company Metzler sold alongside his Barling briar pipe and two black and white photographs of him with the spectacles.

The TV star was known for smoking pipes and a selection of them were sold in a lot that fetched £1,100.

A tailcoat and trousers, writing desk, and Breitling watch were among the other auctioned items previously owned by the comic who formed one half of double act Morecambe And Wise.

Charles Hanson, of Hanson Auctioneers, said: "We were thrilled with the extraordinary results achieved at this auction.

"Eric Morecambe's legacy lives on in the hearts of millions, and the prices reflect not only the quality and uniqueness of the items but also the deep affection fans continue to hold for him. It's been an incredible two days!"

Morecambe was made an OBE in 1976 and his medal, awarded by the late Queen Elizabeth II, sold for £11,000, which was £8,000 above its highest estimate.

A Society of Film and Television Arts award for best light entertainment performance which went to Morecambe And Wise in 1970 also sold for £4,400.

An oil on canvas painting by royal portrait artist Richard Stone depicting Morecambe sitting down smoking a cigar sold for £15,000.

And a version of his ventriloquist dummy Charlie, which he took to America to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, sold for £6,200.

The auction house offered his belongings in 700 lots on 10 and 11 January, more than 40 years after Morecambe died of a heart attack aged 58 in 1984.

Eric Morecambe's trademark glasses fetch £20,000 at auction

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