An unopened bottle of Löwenbräu lager recovered from the wreckage of the 1937 Hindenburg disaster is set to be auctioned with an estimated value of £6,000. The bottle is believed to be one of only six that survived the catastrophic fire that destroyed the German airship as it attempted to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey, resulting in 36 deaths.

The auction will take place tomorrow at Wallis & Wallis Auctioneers in East Sussex. The airship, which was a symbol of advanced air travel during its time, caught fire on May 6, 1937, shortly before completing its transatlantic voyage from Frankfurt, Germany, to the United States. The disaster marked the end of the era of passenger airship travel.

The survivor bottles are rare artifacts from the event, offering a tangible connection to one of the most significant aviation accidents of the 20th century. Collectors and historians alike show considerable interest in such items due to their historical significance and scarcity. The provenance of the bottle adds to its value, as few physical objects remain intact from the airship’s final flight.

While the auction house has not disclosed the identity of the current owner or further details about how the bottle was preserved, the estimated auction price underscores the continued fascination with the Hindenburg disaster and its place in aviation history.