An antique corkscrew purchased for a nominal amount at a car boot sale has sold for £10,000 at auction, highlighting the value of rare collectibles. The seller, who initially found the item interesting, later discovered through online research that the corkscrew was a scarce invention by General Henry Needham Scrope Shrapnel dating back to 1839.

The 6.5-inch-long utensil features a nickel closed barrel engraved with a crest and the word “Patent.” Due to its rarity, very few of these corkscrews are believed to have been produced. After authentication by Gorringe’s auctioneers in Lewes, East Sussex, the item was estimated to be worth thousands.

At the auction, the corkscrew fetched a hammer price of £10,000. Including additional fees, the final amount paid by the buyer was £13,000, though their identity was not disclosed. David Holmes, representing Gorringe’s, expressed satisfaction with the sale, describing the piece as “unusual” and emphasizing the firm’s delight in handling its auction.