Sale at Sotheby's
The English auction house Sotheby's has re-offered a jeweled figure in the shape of a hare, known as 'Jack'. The lot was valued at £82,550 at sale; the buyer was a private collector from the United Kingdom.
Description of the piece
The item was created by artist Kit Williams. The sculpture is made of 18‑carat gold, has a single ruby eye, and is decorated with the Flowhead pattern, parts of which are inlaid with turquoise.
History of the search and previous sale
In 1979 Williams hid the figure in a terracotta case sealed with wax to prevent detection by metal detectors. After that, he published a book titled "Masquerade", in which he placed puzzles and clues that sparked massive interest from treasure hunters from various countries.
The book sold very quickly; the author traveled the US and appeared on television shows. Even some tour operators offered special trips for seekers with maps and search tools.
The figure was discovered in 1982 by a man named Dugald Thompson. A few years later, in 1988, 'Jack' was sold at Sotheby's for £31,900.
