A cigar smoked by Sir Winston Churchill nearly 80 years ago has been found in a glass jar and is set to be sold at auction.
The wartime leader gave a half-smoked cigar to Hugh Stonehewer-Bird, consul general in Rabat, Morocco between 1943 and 1945, following a dinner party he hosted for the wartime British prime minister on August 29 1944.
Now, his relatives have decided it is time to sell the piece of memorabilia after 50 years of looking after it and it will go under the hammer with Derbyshire-based Hansons Auctioneers on June 16 with a guide price of £600 to £900.
“This is an iconic piece of memorabilia connected to one of Britain’s most famous prime ministers and the Second World War.
“People went to great lengths to preserve them for posterity and, in this case, a glass jar has done an excellent job for 79 years.
“The original handwritten label provides the provenance collectors like.
“We hope this item will excel under the hammer.”
More information about the auction can be found online.
