The Harley-Davidson motorcycle given to Pope Francis' last June as a gift to mark the company's 110th anniversary has been auctioned and sold for £200,200 - more than fifteen times the estimate of up to £12,500. A Harley leather jacket given to him with the motorbike also sold for £47,700, taking the grand total to around £250,000.
The money realized from the sale will go to the Catholic charity, Caritas Roma, for renovation of a hostel and soup kitchen in Rome.
Before donating the 1,585cc Dyna Super Glide, the Pontiff appended his signature "Francesco" on the petrol tank.
The head of motorcycles at Bonhams auction house, Ben Walker, expressed delight over the outcome saying: "I am thrilled with the result achieved and am very pleased for the charity.
"It has to be a world record for a twenty-first century Harley-Davidson and certainly for a Harley-Davidson leather jacket."
The Director of Caritas Roma, Enrico Feroci, was of a similar opinion in saying: "We are delighted with the results of the sale, which far exceeded any of our expectations."
No comments:
Post a Comment