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Margaret Thatcher's HMS Victory Model Sells at Auction for Over $150,000
The boxwood model sold for more than double its estimate after strong provenance drew bidding from collectors, auctioneers said.
On Wednesday, May 21, a personal model of HMS Victory once owned by Margaret Thatcher sold for $156,500 at Sloane Street Auctions in London, doubling its pre-auction estimate.
French industrialist Paul-Louis Weiller gifted the boxwood model, dating to around 1800, to the Iron Lady in 1983; the ship was reportedly constructed by French prisoners of war.
Sloane Street Auctions founder Daniel Hunt said the pieces "would have been a natural fit for Christie's South Kensington in its day," noting the firm maintains high-end traditions beyond Bond Street.
This sale marks the latest in consignments from Baroness Thatcher's family since late 2024, following earlier auctions of furniture and personal effects that raised more than $300,000.
A decorated reconnaissance pilot during World War I, Weiller survived five crashes and was later presented with the Grand Croix de la Légion d'Honneur, France's highest honor.