A toy airplane, bought during WWII, but never played with, has sold for ?�10,000 ($15,969) at auction in the UK.
The story of the toy is a harrowing one.
Bought in Bristol, UK in 1941, the W. Britain-made US style monoplane, still in its original box, was found in a loft in the city wrapped in newspaper.
 Its intended recipient is thought never to have been killed in the blitz |
The newspaper details the city's bombing at the hands of the Nazis two evenings previously, leading to speculation that the toy was bought for a child who died in the blitz.
Its heart wrenching story coupled with its supreme rarity - just three are known in the camouflage finish and it is the only square wing version of the three - ensured its strong price.
The auction house's spokesperson, Simon Clarke, told the Daily Mail newspaper: "Although they produced thousands of aircraft, W. Britain only produced a very small number just prior to ceasing production during the war with a camouflage finish.
"It was quite a good price - I was over the moon. It's not unusual to achieve those types of prices for W. Britain toys - they're sought after all over the world."
Earlier this year a W. Britain flying boat, made in 1936, sold for $13,000.
The Daily Mail reports that the present plane was bought by a US collector.
1,299 people were killed in Bristol during six bombing raids from 1940 to 1941. It was the fifth most heavily bombed city in the UK during the conflict.
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