Record-breaking Huia feather sale
Extinct New Zealand Bird Feather Sells for Record $46,521 NZD
A feather from the long-extinct huia bird has set a new record by selling for $46,521 NZD (approximately $28,400 USD), according to Webb’s Auction House. The huia, last seen in the early 20th century, previously had feathers sold for up to $8,400 NZD ($5,100 USD). Expected to fetch up to $3,000 NZD ($1,830 USD), the feather’s final sale price on Monday far exceeded estimates, becoming the world’s most expensive feather ever sold.
Leah Morris, head of decorative arts at the Auckland-based auction house, highlighted the feather’s significance as a piece of New Zealand’s natural history and a reminder of the ecosystem’s fragility.
The huia, a member of the wattle-bird family, was highly valued by Maori for its distinctive white-tipped feathers, symbolizing high status and used in ceremonial attire. European New Zealanders also prized the feathers for fashion and home decoration, leading to extensive hunting and the species’ eventual extinction.
The bird’s popularity surged when the Duke and Duchess of York were seen wearing huia feathers in 1901, leading to increased demand. Despite conservation efforts in the early 1900s, commercial interests in dead specimens proved more profitable, sealing the huia’s fate.
Prospective buyers of the feather had to secure a permit from New Zealand’s Ministry for Culture and Heritage, ensuring the feather remains within the country. This sale follows the auction of a Victorian pair of taxidermied huia for $457,704 NZD ($280,000 USD) in the UK last year.
