Jul
2
A vellum manuscript dating from 1297, representing one of only seventeen existing copies of the Magna Carta, the iconic 800-year-old English royal manuscript setting out the rights of man, sold for US$21.3 million under auction at Sotheby’s.
The royal charter, dated 1297 and bearing the wax seal of King Edward I, enshrined the rights of man into English law and is considered the precursor of such landmark historical documents as the US Declaration of Independence.
The auctioneer of the sale, Mr David Redden, who is also a vice chairman at Sotheby’s, described the vellum manuscript as ,’Quite simply the most important document in the world.’
