Hitler’s globe sells for 100,000 dollars

A globe kept by Adolf Hitler and saved from the rubble of his Eagle’s Nest retreat at the end of World War II sold at auction for 100,000 dollars on Tuesday, five times higher than expected.

The globe sat for 62 years in John Barsamian’s dusty attic in Oakland, northern California but now will become part of the display collection of tycoon Bob Pritikin, a former magician and hotelier.

Tueday’s auction was swift and furious with bids coming via phone and the Internet, but the gavel fell within a matter of minutes.

Matt Davis, who acted as emissary to Pritikin, said he was prepared to spend up to 200,000 dollars for the globe, which had been expected to fetch around 20,000 dollars prior to the sale. The Nazi relic will join 40 million dollars worth of art and collectibles in Pritikin’s mansion, the largest private estate in San Francisco.

San Francisco, Wednesday, AFP