(CNN) — A feather from a long-extinct New Zealand bird broke the record when it sold for NZ$46,521 (about US$28,400), the auction house that handled the sale said.
The hua was last officially seen in the early 20th century and its feathers previously sold for up to 8,400 New Zealand dollars (about $5,100), according to auction house Webbs.
A hua feather expected to sell for 3,000 New Zealand dollars ($1,830) surpassed its estimate on Monday to become the world’s most expensive feather ever sold, according to auction house Webb.
“This rare huia feather is a beautiful example of Aotearoa’s natural history and a reminder of the fragility of our ecosystem,” Leah Morris, head of decorative arts at the Auckland-based auction house, said in a statement.
“Fatal Fame”
Hailed by many as a member of the wattle bird family, the huay eventually became endangered to the species.
To the Maori, the bird’s feathers were a symbol of status, and its characteristic white-tipped feathers were used in ceremonial headdresses. According to the New Zealand MuseumOnly chiefs could wear hua feathers in their hair or whole skins in their ears.
According to the auction house, feathers were often exchanged for other valuables or given as gifts as a sign of friendship and respect.
A Maori chief wearing a hua feather in his hair. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
European New Zealanders also came to see the hua as a symbol of prestige. They used the animal’s feathers for fashion ornaments and stuffed hua as decorations in wealthy homes, the museum said.
The museum explains that in the 19th century Maori and European hunters killed the birds in “huge numbers” and sold the skins to collectors and fashion dealers.
Hua’s “deadly reputation” grew even more The Duke and Duchess of York were photographed 1901 with feathers in cap during trip to New Zealand.
“People went crazy and decided everyone wanted a hua feather,” Morris explains.
Three hua birds painted by Dutch artist Johannes Keulemans in 1900. (Credit: Museum of New Zealand)
At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists failed in their attempts to preserve the remaining hua. According to the museum, a government scheme to ship the birds to remote islands led those who collected them to sell them as dead specimens, saying it was more “profitable” than keeping them alive.
The auction house said all buyers must submit permission from the New Zealand Ministry of Culture and Heritage before Monday’s sale.
As an object of national importance, the pen can only be acquired by registered collectors and cannot leave the country without permission from the ministry.
A Victorian couple follows the sale of a taxidermied hua It is old 457,704 New Zealand dollars (about $280,000) at auctions in the United Kingdom last year, according to the auction house.
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