Ancient key to Mecca shrine sells for £8.2m
London’s latest series of Islamic auctions, held from April 7-11, produced a series of record-breaking statistics. The result of the week came at Sotheby’s on April 9 when a 14 1/2in (37cm) long iron and copper key to the ka’ba, the holiest place in the Islamic world, sold for £8.2m, establishing a new auction high for any Islamic work of art.
From a starting bid of £300,000, the key was taken up first by the two telephone bidders who had don…