Eric Morecambe's glasses sold for £20,000 at auction

A pair of Eric Morecambe’s glasses have fetched £20,000 at an auction along with other showbiz memorabilia belonging to the comedy legend.

Personal items owned by the comic went on sale ten months after the death of his widow Joan, aged 94, in March 2024.

Among the trove of showbiz memorabilia found at his Hertfordshire home was his imitation tortoiseshell glasses made by the company Metzelrr which became synonymous for his comedic persona.

The glasses sold alongside his Barling briar pipe and two black and white photographs of him with the spectacles.

As one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, he as awarded an OBE in 1976 by the late Queen Elizabeth II which sold for £11,000, which was £8,000 above its estimated price.

Comedy duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise / Credit: PA

He was also known for smoking pipes with a selection of them being sold for £1,100 while a writing desk, Breitling watch and a tailcoat and trousers were also auctioned off.

A Society of Film and Television Arts award for best light entertainment performance which went to Morecambe and Wise in 1970 also sold for £4,400.

An oil on canvas painting by royal portrait artist Richard Stone depicting Morecambe sitting down smoking a cigar sold for £15,000, while a version of his ventriloquist dummy Charlie, which he took to America to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, sold for £6,200.

Elsewhere, a personal letter from King Charles III, who was then the Prince of Wales, fetched £2,500, while a vintage Luton Town Admiral tracksuit with Eric stitched on the back, given to him by the football club, sold for £5,500.

Charles Hanson, of Hanson Auctioneers said: “We were thrilled with the extraordinary results achieved at this auction.

“Eric Morecambe’s legacy lives on in the hearts of millions, and the prices reflect not only the quality and uniqueness of the items but also the deep affection fans continue to hold for him. It’s been an incredible two days!”

The auction house offered his belongings in 700 lots on January 10 and 11, more than 40 years after Morecambe died of a heart attack aged 58 in 1984.