A forgotten box of photography equipment stored in an Oxfordshire loft for nearly 30 years has revealed a very rare Victorian camera that sold at auction for £18,000. The collection was first put away in 1996 by a homeowner who had inherited his father’s belongings. Nearly 30 years later, during a routine house clearance, he found a late 19th-century folding camera made of mahogany and brass. The historic camera attracted strong competition from international collectors before selling for a hammer price of £18,000, according to cataloguing details and sales records released by Churchill Auctions.
After the sale, the seller announced that a large part of the auction proceeds would go directly to UK wildlife conservation charities. It was tucked inside a leather case. The donation is in memory of his late father, who loved nature and was a keen amateur photographer.
After the auction ended, the seller confirmed that the proceeds from the £18,000 sale would be donated to support local and national wildlife conservation funds.
The seller’s father was a dedicated naturalist who spent decades recording the plants and animals found in the British countryside, according to details shared by Churchill Auctions. By giving the money to wildlife protection groups, the family hopes to create a lasting legacy for nature linked to the long-forgotten camera. The donations will support local projects to restore natural habitats, manage woodlands, and protect native species across the region. In this way, a forgotten piece of Victorian history will help support modern efforts to protect wildlife and the natural environment.