Cottingley Fairies 1917 Hoax Photos Sell £2,600 Auction

Photographs of the Cottingley Fairies, taken between 1917 and 1920 by cousins Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, sold at auction for £2,600, more than twice their estimated value. The images, which depict the girls seemingly surrounded by fairies, became a worldwide sensation after being published by Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle, who believed them to be genuine. Two of the five original photos were preserved by David Whittaker, son of Frances's best friend Mary Anderson, who had treasured them for years, believing in their authenticity until Elsie confessed in 1983 that the photos were fabricated using paper cut-outs and hatpins. The auction lot included the two photos in original wallets, a photo of Mary and Frances on an outing, and an archive of related material, attracting significant collector interest and surpassing expectations. Whittaker expressed surprise at the high sale price and noted his mother's conflicted feelings about the hoax and its legacy. The provenance of the photographs, having been gifted to Mary by Frances, was a key factor in their increased value.