Christmas tree bought in 1937 sells for £150 in Derbyshire

An artificial Christmas tree bought from Woolworths in 1937 has sold at auction for £150.

The 27-inch (69cm) tree was recently found in 82-year-old James Smith's loft, where it had been kept for 24 years.

Bought in Dundee for his first Christmas, it was the centre of the family's celebrations in his mother's home until she died in 1995.

It was sold in Etwall, Derbyshire, to a private international buyer.

Mr Smith's daughter, Claire Barnett, said: "My gran [Catherine Smith] decorated it every Christmas until she died in 1995 at the age of 89.

"When dad was small, he remembers the excitement when the tree went up in the middle of December."

Charles Hanson, of Hansons Auctioneers, added it was in "remarkable condition".

He said: "I'm delighted the tree is going to a new home where I'm sure it will be appreciated for its historical value.

"It was among the first mass-produced Christmas trees made in the UK for retail sale.

"The story behind the tree appears to have struck a chord with the nation. These days people are able to spend hundreds or even thousands of pounds on a rich array of festive decorations.

"This tree takes us back to wartime England in the late 1930s and early 1940s when money was scarce, rationing was in force and people generally lived within their means."

In 2017, Hansons Auctioneers sold a similar tree to the American Christmas Tree Association for £420.

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