Shropshire Star

Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara's personal cigar box up for auction in Shropshire

The personal cigar box of one of the most iconic faces of 20th century politics is to go up for sale in Ludlow.

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The face of Ernesto "Che" Guevara adorns posters and T-shirts to this day as a counter-culture icon, with multiple Hollywood biopic films made about him in recent years.

The Marxist revolutionary from Argentina was a key figure in the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s and also known for his love of Cuban cigars, making the box, signed by Che himself, likely to have been of personal significance to him.

It will go under the hammer at Ludlow Racecourse on March 1, in an auction held by Mullock's Auctioneers, based near Church Stretton.

Ben Jones, consultant with Mullocks auctioneers, said: "We are extremely excited to be able to offer this truly fantastic piece of memorabilia, to our knowledge this is the first time that one of Che's personal possessions has been offered for sale.

"Items relating to this period of Cuban history rarely appear on the market. We have only handled one Che Guevara signed photo in the last 10 years."

Che Guevara memorabilia has sold for world-record prices in the past, with a lock of the revolutionary's hair going for $119,000 (about £82,000) in 2007, making it the most expensive lock of hair to ever sell at auction.

The cigar box, presented to Che as an official gift from Cuban government officers on his birthday in June, 1963 is expected to go for between £10,000 and £12,000. The box is inscribed with a burned effect on the inside, stating "To the Minister Of Industry Commandant Ernesto Guevara of the Sema – CHE – We wish you much happiness on your birthday.

It has an official "received" stamp, with Che's written signature, alongside the inscription.

He was killed in Bolivia attempting to spark revolution there in 1967.

Che advised guerrilla fighters to include tobacco among the few and precious items in their backpack, "because a smoke in times of rest is a great companion to the solitary soldier."

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