A JACKET with ancestral links to Norfolk which was expected to fetch between �60,000 and �80,000 at auction failed to sell.

A JACKET with ancestral links to Norfolk which was expected to fetch between �60,000 and �80,000 at auction failed to sell.

Items once treasured by the Maharajah Duleep Singh, who bought the Elveden Estate near Brandon in 1863, went under the hammer at Lyons and Turnbull auction house in Edinburgh.

A pair of crimson shoes which were expected to reach between �15,000 and �20,000 sold for �14,500 to a southern collector who will house them in a private display of the Maharajah's memorabilia.

But an embroidered jacket, with a reserve �55,000, narrowly missed selling with the highest bidder only prepared to go to �52,500.

Lyons and Turnbull spokesman, Philip Gregory, said the auction house would now try to help along a deal between the seller and bidder which he was hopeful would be successful.

“We just need to ring the vendor and I think they'll come to a deal,” he said. “It's very difficult to put a price on something so unique and auctions are the simplest and fairest way of selling something.

“It's up to the owner whether they want to put a reserve on it but I'm sure it will sell. Don't forget the bidder doesn't know how much the reserve is so he doesn't know how close he is.”