Florence Nightingale lamp sells at Derbyshire auction for £17,000

Florence Nightingale gained her nickname after a description of her solitary rounds on the wards with a lamp appeared in The Times newspaper

A brass desk lamp which once belonged to Florence Nightingale has sold at auction for £17,000.

The 19th Century antique had been passed down through generations of a Derbyshire family.

Ms Nightingale, a nursing pioneer who became known as the Lady of the Lamp, was born in Italy but spent much of her childhood in Lea, Derbyshire.

Auctioneers had originally estimated the lamp, which she used to write by, would sell for up to £2,000.

Auctioneer Charles Hanson said Ms Nightingale had given the 150-year-old lamp to two sisters who worked for her after she left her home in Lea.

He said she had instructed them "to take best care of it".

He said: "It was truly a delight to handle such a unique item, which has played a part in the history of one of Derbyshire's truly inspirational characters."

At auction on Friday the lamp received heavily contested bids from people in the room, online and on the phone with it eventually being bought by an undisclosed UK bidder.