Belongings of the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers have raised £20,000 at auction. The collection included the TV chef's moustache brush, motorbike leathers and the dance shoes he wore on Strictly Come Dancing.
Around 320 items were put up for sale on Tuesday, September 8, by Dave's widow Lili Myers, 59, on what would have been his 69th birthday. She said she made the difficult decision to sell her late husband's treasured possessions to "share a small part of his remarkable legacy."
Dave died in 2024 from cancer, aged 66. He was best known as one half of The Hairy Bikers cooking duo alongside Si King.
Auction highlights and top sellers
The auction included a variety of Dave's personal belongings, including antiques, paintings and works of art he had collected during his life. The highest-selling item was a 19th century Meissen figurine of a cherub wearing a long wig and blue cloak, which sold for £2,250.
His Hein Gericke leathers and size 44 boots sold for £375. The leather dance shoes he wore on Strictly Come Dancing fetched £150, while a commemorative bottle of Laurent Perrier Champagne given to him before the show made £125.
Art and music items sold
An oil on canvas he painted of a sleeping nude with gnomes in an enchanted forest sold for £530. A signed SpongeBob SquarePants fender six-string guitar went for £500, while Dave's Kala Ukulele fetched £200. His silver-plated moustache brush sold for £50.
The sale was held at Special Auction Services in Newbury, Berkshire.
Widow's emotional tribute
On the auction, Lili said: "In proper Dave style, on his birthday Dave managed to put smiles again on people's faces. Thank you to the people who successfully bid for Dave's beloved items.
"I hope they bring you as much joy as he had when he was collecting them. It's a really emotional day for me as you can imagine. All these objects around us remind me of so many moments in our lives."
Speaking before the sale, Lili, who was married to Dave for 13 years, said: "Making the decision to part with some of Dave's belongings has not been easy. Every item holds a memory, a story or a reminder of the life we shared together.
"This auction is not about letting go of Dave. It is about sharing a small part of his remarkable legacy with those who supported him throughout his career and loved him as much as I did.
"It is symbolic emotional step for me and a way of helping me to move forward. I have devoted the last two and a half years to keeping his legacy alive. But at some point of grieving there has to be a point in moving forward - and this is my moving forward.
"Each object sparks a memory and smiles or a story of our time together - I hope they can go to a home where they are cherished."
Of just over 300 items, around a third were sold and some of the proceeds will be split with the charity NSPCC.
SAS Director Thomas Forrester said: "The auction attracted a great deal of interest and the results were surprising. Although some of the items did not sell, the ones that proved popular were those that were a reflection of Dave's eclectic tastes and his trademark look."
