Relics from German battleships sunk off Orkney were among a lifetime collection of antiques which have sold at auction for £200,000.

The ship’s clock and other items were retrieved from the fleet sunk at Scapa Flow after World War I in 1919.

The array of auction items was salvaged from the wrecks and eventually collected by the late Norris Wood at his home on the island.

The collection went under the hammer at Bonhams in Edinburgh on Friday.

Of the items salvaged from the fleet, an imperial German part-dinner service went for £696, the ship’s clock for £1,032, the telegraph for £480 and the classic silvered searchlight for £696.

The total of 580 lots went for £223,680 - more than double the estimated proceeds.

Mr Wood turned his home overlooking Scapa Flow into a private museum in 1961 and it became a popular Orkney attraction.

However, relatives recently decided the museum could not continue operating and are selling off the contents.

A range of Georgian and Victorian furniture and antique clocks, pocket watches, pottery and porcelain were also sold.

The most expensive item was a mid-19th Century carved ship’s figurehead, which went for £10,820.

Seventy-four German ships were scuttled at Scapa Flow to stop them falling into British hands.

Bonhams managing director in Scotland, Mark Richards, said the Wood family were delighted with the auction outcome.

“Every lot went and it surpassed all expectations,” he said.

Posted: 03|17|07 at 7:36 am. Filed under: UK News.