Greek Icon from Byzantine Era on Ebay for $245,000

A Greek-Australian woman has posted an icon titled, The Madonna and Child, on her local eBay Classifieds section for the asking price of $245,000AUD. The woman who wishes to remain anonymous claims she was given the icon along with another two of similar origin when she was born.

The icon is believed to have belonged to her family for many generations, and was guarded closely throughout the Ottoman invasion and occupation of Constantinople in 1453. It was eventually smuggled out of Constantinople in the 1800s by her grandfather, who at the age of 6 was dressed as a girl to escape the Turkish in Constantinople.

Her grandfather eventually took it with him to Egypt where he was to become a well known and respected Alexandrian Greek eventually coming to live in Australia with his family. The woman says the icon has been placed under lock and key in a secret location to prevent anyone from taking it without consent.

She also claims that the icon may be specially blessed because her late mother had noted many years ago that sitting amongst other icons in the family home, it was the only icon to be perpetually dust free. The owner said her mother would note that there was never a spec of dust on the icon, even though the others would be dusty. The woman also stated that the icon would never have spider webs near it or on it, even though the others did at times.

She also stated that she had originally thought nothing of her mother’s assertions regarding the special nature of the icon, until she noticed it herself, and could hardly believe it was possible.

The icon has been placed in the Classifieds section of Australian eBay for 14 days. When asked if she was open to receiving offers of a lesser value she stated she would be happy to consider all offers of a genuine nature but she wants the new owner to value and protect icon immensely ensuring it never comes to any harm.

This story was first submitted by Annoula on You.greekreporter.com