Rare ceramic goat made by King Charles as Cambridge student up for auction, it could fetch whopping...

A colourfully decorated ceramic goat, which is believed to have been created by King Charles while he was attending Cambridge University, has emerged for sale in the UK.

Back in 1960s, King Charles gifted the small ceramic goat painted with yellow and pink stripes to Cambridge's cook Helen Patten. Later in 1969, it was handed over to Patten's nephew Raymond Patten, former carpenter in British Columbia, on his 21st birthday.

Patten, 76, has put the treasured item up for auction at Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire due to its "historical significance". It's anticipated to fetch nearly £10,000.

The retiree, who traveled to the UK to present the exclusive piece to Hansons, claimed he had "treasured" the gift given by Charles all his life and that it was his late aunt's honour to serve the royal family's members.

Speaking ahead of the sale, he said: “My Aunt Nellie, Helen Patten, gave me the goat on my 21st birthday on June 22, 1969. She told me Prince Charles had made it."

“She was proud of the fact he attended Cambridge University in the late 1960s when she worked as a cook for the president of Queen’s College. I believe she knew the future king on a personal basis. I have treasured the goat all my life.”

From 1967 to 1970, the then-Prince of Wales attended Trinity College and studied archaeology and anthropology before switching to history and graduating with a 2:2 degree.

A closer look at King Charles and his love for art

According to Hansons Auctioneers experts, the goat will be sold at higher prices due to its rareness.

Charles Hanson, the proprietor of the British auction house, stated that this was not the first time the King's artwork had been auctioned by Hansons. Last year, they sold a portrait of King Charles' parents drawn by him during his childhood days. It fetched around £60,000.

While King Charles has shown his passion for art throughout his life, he is mostly renowned for his paintings, Hanson stated.

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He further stressed that this goat piece demonstrates another side to the monarch's talent. “As far as we are aware it is the only example of pottery made by King Charles in existence. It represents his early passion and artistic flare working in ceramics in the late 1960s… We’re thrilled to have made this royal find.”

The proprietor informed that they expect the ceramic piece to sell for between £5,000 and £10,000. Raymond has opted to part with it now because of its historical value, he informed.