The Amy Johnson Festival’s Big Moth Auction has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the HEY Smile Foundation and the Amy Johnson Arts and Engineering Awards.

Hundreds of potential bidders descended on the Royal Hotel, in Hull, on Saturday afternoon, hoping to go home with one of the 25 iconic moths.

Local auctioneers, Gilbert Baitson, took control of proceedings coordinating bids in the room and from all over the world. An incredible £6,000 was paid for one moth, prompting gasps amongst the crowd, with the lowest sale still raising an impressive £2,000.

The funds Smile receives from the auction will open a new innovation fund. The initial project will see Smile working in partnership with local businesses to develop a new technology, which will enable charities across the region to access funding and resources in a more straightforward way.

Smile is incredibly grateful to have been selected as one of the Big Moth Auction beneficiaries, Helen Binnie-Wise from Smile said:

“Amy Johnson is an iconic figure not just in Hull’s history, but across the world.

“The whole of East Yorkshire has taken great pleasure from the moth trail, spending thousands of hours exploring our region and learning more about Amy Johnson’s life and achievements.

“It is our absolute pleasure to play a part in the continuity of the Amy Johnson Festival’s legacy. We’d like to extend our thanks to the Amy Johnson Festival Director, Rick Welton, and Project Manager, Clare Huby for leading this phenomenal initiative.”

Moth Sale Prices:

Lot 1: 1930s Aviation Poster For Amy – £2,700

Lot 2: Air Mail – £3,500

Lot 3: Spirit Of The Age – £4,000

Lot 4: The Horizon’s Path – £2,500

Lot 5: My Spirit Found Outlet In The Air – £2,600

Lot 6: Amy’s Coat Of Arms – £2,500

Lot 7: Fly High – £3,200

Lot 8: The Talent Match Mencap Moth – £2,000

Lot 9: Flight To Australia – £5,000

Lot 10: Diverse-City – £2,800

Lot 11: Deco Winged Moth – £3,100

Lot 12: Jason – £3,200

Lot 13: Deco-Page – £3,300

Lot 14: …Somebody To Dance With – £2,300

Lot 15: Women Of The ATA – £3,700

Lot 16: Red Letter Days – £3,500

Lot 17: Swallow Lotus – £3,100

Lot 18: To Build A House – £6,000

Lot 19: Greatfield Blossoms – £4,000

Lot 20: Turkish Delight – £3,000

Lot 21: Motley – £4,000

Lot 22: Deco Moth – £3,500

Lot 23: Geoffrey – £3,700

Lot 24: Flight Over Thailand – £3,800

Lot 25: I Believe I Can Fly – £4,000

To see photos of all of the moths that went under the hammer, visit the Amy Johnson Festival website.