'Rare' item from Trump Tower's penthouse on sale

Part of a mirrored ceiling that once hung above Donald Trump's penthouse in New York City is up for sale.

The surviving section of the 24-carat gold and bevelled mirror ceiling, commissioned by the now President of the United States for his property at Trump Tower in 1987, will go under the hammer in Gloucestershire on 7 October.

The fragment, described as "unusual and rare" by Dominic Winter Auctioneers, features a leaf pattern.

It is believed to be one of only three pieces left over from the original commission, and is estimated to be sold for £300-500.

A specialist glass studio in California produced the mirrored ceiling that the fragment - measuring 77 x 15cm (30 x 6in) - came from.

More than 800ft of 15cm-wide mirror coffers were produced by the studio for the project, with more than 12,000 individually cut leaves incorporated into the ceiling over an eight-month period.

A team of specialist polishers worked on the pieces before the gilding was applied.

Trump's penthouse apartment had originally been designed in a more contemporary style, the auctioneers said, but its interiors were "subsequently radically redesigned" in the late 1980s to reflect the president's take on European royal grandeur.

Chris Albury, director at Dominic Winter Auctioneers, said the mirror fragment was "an extraordinary survivor from a hugely ambitious decorative project".

"The amount of craftsmanship involved is remarkable, with thousands of individual leaves cut and polished by hand before the mirror was gilded in 24-carat gold.

"The fact that this particular piece was retained as a memento by one of the British craftsmen who worked on the project gives it an especially fascinating provenance."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.