MIAMI, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Santa
Maria bell, which accompanied Christopher Columbus' flagship on his expedition
to the Americas in 1492, will be auctioned off on November 18 in Miami. The American Cancer Society will
benefit.
The Santa Maria bell will be auctioned off on November 18 in Miami.
The bell was discovered by former Italian naval officer and
underwater salvage expert Roberto
Mazzara in 1994 off the coast of northern Portugal. It is at the center of an epic story
replete with treasure hunts, political intrigue and historical
mystery. Mazzara believes that the auction "will be a wonderful
opportunity to give the world of collectors access to this unique
piece." But he has also decided that a portion of the proceeds will
go to charity.
Five percent of the auction's proceeds will be donated to the
American Cancer Society (ACS). For Mazzara, the donation "is a way
of showing my commitment and gratitude to all those who fight
against this disease, both health professionals and the people who
suffer from it." His gesture was communicated to Viviana Mártir,
the ACS's Regional Integrated Marketing Director, who thanked him
for the announcement of the donation and said that the organization
"is happy that Mazzara has chosen them" to receive the donation
once the bell is successfully auctioned off in Miami.
There is ample evidence to support the authenticity of this
historical treasure, which weighs just under 31 pounds and measures
roughly 10 inches in diameter. The University of Zaragoza conducted
chemical and metallographic analysis of the bell, which confirmed
its age and a composition typical of Columbus's time. The General
Archives of the Indies, housed in Seville and Simancas in Spain, identify a bell on the Santa
Maria closely matching Mazzara's find, and documents recorded
by the Casa de la Contratación, or House of Trade, provide similar
evidence. The Spanish Ministry of Culture confirms that Mazzara's
find is the oldest naval bell in the world.
After legal battles that called the bell's ownership into
question, the historic piece was returned to its rightful owner,
Mazzara, by a Spanish court. Many consider the bell to be
priceless, as it is in several ways a unique artifact. It now makes
its grand entrance after being stored in an undisclosed
Miami-area location since
2006.
The bell will be privately auctioned on November 18. Bidding will start at $6 million.
For more information, please visit
www.bellofsantamaria.com
https://www.facebook.com/santamariabell/
or send an email to
thesantamariabell@gmail.com.
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SOURCE Roberto Mazzara