 A tribute to Jimmy Johnstone created by Faberge will go on sale next month in Glasgow. It is hard to put a price on one of the 19 eggs made but the linking of two legends must make the egg (number 14 in the series which represent his 19 caps won for Scotland) worth more than it's weight in gold. The egg was created by the master goldsmiths in 2005 and is owned by life-long Celtic fans David and Pauline McGinty. With a family move to Shetland on the cards, the McGinty have now decided to put their stunning jewel up for auction to help them start a new life in the north of Scotland. David said: "I have supported Celtic since I was a boy and my earliest memories are of watching Jinky playing, so having the egg is just incredible. I thought long and hard about selling it but at the end of the day we need the funds to help us with our move to Shetland."David is keen that some of the proceeds from the sale will also go to a cause close to Jinky’s heart. David went on: "Jinky’s son, James Johnstone, is launching a fantastic training facility for the benefit of the children and residents of Viewpark where Jinky and his family lived for many years. The family have told me that this venture is something that Jinky would very much be in favour of and for this reason I am pleased to be making a donation to help get James’ dedication to his dad up and running." James added: "This is a fantastic gesture by David and I know my dad would have been delighted. We have faced a lot of challenges getting the Jimmy Johnstone Soccer School off the ground so any support we can get is extremely welcome." The nineteen Faberge eggs were made in tribute to the Celtic legend who died in 2006 after a long battle with motor neurone disease. The eggs open to reveal a silver and gold figure of Jinky, and at the time of their creation Sarah Faberge was quoted as saying: "The Lord of the Wing film confirmed my respect for Jimmy Johnstone and it was a privilege to meet him in Glasgow." The success of the Jinky egg was the inspiration for a series of 68 George Best eggs that were created by Faberge in 2007 to commemorate Best’s part in Manchester United’s 1968 European Cup success. Number 14 in the Best series will also be on sale at the same time. Examples of the Jinky and Best eggs are owned by leading figures in the football world with Sir Alex Ferguson believed to own at least one. Commenting on the sale, Brian Clements, Managing Director at McTear’s Auctioneers said: “Faberge eggs are one of the world’s great jewellery items and these are impressive examples of the famous goldsmith’s work. Anyone who has a connection with Celtic or Manchester United will know the story behind the eggs and I have no doubt this will help to increase interest in the sale at McTear’s in March.” The Faberge eggs will go under the hammer at McTear’s Auctioneers in Glasgow on Tuesday 1st March. For more information on the sale log on to www.mctears.co.uk. |