Antiques auction selling neck shackles accused of ‘profiting from slavery’

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondentFebruary 21, 2026 at 08:00 AM

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An antiques auction in Scotland, Cheeky Auctions, is facing criticism for selling neck shackles linked to the enslavement of African people in Zanzibar. The shackles, dated to 1780 and valued at approximately £1,000, are part of an auction called "Challenging History." Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has accused the auction house of profiting from slavery, while others have expressed outrage at the sale of such items. The auctioneer, Marcus Salter, defends the sale by stating his intention is to confront history and educate people, arguing that a museum donation could lead to the item being unseen. He also claims that the auction platform considers the chains a historical artifact, making the sale permissible. The auction has sparked boycotts and debate regarding the ethics of selling items associated with slavery.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Antiques Roadshow 30% Tain 40% Ross 40% Omani-Arab 50% Labour Party 50% Nigel Murray 50% Scotland 50% East Africa 60% Zanzibar 60% Cheeky Auctions ×270% Bell Ribeiro-Addy ×275% Marcus Salter ×480%

Keywords

slavery 100% neck shackles 90% antiques auction 90% profiting from slavery 80% slave trade 70% auction controversy 60% historical artefact 60% east africa 50% museum donation 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

The Guardian - World News

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Zanzibar

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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slavery neck shackles antiques auction profiting from slavery slave trade auction controversy historical artefact east africa museum donation

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