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King Arthur manuscript in private hands for 700 years goes on sale - for a huge price

Krdo · · 579 words · By CNN Newssource
Art and Antiquities Market Medieval History
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What to know about Art and Antiquities Market

King Arthur manuscript in private hands for 700 years goes on sale – for a huge price By Lianne Kolirin, CNN (CNN) — A medieval manuscript featuring an early version of the tales of King Arthur and Merlin, which has been in private hands for about 700 years,…

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 1
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

King Arthur manuscript in private hands for 700 years goes on sale – for a huge price By Lianne Kolirin, CNN (CNN) — A medieval manuscript featuring an early version of the tales of King Arthur and Merlin, which has been in private hands for about 700 years,…

Why it matters

Expected to fetch up to $2.7 million, the illuminated manuscript, which dates from the 13th or 14th century, is one of the earliest documents to narrate the legend of King Arthur and the search for the holy grail.

Common ground

Written sometime between 1290 and 1310, the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail is the highlight of an upcoming Valuable Books and Manuscripts auction at Christie’s in July.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://krdo.com/news/2026/05/28/king-arthur-manuscript-in-private-hands-for-700…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “The tome contains text in Old French from a series known as the Lancelot-Grail cycle and has been valued at between £1.5 million ($2 million) and £2 million ($2.7 million).”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the text is in Old French from the Lancelot-Grail cycle and the valuation is between £1.5 million and £2 million ($2 million to $2.6/2.7 million).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1700s decade ran from January 1, 1700, to December 31, 1709. The decade is marked by a shift in the political structure of the Indian subcontinent, and the decline of the Mughal Empire.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1700s_(decade)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The House of La Rochefoucauld is an ancient family of French nobility. Its earliest origins date back to the 10th century, in the area of what is now the village of La Rochefoucauld, 400 kilometres (2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_La_Rochefoucauld
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · The tome contains text in Old French from a series known as the Lancelot-Grail cycle and has been valued at between £1.5 million ($2 million) ...
https://www.waaytv.com/news/social/king-arthur-manuscript-in…
+ 2 more evidence sources
info
Claim 2: “It has never been publicly exhibited nor studied in any great detail, according to the auction house.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one specific search result explicitly mentions the auction house's claim that it has never been publicly exhibited or studied in detail.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Written sometime between 1290 and 1310, the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail is the highlight of an upcoming Valuable Books and Manuscripts auction at Christie’s in July.It has never been publicly exhibited no…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/king-arthur-manusc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A King Arthur manuscript hidden away in private collections for 700 years will go up for auction. The medieval manuscript, which dates from 1290-1310, chronicles the myths of King Arthur, Merl…
https://simonmercieca.com/2026/05/31/a-bit-of-history-about-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A brilliantly illuminated manuscript from the medieval saga of King Arthur is heading to auction after 700 years in private hands.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/king-arthur-clermont-tonne…
help
Claim 3: “previous owners included a 15th century knight, a jouster, an “obsessive medievalist” and a 20th century industrialist called Jean Lebaudy who was awarded two “croix de guerre” for his “heroic deeds in both World Wars.””
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific list of previous owners (knight, jouster, Jean Lebaudy).
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Claim 4: “A medieval manuscript featuring an early version of the tales of King Arthur and Merlin, which has been in private hands for about 700 years, is going under the hammer in a rare sale this summer.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm a rare medieval manuscript of King Arthur and Merlin, held in private hands for 700 years, is going to auction in the summer of 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter in military and civil use. First flown in 1987, it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW101
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Seven Deadly Sins manga series features a cast of characters created by Nakaba Suzuki. Set in a fictitious Britannia in a time period akin to the European Middle Ages, the story references various…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Seven_Deadly_Sins_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V12 piston aero engine of 27-litre (1,650 cu in) capacity. Developed as a private venture by Rolls-Royce and first run in 1933, the engine became one …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 5: “Among the images are some depicting Merlin the magician shape-shifting into different forms and some of the tales of King Arthur and his knights.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the illustrations include Merlin shape-shifting and scenes of King Arthur and his knights.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Merlin (Welsh: Myrddin ) [note 2] is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a prophet and a magician, ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 26, 2026 ... ... including Arthur, Merlin, Gawain, King Ban, and King Bohors. ... King Arthur and His Knights Hardcover Description: King Arthur and His Knights.
https://www.facebook.com/LovinMalta/posts/a-stunning-700-yea…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... ... King Arthur and his knights. It includes images of Merlin ...
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/28/style/medieval-king-arthur-ma…
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Claim 6: “The sale will take place at Christie’s in London on July 8.”
CORROBORATED
ArtnetNews and other web results confirm the sale takes place at Christie's in London on July 8th.
info
Claim 7: “there are only three such manuscripts in private hands and this is the earliest.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only the Facebook post mentions that only three such manuscripts are believed to remain in private hands.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 30, 2026 ... Experts describe it as a “virtually unknown” manuscript, and only three comparable manuscripts are believed to remain in private hands. Now ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1680627865521217/posts/42055…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... The Clermont-Tonnerre Grail, an early version of King Arthur tales written around 1300 AD, is going up for auction on July 8th in London. Expect ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DY38v2-EUCg/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... The tome contains text in Old French from a series known as the Lancelot-Grail cycle and has been valued at between £1.5 million ($2 million) ...
https://www.waaytv.com/news/social/king-arthur-manuscript-in…
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Claim 8: “Written sometime between 1290 and 1310, the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail is the highlight of an upcoming Valuable Books and Manuscripts auction at Christie’s in July.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources identify the manuscript as the 'Clermont-Tonnerre Grail', date it between 1290 and 1310, and place it in a Christie's auction in July.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 27, 2026 ... According to auction house Christie's, the artifact dates to between 1290 and 1310, and it'll be the oldest version of the Vulgate Cycle ever ...
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-m…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... Written sometime between 1290 and 1310, the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail ... Manuscripts auction at Christie's in July. The tome contains text ...
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/28/style/medieval-king-arthur-ma…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 ... Dating from c.1290–1310, the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail is one of the oldest and most profusely illustrated private copies of the Lancelot ...
https://historymedieval.com/a-13th-century-king-arthur-manus…
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Claim 9: “Written on vellum and decorated with gold leaf, the manuscript features 126 “rich illustrations””
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources explicitly state the manuscript is written on vellum, decorated with gold leaf, and contains 126 illustrations.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 126 may refer to: 126 (number), the natural number following 125 and preceding 127 AD 126, a year in the 2nd century AD 126 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC 126 film, a cartridge-based film format us…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/126
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Fiat 126 (Type 126) is a city car manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1972 until 2000 over a single generation. It has a rear-engine design and seats four passengers. Introduced by Fiat in Octo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_126
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — TO-126 is a type of semiconductor package for devices with three pins, such as transistors. The package is rectangular with a hole in the middle to allow for easy mounting to a board or a heat sink. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TO-126
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 10: “Expected to fetch up to $2.7 million, the illuminated manuscript, which dates from the 13th or 14th century, is one of the earliest documents to narrate the legend of King Arthur and the search for the holy grail.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the manuscript dates from the 13th or 14th century, narrates the legend of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, and is expected to fetch up to $2.7 million.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Fisher King (French: Roi Pêcheur; Welsh: Brenin Pysgotwir; Cornish: Pyscador Myghtern; Breton: Roue ar Peskataer) is a figure in Arthurian legend, the last in a long line of British kings tasked w…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_King
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Holy Grail (French: Saint Graal, Breton: Graal Santel, Welsh: Greal Sanctaidd, Cornish: Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Grail
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 British comedy film based on the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric I…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grai…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.