The farms were auctioned by Auction Alliance
CEO Rael Levitt who said it was the 2nd highest price ever achieved for a farm auction in the Western Cape.
The highest being the Zorgvliet wine farm which was sold by Auction Alliance for over R33.2 million in 2002. Apart from vines, orchards and chicken stock the farms Estherdal, Irene, and St. John (collectively known as Nantes) are also the legendary site where thieving slaves in the 1800's buried a fortune in gold and diamonds after killing the farmer and was the subject of a radio show called the secret of Nantes .
The farms cover an area of 236 hectares. The treasure, according to the whispers of the Boland people, are buried in the valley that runs through the farms.
"I don't want to validate this Boland legend by any means, said Alon Kowen, MD of Auction Alliance Cape Town, but the rumours of the stolen treasures are legendary in these parts. If it's true, and if the treasure can be found, then someone will hit the jackpot.
"That someone turned out to be Ockie Pretorius from Natal who bought the farming operation for R22.6 million nett.
Two smallholdings were bought by local Paarl businessmen for R950 000 and a further R2.7 million was paid for the cold stores by an Italian group.
According to Levitt about 250 people attended the auction and there was some furious bidding from a number of international buyers from Germany, Italy and Sweden.
The farms form part of the 13 original freeholds granted by the very first Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Simon Van der Stel, in 1692, and they have been owned by the same family for 8 generations.
Publisher: Sunday Tribune
Source: Sunday Tribune
Old legend reaches high price in Boland
Posted On Monday, 02 February 2004 02:00 Published by eProperty News
Three Boland farms and a century old legend of buried treasure were sold for 26.2 million in Paarl today.
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