The Victorian-era Irish sex toy , “Antique Carved Ivory Ladies Companion” went under hammer on Saturday in Ireland, receiving more than 100 bids, this artistic tusk was sold for €3,200. The winning bidder is believed to be a wealthy private collector from the US.

According to the auction house, Matthews, the bidding atmosphere was “was crazy, we had bids from museums, sex-shop owners, housewives, doctors.” At last, the US private collector outbid a Los Angeles erotica museum to take home the antique.

Victoria-era, Dublin

As scholars pointed out, it is believed that the idea of female sexual arousal was unthinkable in Victorian-era, this kind of items were usually invented by doctors at that time to cure “hysterical” women. As the ivory sold this time is beautifully carved, and the purpose of its design is obvious, it deeply challenges the narrative mentioned above.