Rylands dickie bow theft mystery

Ebay UK - DASTARDLY Dick the Dickie Dipper has struck at Billingshurst and stolen James Rylands famous bow tie, placing it for sale on eBay with a starting price of 99p. Rylands was not available for comment, believed to be in the Bahamas where he spends most of his life in hedonous pursuits which include snorkelling and diving.

An auctioneer who wished to remain anonymous said today, "There is some concern in auctioneering circles that this dickie theft could result in copycat crimes and stealing to order which may have a knock-on effect of reducing the number of operating auctioneers, resulting in auctoneer shortages and forcing up buyers and sellers premiums."

All proceeds from the eBay sale of Rylands dickie are to be given to the Cancer Research charity.

Bid for the bow tie on eBay

Historical notes:
1. The bow tie originated among Croatian mercenaries during the Prussian wars of the 17th century: the Croats used a scarf around the neck to hold together the opening of their shirts. This was soon adopted (under the name cravat, derived from the French for "Croat") by the upper classes in France, then a leader in fashion, and flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.
2. The Rylands legal ruling of 1886 (Rylands v Fletcher) concerned escape of water onto neighbouring land. Later cases in which the Rylands test was applied involved the escape of all manner of wastes and materials, extending outwards to a broad range of inherently dangerous activities considered essential to modern life - such as auctions.