Controversial Robert E. Lee statue sells at auction for over $1.4 million

Image 1 of 3

A controversial piece of Dallas history sold at auction Wednesday for more than $1.4 million.

There were 84 bids, mostly between two people, for the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue. A bidder nicknamed LawDude ended up winning with a $1,434,000 bid.

Last month, the Dallas City Council designated the 1935 sculpture by Alexander Proctor as surplus property so it could be sold to the highest bidder.

The council set a minimum $450,000 bid requirement to cover what the city paid to remove it from the former Lee Park two years ago.

It was valued at $950,000 and the council said that much money could pay for the planned removal of the Confederate War Memorial near the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

The Lee statue has been collecting dust inside a Dallas storage facility since being removed.

As part of the auction agreement, the buyer cannot put it in a place that is visible from public property.

LINK: www.lsoauctions.com/details.cfm?itemnum=1074515131