A bloodstained shawl auctioned by Lacy Scott and Knight has provided a key piece of evidence for new claims as to Jack the Ripper's identity.

The shawl was subject to DNA testing, which was traced back to one of Kosminski's relatives

The shawl, worn by Catherine Eddowes - one of the last "confirmed" victims of the Victorian serial killer - held DNA linked to polish hairdresser Aaron Kosminski, who is believed by some to have committed the murders.

It was sold by the family of PC Amos Simpson, one of the police officers who attended the scene of Eddowes' murder, who later gave it to his wife. A dressmaker, his wife was (understandably) disgusted with the gift and immediately stored it out of sight.

It was sold by the auction house in 2007, yet plays an integral role in a new book claiming to have solved the murder.

"We see all sorts of weird and wonderful items but the shawl having such a strong connection to such a famous unsolved murder must have been our most macabre sale," Edward Crighton from Lacey Scott & Knight told Bury Free Press.

The story reveals how seemingly plain collectibles can reveal fascinating backgrounds - a major driving force behind collecting.

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