An unusual and incredibly rare cast of Joseph Stalin’s death mask sparked an international bidding war at Canterbury Auction Galleries.

The bronze piece, which also came with moulds of the Soviet dictator’s hands, blew its estimated sale price out of the water.

Dated 1953 - the year of Stalin’s death - the casts were recently found when the home of a former member of the Merchant Navy was cleared.

Measuring 12.5ins in height, the macabre mask has now been shipped to an American collector after selling for an impressive £13,500.

There are thought to have been between nine and 12 bronze casts made following the world leader’s demise, yet none have ever fetched a sum as large as the one sold in Canterbury.

Dan Ponder, from the auction house, said: “We’ve had things of all shapes and sizes including excellent Chinese bronzes. But we’ve never had anything like that. It’s very rare to see one and I wouldn’t think we’re going to ever see another one here again.

“It was a privilege to able to see it, it was like a museum piece.”

Among other famous names to have a death mask taken from their corpse include the Duke of Wellington, Horatio Nelson, Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Bonaparte.

The original death mask of the Communist Party leader is on display in the Stalin Museum in Gori, Georgia. The exhibit is almost like a shrine to him with his last cigarette packet and favourite winter coat also being on display.

The cast sold in Canterbury shows how his left hand was withered - a physical deformity Stalin tried to hide in portraits and from the camera.

Mr Ponder added: “The internet bidding raced like I’d never seen before. It shot up from £1,500 to £10,000 before you could take a breath.

“The guide price was much lower between £1,500 and £3,000 so it smashed that.

“The mask is now on it’s way to America after a telephone bidder from the UK won the lot.

“People from all over the world were bidding on it, including from Russia. All the details point to the cast coming from there, so it is one of the original casts.”