Robbie Williams cried "happy tears" after buying Eric Morecambe's glasses and pipe

The lot had been expected to sell for around £2,000- £4,000 but as the price rose, Robbie urged his proxy to "keep bidding".

Sharing a selfie on Instagram with him wearing the glasses and clutching the pipe, the former Take That star wrote: "So I treated myself to a done-loads-of-promo-for-my-film prezzie. Also, with my birthday coming up I thought it might be a 2 for one.

"There was an auction for some of Eric Morecambe's personal effects. Real Digital Mike who does all of my digital stuff was appointed Chief Bidder for me as I was in Los Angeles about to board a plane. As it happens, I got to watch the lot being auctioned live. My iPhone and Mike's iPhone acting like walkie-talkies.

" "What should I do Ayds?" I nervously kept asking my wife. "Keep bidding" Ayda says with the steely determination of someone bursting through an electronics store door on Black Friday... "Keep going Mike" I say. This vignette of conversation would repeat itself several times over the next 10 minutes.

"To be honest, I think we would have gone down with the bidding ship. Our determination now fully on some primal competitive and irrational s*** - "But darling, we're now going through the children's inheritance"......."F*** em"

"In short we "Won". Real Digital Mike kept pressing the bid button and the internet responded in kind by logging his request. "going once, going twice......Sold to the bidder on the internet"

"Then tears, Mine. Happy childlike tears.(sic)"

The 'Come Undone' singer explained how he had always felt a special connection to Eric - who died in 1984 aged 58 - and promised to "commune" with the glasses in hope of getting answers to some questions he's always wanted to ask.

He continued: "You see, I guess we all need friends-we-never-meet from off the telly. Eric has always been mine. An Uncle of sorts. To the very core of me, Eric Morecambe's spirit has been salve for my soul. How Eric made me feel is how I want to make people feel. What a gift to be able to create such joy and have that joy be present just by thinking of them.

"I will commune with Eric's Glasses, ask questions and maybe get some answers. "What Would Eric Do?" Now I can ask him.

"Eric, you were and are the very best of the very best. That sunshine you asked for. You gave to me.

"Your Fan, Robert x (sic)"