The ashes of writer Truman Capote have sold at auction for nearly $A60,000 - 10 times the amount they were expected to fetch.
The remains - which are stored in a Japanese carved wooden box - went under the hammer in Los Angeles, 32 years after the author of In Cold Blood died at the age of 59.
The ashes belonged to Capote's friend Joanne Carson, the former wife of late US talk show host Johnny Carson.
Julien's Auctions said the sale of the item, which had an estimated price of $US4000-$US6000, is believed to be the first time human ashes have been sold at auction.
They were bought by an anonymous buyer in the US for $US43,750 ($57,387).
Julien, president of Julien's Auctions, told the Press Association: "Truman Capote had a lot of fans around the world.
"We had bids from Russia, South America and Asia. There was a lot of interest in such a unique item.
"When Truman passed away in Joanne Carson's house they were best friends. He requested to be cremated and told her: 'Don't put me on a shelf. I want to go on an adventure.'
"The buyer wants to remain anonymous but he said Truman will continue on with his adventures."
Capote, whose other well-known works include Breakfast At Tiffany's, and Mrs Carson, who died in 2015, frequently stayed at her home in Los Angeles, where he had a studio to work on his writing.
