Firm that sold $14,000 smartphones has reportedly collapsed

Kevin Lee | Getty Images for Vertu

A guest looks at a Vertu handset during the Vertu Aster Launch party on October 16, 2014 in Shanghai, China.

The manufacturing arm of a British luxury smartphone maker is to be wound down after a failed buyout bid in the U.K. High Court, according to multiple media reports.

Vertu Corporation Limited (VCL) made products for the super-rich that came with hefty price tags. Some Vertu models boasted state of the art technology, superior craftsmanship and materials, as well as bespoke services – including a concierge service which provided 24-hour worldwide assistance to users. Vertu’s phones started at around £11,100 ($14,390) and a top-of-the-range jewel-encrusted bespoke model could reportedly sell for £280,000.

Murat Hakan Uzan, who owns the Vertu brand separately, sought to buy the manufacturer out of administration in a pre-packaged deal but failed this week, according to the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper. The Financial Times reported that he is retaining the brand, the technology and design licenses and plans to rebuild the phone maker.