Antiques experts have been bowled over by the ‘magnificent’ contents of a Derbyshire manor house due for auction – including an item Harry Potter fans will covet.
More than 200 lots from Over Burrows, a manor house near Ashbourne dating back to the 1740s, are due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on April 8 and are expected to sell for between £50,000-£100,000.
And Potterheads could come out in force to secure a lectern made from wood salvaged from Derbyshire’s Hardwick Hall. The Elizabethan country house built in the late 1500s at Doe Lea, Chesterfield, was Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The lectern is seen far left, in the library.
Adrian Rathbone, Head of Fine Arts at Hansons, said: “This collection of contents is magnificent and the Harry Potter-related find is just one good example. I’m sure there are many Potter fans around the world would like to own an item connected to the fictional Malfoy Manor. Hardwick provided exterior shots for the famous film.
“Derbyshire has many country homes steeped in history and Over Burrows is another fine example. It was originally the cottage to a larger hall nearby. In the mid-1980s, after many years in a derelict state, the manor was sensitively restored.
“The owner, who is re-locating, has built up an enviable collection of furniture and furnishings over many years. Inherited heirlooms sit alongside well-considered purchases to create a typical English country house look. Purveyors of quintessential English country house interiors will be in their element when the contents of this manor go to auction.
“Goods on offer range from traditional 18th Century and later oak and mahogany furniture. Specific items which should perform well include studded leather wing-back chairs, a chesterfield settee and bookcases, pedestal desk and even a table globe, an ideal addition to a gentleman’s study.
“There are plenty of tables, highlights of which include a lovely 18th Century figured walnut lowboy and Regency period tea/games tables.
“For those looking for something out of the ordinary, there is an unusual porter’s armchair, a cosy chair incorporating a curved canopy. Other highlights include the owner’s favourite pair of walnut and tan leather chairs and a mirrored back bookcase.
“Traditional country oak furniture such as a dresser, a cupboard with lozenge carved panels and rustic dining table and chairs can be found.
In addition to furniture, the sale will include a good selection of original artwork, predominantly dating from the 18th and 19th Century, including work by 17th Century Dutch artist Palamedesz Palamedes.
The contents have now been transferred to Hansons’ country house auction centre at Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Staffordshire, in readiness for research and cataloguing ahead of the April 8 sale. To find out more, email enquirie[email protected]
Auction entries invited
Do you have anything that may be suitable to be offered for sale within this auction? Hansons is inviting entries of quality jewellery, watches, silver, paintings, works of art and furniture for inclusion in this country house-themed auction. If so, please email details and jpeg images to [email protected] or phone 07843 061921. Safe and free home visits are available by special request.
