Christie’s in sale row

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 23

Christie’s in sale row

Orchardleigh House, an impressive Victorian mansion set in ornamental gardens on a 810hectare estate in the heart of rural Somerset, has been robbed of its unspoilt charm by Christie’s, the auctioneers. Christie’s ignored last-ditch pleas from council officers who said some of the lots were protected by the building’s Listed Buildings status. The auction raised some $6 million and attracted foreign buyers, including a representative of King Hussein of Jordan. The house’s new owner, Hugh Dixon, who specialises in the restoration of country manors is irate. “Ripping out features such as over-mantles and fire fenders is more akin to tearing someone’s ear off than removing their fob watch from them.” Mendip District Council warned Christie’s the day before the sale that it could face prosecution. But the two-day sale went ahead as planned last September and the valuable antiques were sold — to the horror of conservationists. Mendip Council will prosecute Christie’s and the executors of the estate and try to force them to recover the fixtures or make good the damage. Chandeliers, fire fenders and over-mantles were removed from inside the house. A marble was damaged in an attempt to rip it out. Also

plundered for the sale were statues of classical figures, a sun dial and urns from the ornamental gardens that were designed along with the house by the renowned Victorian architect T. H. Wyatt. The house, built in 1856 in a French chateau style for William Duckworth, remained with the Duckworth family until the death of a former Tory member of Parliament, Arthur Duckworth, in November 8, 1986, when it was sold on the instruction of the executors of the estate. Robert Ladd, the council’s conservation officer, said Christie’s had ignored their advice that they were selling protected fixtures and fittings. One of the great attractions of the building was that it had been unspoilt and retained many features commissioned specially for the building. Francis Kelly, an inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings for English Heritage, the State-assisted conservation body, has called the sale “surprising and regrettable” and warns that such a sale was an offence unless permission to remove fixtures was expressly approved. Christie’s maintains it was acting on the instructions of the executors of the estate. Copyright London Observer.