Sale of the century

11:30am Thursday 28th August 2008

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AN international crowd is expected to flock to Madley for the sale of the contents of the world famous Great Brampton House antiques centre.

More than 700 lots of fine furniture, works of art, ceramics and paintings will be on offer – with a Gainsborough portrait expected to take top billing.

The sale, conducted by Bonhams, follows the retirement of Lady Pamela Pidgeon, who built up the business at Madley to attract an international clientele including Hollywood actress Ava Gardner and operatic legend Luciano Pavarotti.

Great Brampton House itself is also up for sale, in the hands of Bill Jackson of Hereford, with a guide price of more than £2 million.

He told the Hereford Times there was considerable interest from several prospective buyers in the UK and one from the United States.

Bonhams, which is dealing with the contents, says it will be the country house sale of the year in the heart of Herefordshire.

Director Harvey Cammell said Lady Pidgeon had a very strong eye for classic English furniture and French opulence and exceptional pieces would be included in the sale.

He added it would have broad appeal with sale estimates on lots ranging from £100 to £80,000 and many being sold without reserve.

The sale is expected to attract enormous interest, not only from Britain but also from Lady Pidgeon’s vast array of customers from around the world.

“Great Brampton House provides the perfect English country setting for an on-site sale experience – a wonderful and memorable event which Bonhams is understandably very proud to be directing,” said Mr Cammell.

One of the highlights will be the auctioning of an oil on canvas painting of the Marchioness of Donegal, with an estimated value of up to £60,000.

It was painted by Francis Coates in 1760 but was altered by Gainsborough 16 years later on the instructions of the Marchioness, who wanted it to reflect her new hairstyle.

The full-length painting has been hanging at the foot of the imposing staircase at Great Brampton House.

The Wedgwood Room, Russian Room and Gold Room were just three of the specialist rooms in the house for Lady Pidgeon to exhibit her antiques and create a vision of English grandeur.

Among them are a pair of portraits of Grand Duke Paul of Russia, later the Czsar and his wife Maria Feodorovna, estimated to fetch £30,000 to £50,000; a fine ormolu mounted Japanese lacquer commode at £60,000 to £80,000; a Queen Arthur burr walnut bureau cabinet at £12,000 to £18,000; a pair of blue and white baluster jars and covers with marble topped four-legged hardwood stands at £35,000 to £40,000 and a large pair of glazed pottery models of recumbent leopards at £12,000 to £18,000.

Lady Pidgeon, who had a helipad built to fly in clients, also owned luxury cars for chauffeurs to fetch and take others from stations.

Two of the cars, a 1988 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Saloon, estimated at £6,000 to £8,000 and a 1997 Bentley Turbo RT Sports at £13,000 to £15,000 will be included in the sale.

The Great Brampton House sale is on Wednesday, October 1, starting at 10am.

There will be four preview days – Saturday, September 27, from 10am to 4pm, Sunday, September 28, from 10am to 4pm, Monday, September 29, from 10am to 5pm and Tuesday, September 30, from 10am to 5pm.