Beverston Beauties
Our highly anticipated Country House sale in January did not disappoint. The majority of lots came from 14th Century Manor Beverston Castle, near Tetbury and Grade 1 Listed Ombersley Court, Worcestershire, with additional pieces from a Berkshire country house and selected other properties.
On the day, the star lots from Beverston Castle came from the impressive collection of jewellery collected by the late Mrs Rook, a long standing customer of Garrard, the prestigious Crown Jewellers. Mrs Rook lived with her late husband Major Laurence Rook MC at Beverston Castle which was once part of the great lordship of Berkeley, taken from Roger de Berkeley by Henry I.
Highlights from Beverston Castle:
- Natural saltwater pearl & diamond earrings, £38,000
- Victorian diamond tiara, £19,000
- Diamond three-stone ring, £15,000
A selection of lots from Ombersley Court, built for the first Lord Sandys between 1723-1726 by Francis Smith of Warwick, were offered for the first time having remained in the family for generations. Since the 1950s the house has remained somewhat of a ‘sleeping beauty,’ only viewed through the lens of photographer Arthur Oswald for a Country Life profile in 1953. Oswald’s photographs showcased the house’s decorative interiors and stately refinement, particularly the intricate plasterwork and carving.
Highlights from Ombersley Court:
- A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell, 1782, £17,000
- Portrait Miniature of a Lady by John Hoskins, circa 1635, £6,500
- Portrait Miniature of a Gentleman by Cornelis Johnson, £5,000
Other highlights came from a Berkshire country house:
- Waiting for the Guns by Arthur Wardle (British 1860-1949), £6,500
- The Duke of Beaufort Riding to Hounds, John Arnold Wheeler (British 1821-1903), £5,500
- Naïve Study of a Bull, £4,000