A one-day sale featuring a host of Guinness family heirlooms has drawn global buyers from Ireland, the Czech Republic, Italy and the US.
Hundreds of ancient furnishings and household treasures belonging to past Earls of Iveagh have been sold at an auction in Suffolk. Many were shipped over more than 20 years ago from the former Guinness family home in Dublin.
The present Lord Iveagh, Edward Guinness, was delighted at how the sale went - with many items fetching well above their guide price.
"It’s been joyful seeing Elveden Hall furnished again, and looking so good, with many visitors," he said.
"I sincerely hope all our bidders enjoy their successful purchases like my family have done, in many instances like us Guinnesses have."
The earl decided to sell off 440 of the family's ancient treasures - ranging from a stuffed lion to old framed Guinness adverts - at a big sale held at Elveden Hall today (Thursday, September 14).
They were held in storage at the hall - used as a backdrop for a number of high-profile films - while the present earl mulled their future.
At one time, he thought he might like to move into the hall on the family estate at a future date - but eventually decided that wasn't practical. He and his family - he has two sons - continue to live in a smaller home on the estate.
The sale was presided over by Sworders' chief auctioneer Luke Macdonald.
It went "just as we hoped", he said, and was "very overwhelming".
Four Sworders auctioneers spent the day taking turns to auction off a host of items from rugs to gilt mirror and fine tableware to a Rolls Royce and a Bentley.
The saleroom was full all day with other bids arriving by mobile phone. The Irish connection - with Irish-made items from the former Guinness family home - Farmleigh in Dublin - proved a huge draw both for Irish buyers and US buyers with Irish ancestry from cities such as Chicago.
"It's all considerably more than estimate - way over estimate," said Mr Macdonald.
Among the big sale items were two Ziegler Sultanabad pattern carpets which went for £34k and £33k, and a Sir Thomas Farrell bust which made £30k.
A mahogany kidney-shaped desk fetched £3,800 and a George III giltwood mirror £19k.
A stuffed lion sold for £12k.
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