Bamber Gascoigne auctions raise almost £9m

Possessions of a Surrey mansion owned by Bamber Gascoigne have been auctioned in order to raise funds to refurbish the property.

The broadcaster inherited West Horsley Place from his aunt Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe.

Many items from her estate have been sold at auction "to secure [the mansion's] future", raising a total of £8.8 million.

One of the mort notable items was an engagement ring (pictured above, left) that belonged to the duchess, which sold for £167,000 - almost 14 times its estimated value.

Background

The duchess married George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe, at Westminster Abbey in 1935 and Sotheby's estimated her engagement ring would sell for between £8,000 and £12,000.

The Cartier diamond engagement ring was also left to her nephew following her death last July aged 99.

"Exceeded expectations"

Mr Gascoigne, 80, said: "I'm delighted with the results of Sotheby's sales, results which exceeded expectations, both in London and Geneva.

"While it has been poignant to see the extraordinary array of my aunt's possessions go, it has been heartening to see the enthusiasm with which they were received - both prior to the sale and played out in the sale room.

"Importantly we are now able to start the process of restoring West Horsley Place to secure its future."

A photograph of Queen Mary in a Faberge frame (pictured top of article, right), which was likely to have been a gift to the duchess, her goddaughter who was named after her, sold for £22,500, almost four times its high estimate.

Other big sellers included Sir Thomas Lawrence's work Satan As The Fallen Angel, painted around 1797, which was bought for £122,500, more than four times its high estimate.

Of the 647 items offered for sale, 87% found buyers and 76% exceeded their estimated pre-sale value.

All prices include buyer's premium.

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