Sotheby's to offer property from celebrated collections fromed by Dukes of Northumberland

KOLKATA: Later this year, in a series of sales in London, Sotheby's will offer property from the celebrated collections formed by the Dukes of Northumberland. From their historic homes at Alnwick Castle and Syon House, the items to be sold span a wide range of periods and media from Roman sculpture to Old Masters and rare books and manuscripts, as well as works of art from Europe, South East Asia and the Islamic world. Together, the 80 or so lots to be sold by the Trustees of the Northumberland Estates carry a combined estimate in excess of £15 million.

The Duke of Northumberland commented in an email statement: "The Newburn floods were unexpected and momentous, and our overriding responsibility was to help those affected. The costs involved in repairing the damaged culvert in Newburn have now been settled, but largely from funds that were destined for maintenance of our historic buildings and projects intended to safeguard the future of the Estates. It is to replenish these funds that these Sotheby's sales have been conceived. While each of the pieces to be sold is of great intrinsic interest, they have been carefully chosen so as not to detract from the overall integrity of the Northumberland Collection."

He added: "Over the centuries, my family has had the extraordinary good fortune to be the custodians of many great treasures. We dearly hope that those that are now being sold from the collection will bring as much joy to their new owners as they have to both me and my ancestors."

Henry Wyndham, chairman, Sotheby's Europe said in the same statement, "The extraordinary depth and richness of the Northumberland Collection is legendary. Charting not only the Percy family's history over an entire millennium, but also important moments in the artistic development of many schools and nations, the Collection ranks among the finest private art collections in the world. While the pieces to be sold are all of enormous interest and beauty, they have been carefully selected so as to ensure the overall integrity of the Northumberland collection remains intact."