Irish antiques collectors and dealers alike will be peeved at the news that Scottish aristocrat John Bute has agreed to sell Dumfries House, above, in Ayrshire and its priceless collection of Chippendale furniture to the nation for a reported £45 million (€67 million). The magnificent contents of the house - where Thomas Chippendale was a resident cabinetmaker in the late 1750s - were to have been sold by Christies in London next month while the 2,000-acre estate was being sold separately.
The Marquess of Bute had been negotiating for some years to sell the property to the nation, and now he has, through the help of Prince Charles who brought together a number of charities and benefactors to allow Dumfries to be kept for the people.
It would have been the antiques sale of the century with collectors from all over the world preparing to descend on London for the viewings and the chance to bid on exquisite 18th century library chairs, dining tables and mirrors; many accompanied by original bills of sale from Chippendale and other notable furniture makers. We had our eye on a perfect breakfront bookcase, (estimate £2 million/€2.97 million) but would have settled for a set of original carved pelmets by Chippendale (£1,000-£1,500) or a plain old chest of drawers (£6,000-£8,000).
Irish collectors will have to make do with the hefty catalogues, curiosities in their own right.
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