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April.08

Garden Statuary Through the Ages - Inaugural Summers Place Auction

From a capital from a Roman column to a vibrantly painted life-size cow, the first auction of the newly formed Summers Place Auctions will have something to suit all tastes and pockets. The auction of more than 200 lots of Garden Statuary; Architectural Items and decorative fossils will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at Summers Place, Billingshurst, West Sussex.

The company, formed by Rupert van der Werff and James Rylands, who founded and were responsible for Sotheby’s very popular and unique Garden Statuary Sales for more than 20 years, will have two live Garden Statuary auctions a year in idyllic location of the redeveloped Walled Garden. However in addition to this they will be introducing ‘sealed bid’ auctions that will run in tandem with the live auction, but close a week later.

Pieces in the sale include a carved white marble Roman sarcophagus carved with figures; a rare carved Portland stone sundial with an interesting history – signed Hunter Dublin and engraved with a herm figure and foilage, the sundial was removed from Tubberdaly Castle in Northern Ireland, and is estimated at £6-10,000. Tubberdaly is documented as having been the last big house burnt down by the IRA in 1923 and the sundial stood in the rose garden.

A fine 18th century lead figure of a mower attributed to John Cheere is also in the sale and  a set of four impressive carved white marble life-sized figures representing the Seasons, highlight the 19th century section.

The sale will also include more than 300 lots in a ‘Sealed Bid’ auction, this will include more decorative pieces such a staddle stones and troughs; modern and reproduction pieces including carved Italian limestone; cast iron urns; sculpture and fossils.

For further information on the auction, please visit www.summersplaceauctions.com or Call 01403 331331

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