Buyers galore as 'big house' auction bags €260,000

Sales at the auction of the contents of Farnham House in Co Cavan have exceeded all expectations. The top estimate for the 500 lots which went under the hammer at the weekend was €130,000.

However, auctioneers Hamilton Osborne King revealed this week the final total was €260,000 - twice the expected amount.

Farnham House, an early 18th-century mansion residence at the centre of one of the State's largest country estates, two miles to the west of Cavan town, sold for over €6.3 million before Christmas. The 1,200-acre estate was bought by Mr Roy McCabe, a pharmacist originally from Cavan. Much of the interest in the clearance of the mansion's contents stemmed from the "kudos" of owning an item from the residence, according to auctioneer Mr Rory Guthrie.

A large number of Cavan-registered cars at the event indicated that plenty of local people had come to get a look at the inside of the "big house", which they may have grown-up close to but never visited.

About 3,000 people from Cavan, surrounding counties and Dublin attended the viewing on Saturday and even more were at the auction the following day.

Many local buyers were keen to bid for a little momento of the house, with small pieces of pottery and glassware being picked up for as little as €20 during the auction, which took place in a marquee in front of the house.

"People weren't afraid to get their paddle up," said Mr Guthrie. "Every lot sold. We had a massive crowd, an unbelievable amount of people at the sale, and bidding was very good. People came to buy."

He couldn't remember the last time his company had carried out an auction in Cavan but he would be delighted to do so again, given the enthusiasm of the local people. "It was a great success. There was a bit of a buzz."

He was particularly impressed at the good spirits of those attending the auction, despite the fact that the large crowd meant many people had to stand outside the marquee in poor weather.

As well as items one would expect to find in a "big house" - porcelain, chandeliers, candlesticks, paintings and prints - were some more unusual lots. Also going under the hammer were an Italian painted sleigh, two ukuleles and a quantity of antlers. Bidding was keen for a selection of horticultural and sporting equipment. A large selection of books from the house's celebrated library were sold, mostly by the shelf. A selection of vintage clarets and ports came from the wine cellar.

It wasn't just small-time bidders who attended the event, however, with many professional antiques dealers showing interest in some of the rarer items.

The top lot, which went for €12,500, was described in the catalogue as a "magnificent set of carved and gesso pelmet boards" from the drawing room. Its estimated price had been somewhere in the region of €6,000 and €8,000. The chandelier from the hall of Farnham House went for €7,000 while the four-poster bed sold for €9,500.

The estate, which had been owned by the same family since 1664, was offered for sale following the death of Lord Farnham, Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell. His wife and daughters now spend most of their time in Britain.