NEW AUCTION DATES: Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th April 2020 - Wellers is excited to announce our first auction of 2020 at Robert Mills Architectural Antiques (was originally due to be on Saturday 28th March) starting at 9:00am and continuing without breaks until the last lot is sold. This will be a closing down retirement sale and as such lots will be unreserved.
 
There will be approximately 1,200 lots for bidders to get their teeth stuck into on sale day, with many different types of items, so there should be something for everyone! Bidders can bid online using BidSpotter.com, iBidder.com and The-Saleroom.com.
 
As this is an unreserved closing down retirement auction all stock must go!
 
Lots include architectural antiques, decorative stained glass windows, church furnishings including pulpits, rostrums, church pews, seats and wall panels. For the furniture enthusiast Robert Mills Architectural Antiques has plenty on offer including oak and pine tables, dressers, overmantles, scratch-built loungers, dining tables, chairs and tons more.
 
In the many nooks of Robert Mills' premises are quality collectables including a vintage bi-plane, a collection of World of Wonder Magazines, rowing boats, lighting chandeliers and lamps, fireplaces and surrounds, of oak, pine, marble and composition stone.
 
One of the standout lots is a highly carved antique Gothic English oak linenfold panelled Victorian room measuring 8 metres (315 ins) by 5.5 metres (216 ins), with panelling 2.2 m high (87 ins), and a fire surround 2.7 m wide (106 ins) by 3.4 m high (134 ins). The panelled room was removed from the Hampsfield House, situated between Lindale and Grange-Over-Sands in the southern Lake District, and built in 1880 - 82 for Sir John Hibbert KCB. John Hibbert served as P.S. to the Local Government Board, under-secretaries to the Home Office, Financial Secretary in Gladstone's Cabinet (1884 to June 1885 and June 1892 to March 1894), and secretary to the Admiralty (Feb to July 1985). He was knighted in 1893.
 
At the top is an English Royal Crown, denoted by four crosses patee alternating with fleurs-de-lys and surmounted with another cross patee. It would have been worn by the king of England and the king's heir. The heraldic shield is the English Royal Coat of Arms, used between 1405 and 1603; the same period in which Sir John's ancestral home, Urmston Grange, was built. The three passant lions on the shield quarters symbolise the English royal family, and the fleurs-de-lys symbolise the French royal family. Around the heraldic shield is the symbol for the Order of the Garter, the English order of knighthood established in 1348 by Edward III and considered the highest British honour. There is also the inscription ‘Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense', the motto of the Order of the Garter, which came about when, supposedly, in the fourteenth century, Edward was dancing with the Countess of Salisbury and her garter fell off. In response to the snickers of those watching, Edward said, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" (evil comes to he who thinks evil) and tied the garter around his own leg! This device is supported between a lion rampant and dragon rampant.
 
It is additionally decorated with background carvings of Tudor roses, the symbol of the House of Tudor which began with the end of the War of the Roses in 1487. The war was between the Houses of York, with its white rose, and Lancaster, with its red rose. The conclusion of the war resulted in the joining of the two Houses and, so, the two roses in the white and red Tudor rose.
 
Condition reports are available on request, please contact Luke Duddy on 07966 437099 or at [email protected]. Deliveries can be available and made by yourself or arranged yourself, and there may be the opportunity that Robert Mills Ltd can provide deliveries however please contact them directly to confirm this.
 
We look forward to a busy day of auctioneering!
 
Auction on behalf of Robert Mills Ltd, Narroways Road, Eastville, Bristol, BS2 9XB