The house of curiosities

Fieldings are delighted to announce the sale of the contents of Astley Towne House, a beautiful grade II listed manor house in the Worcestershire countryside.  The contents of the property will be included in our 20th and 21st May auction and promises to be one of the most distinguished and diverse collections that has come to market in recent years.  Highlights of this wonderful collection owned by Tim and Lesley Smith include, a Fiji mermaid, a 19^th century cattle vertebrae which has been cleverly painted to depict an image of the Preacher John Wesley, a taxidermy zebra which once sat at the dining table wearing a top hat, a 10ft long alligator, a two headed duckling, an elephant bird egg,  a replica shrunken head, a human skull carved ivory netsuke.

‘I wanted to fill the house with items that evoked the period of the house. I like to imagine that the previous occupiers of the house would feel at home and recognise some of the items such as the leather Jacks, Bombards and rush lights I have collected.  We moved to Astley Towne House 30 years ago and the collection has grown in number and eccentricity.  I have relished  collecting the more “weird and wonderful” creating a House of Curiosities and within that a Cabinet Room of Curiosities which  includes the The Fiji Mermaid’.

 Owner Tim Smith

The full catalogue will be available on Tuesday 11th May

Posted on 5 May 2021 in: What's new