Ducal Sale

I was listening to BBC Radio 4 in bed this morning when my ears "picked up" a piece about Chatsworth House in Derbyshire and an important sale of items from Chatsworth's attic-rooms.

A hoard of objects, including a marble fireplace designed by the Derbyshire home's architect, William Kent, will go under the hammer in the autumn. The mansion is the residence of Their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The Duke said "the attics are absolutely choc-a-block. We needed to make some space and that's why we're having the sale."

Other items up for sale range from a Victorian back-scratcher to bedposts, bookcases and candelabras. Chatsworth has been the principle ancestral seat of the Dukes of Devonshire since the 17th century. The auction will comprise 20,000 objects - many of the items are from properties the family used to own, including Devonshire House and Chiswick House. The three-day sale, to be organised by Sotheby's but held at Chatsworth House, is expected to raise in the region of £23.5m.