In October the auctioneers will set up at Schloss Marienburg in Lower Saxony for a ten day sale of heirlooms from the Royal House of Hanover. The 4000-lot auction, which runs from October 5-15, is expected to make in the region of €12m.
The fairytale turretted Schloss was built in the 19th century for George V of Hanover's Queen Marie. Exiled after the Prussian occupation, the family never returned and the building was used as a store for their other properties.
The House of Hanover is an important German Royal family but is best known here for producing the Hanoverian dynasty of five British kings, from George I to William IV. Property from both branches of the clan features in the sale.
Many of Schloss Marienburg's key contents are listed as national treasures. None of these will be offered for sale and the castle will remain open to the public but, even with this careful selection process, over 20,000 items have been released for auction on the instructions of the two sons of Prince Ernst August of Hanover.
Porcelain, silver, Old Master and 19th century paintings, furniture, arms and armour and silver all feature in quantity. Highlights will include: a silver-gilt communion service of 1717 bearing the Prince of Wales' crest for George-August later George II of Great Britain; silver kettle drums made for George III; hunting pistols belonging to King Ernst-August of Hanover; Russian porcelain vases from the Imperial factory and a Chamberlains Worcester breakfast service with the arms of Ernst-August, the Duke of Cumberland.
There will also be the usual selection of household objects associated with any contents sale although in this case on a rather grander scale (the auction includes 400 embroidered servants' costumes and 2000 items of damask table linen).
