Autumn at Bellmans | Jelleys Hollow

Bellmans is thrilled to announce part of the contents of Jelleys Hollow will be sold in their forthcoming October auctions. This 16th century fairy-tale cottage nestled in the stunning Surrey Hills featured on Channel Four's "Britain's Most Expensive Houses". Items from the Grade II listed house will be sold on the 12th October in two parts and will include a selection of paintings, bronzes, clocks, sculpture, works of art as well as English and continental furniture, both modern and antique.

Andrew & Caroline, who featured in the TV series, had been creating the unique style of their home over the years. Andrew, as a jewellery dealer, regularly attends and views auctions and now has a passion for collecting. Whenever he went to an auction house and saw something he thought would work for the house, he bought it - resulting in a wonderful, eclectic mix, but also in his wife asking the all too familiar question 'what have you bought now?'.

Andrew is a regular buyer at Bellmans, so some of these lots are returning to Bellmans' auction room, but there are also a lot of items Andrew picked up on travels overseas. He says: "I once went on a work trip to Argentina and found this wonderful Western Saddle. It wasn't actually that pricey, but shipping it back to the UK was eye wateringly expensive. It will be sad to see our collection go, but we have decided to start a new adventure and build a house with opportunities to give that house its special feel."

Jelleys Hollow is named after a famous 17th/18th century highwayman and with the location on the smuggling route from the coast, the area is steeped in dark history. With the secretive Highwayman heritage in mind it is befitting that the nooks and beams of Jelleys Hollow should display such a variety of works of art. Animalier bronzes reflect a passion for the rural traditions of the Surrey Hills surrounding the Hollow; bronze setters with hunting game, greyhounds, impressive livestock and of course the six point buck, by German artist, Arno Zauche. The collection also harks back to the traditions of the Grand Tour collector, inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, ranging from an athenienne (an urn supported on a classical tripod), an object designed to resonate with classicism, to a terracotta foot and two heads inspired by Ancient Greek or Roman sculpted fragments.

It was a ruin when Andrew and Caroline bought it twelve years ago and with a real Hänsel & Gretel feel to the property it was renovated in keeping with that style. It has also featured on the big screen in movie blockbusters such as Beauty & the Beast and Star Wars. This unique house made it onto the TV show when Sotheby's originally came to view the house. Sotheby's had already been approached by Channel Four for the TV show and everyone agreed it was a perfect fit. The new owner was actually one of the four million viewers who saw it on the show and bought it through local agents.

Highlights from the collection include a pair of Victorian brass table cannons with an estimate of £250 - £250 (plus BP), a pair of Belgian steel percussion double barrel pistols estimated at £100-£200 (plus BP) and a French bronze figure of Diana the Huntress by F.Merel with an estimate of £300 - £500 (plus BP). Other highlights featured are a decorative Louis XV style gilt metal-mounted, rosewood, mahogany and marquetry serpentine-shaped centre table with an estimate of £400 - £600 (plus BP), a German bronze model of a six point antlered stag by Arno Oswald Zauche (1875-1974) with an estimate £200 - £300 (plus BP), a North European limewood carving of The Virgin and Child, German, 16th century estimated at £200 - £180 (plus BP) and a pair of Andrew Hull stoneware bird jars for Cobridge & Burslem Pottery with a total estimate of £270 - £430 (plus BP).

The auction takes place on the 12th October, Bellmans West Sussex, with Jelleys Hollow Part 1 (works of art, clocks & paintings) and Jelleys Hollow Part 2 (furniture) to follow. The catalogue is due to launch 30th September.

Open for viewing:

Friday 7 October | 9am-5pm
Saturday 8 October | 9am-12.30 noon
Monday 10 October | 9am-5pm
Tuesday 11 October | 9am-1pm

With special thanks to Grantley Sales & Lettings for their kind permission for use of Jelleys Hollow interiors and exteriors shots.