The bell wall, seen at the back of the room in a scene from Downton Abbey.Credit: Bonhams/Carnival Film & Television Limited/Supplied
The auction is unlikely to match the record set for a cinema prop last year, when an unknown buyer secured a pair of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz for $US28 million – about $58 million – at a Dallas auction.
Even so, the bids are high for items that were expected to fetch more modest prices. The silver pocket watch worn by Mr Carson, the head butler played by Jim Carter, had a price estimate of up to £150 when the auction began. The bids have since reached £4000.
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The ebonised walking cane used by the dowager duchess played by Dame Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning actress who died last year, was tipped to go for up to £800. The bids have risen to £7500.
Some of the greatest interest is in the clothing made by costume designers and specialist craftspeople using a mix of period and modern materials for the daughters of the troubled Grantham family – Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Sybil.
Bids for the wedding dress worn by Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery, have reached £7000. The wedding dress worn by Lady Edith, played by Laura Carmichael, has only attracted £1200.
The wedding dress worn by Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) in series 3 could be yours for a bid north of $14,000
The price difference, Cater said, was probably due to the iconic nature of Lady Mary’s wedding in the third series.
“This is when Lady Mary gets married to Matthew Crawley, which everyone was waiting for, and everyone was excited about.
“This dress, in particular, has got a lovely vintage embroidery on the front, and then the costume designer, Caroline McCall, made the dress underneath. So it’s a combination of vintage pieces and modern artistry.
“And I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s captivated peoples’ attention. It came from a great period in the show itself, as well as being a beautifully created piece and an artwork in its own right.”
The British economy is weak and families are complaining about the cost of living, but there is serious money being spent on items that capture the glamour and glory of an earlier era.
Even the Grantham family’s oak and brass dinner gong – as seen in the final film – now has extraordinary value. The Victorian antique was expected to fetch up to £800. The latest bid was £6500.
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Fancy getting married in Lady Mary’s Downton dress? With $14,000, you can
