Ended

The Selected Contents of Great Witchingham House

19 June – 3 July 2024

"I wanted the house to look as though it had always been like this, not changed or messed around with, and I wanted to feel that sense of timelessness every time I walked into any of the rooms."

With this philosophy Nicholas Knightly, with the help of architect Ptolemy Dean, set out to return Great Witchingham House to its former glory. The Georgian rectory, with a lot of original features remaining, was built by a church in a small village in North Norfolk in the 1780s. The only renovations to the house since then had come in the 1830s when the then new rector re-developed and enlarged the property.

Fast forward to the early 2000s when Nicholas spent four years decorating and furnishing his new home.

His eye for style, clearly honed throughout his career designing for some of the world's largest fashion and luxury leather goods brands, is reflected in the wisely chosen items; a selection of which Bonhams are delighted to offer for sale here.

Nicholas collaborated with top Fine Art and Antique dealers such as Will Fisher at Jamb, Humphrey Currasco, Max Rollit, Christopher Howe and Philip Mould, as well as sourcing from famous country house auctions. All of which came together to produce an elegant and refined interior, paying homage to the origins of the house.

Of his collecting style Knightly, speaking to The World of Interiors, said he "bought things until I felt there was enough, and then I stopped. I would rather have fewer, better pieces than more that is second rate." Explore these carefully curated pieces below.

R	US import restrictions
	This lot is subject to import restrictions when shipped to the United States.
TP	Off site storage location
	For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information. For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.
Y	CITES
	Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the UK, see clause 13.

The Selected Contents of Great Witchingham House

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

1TP — A Victorian ebonised and green leather upholstered easy armchairLast quarter 19th century

2TP — A George II mahogany side tableThird quarter 18th century

3TP — A Regency mahogany bergèreEarly 19th century

4TP — A Max Rollitt yellow upholstered 'Katzsic' sofaIn the George III style

5TP — A large Regency giltwood convex mirrorEarly 19th century

6TP — A Scottish George III mahogany and satinwood crossbanded chest Early 19th century

7TP — A large Regency giltwood convex mirrorEarly 19th century

8TP — A George III mahogany chestSecond half 18th century

9R,TP — A Heriz carpetNorth West Persia 549cm x 324cm

10R,TP — An all-over Heriz carpetNorth West Persia 546cm x 266cm

11R,TP — A Mahal carpetNorth-west Persia, circa 1900 561cm x 374cm

12R,TP — A Zeigler FarhanNorth West Persia 505cm x 406cm

13TP — Joseph Highmore(London 1692-1780 Canterbury)Portrait of a gentleman, said to be Joseph Taylor as a young man, full-length, in a grey coat and breeches and a white waistcoat with a dog, in a park landscape

14 — Nathaniel Hone R.A.(Dublin 1718-1784 London)Portrait of a gentleman, bust-length in a blue coat with red collar

15 — English School(18th Century)Portrait of a lady, half-length, in a gold dress with white lace

16TP — John Russell RA(Guildford 1745-1806 Hull)Portrait of Miss S. D. Chambers, full-length, in a white dress, seated with a spaniel, in a landscape

17 — A large pair of patinated bronze Ionic column table lamps

18 — A pair of gilt brass Corinthian column table lamps

19 — A pair of patinated bronze table lamps

20 — A near pair of patinated bronze cluster column lamp bases

21TP — A pair of George III mahogany and ebonised line inlaid wine tablesEarly 19th century

22TP — A George II mahogany wine tableMid-18th century

23TP — An early 19th century mahogany butler's tray, together with a folding stand

24TP — A George II mahogany tripod tableMid-18th century

25TP — A George II and later walnut and oak chest

26TP — A large late Regency / William IV giltwood convex mirrorSecond quarter 19th century

27TP — A George III mahogany chest Third quarter 19th century

28TP — A large Regency giltwood convex mirrorEarly 19th century

29 — A pair of Chinese blue and white cylindrical tea caddies and covers 20th century

30 — A pair of Chinese blue and white reduced yenyen vases Kangxi (1662-1722)

31 — A collection of five Chinese blue and white baluster vases 19th / 20th century

32 — A large Chinese blue and white 'dragons' baluster vase and cover 20th century

33TP — A George Smith rectangular upholstered stool

34TP — A George Smith upholstered rectangular stool

35TP — A large George Smith sofa, with Ralph Lauren blue-stripe upholsteryIn the manner of Howard & Sons

36TP — A George Smith easy armchair, with Ralph Lauren blue-stripe upholsteryIn the manner of Howard & Son

37TP — A George III mahogany chest-on-chestThird quarter 18th century

38TP — A George III mahogany estate cabinet or bookcaseThird quarter 18th century

39TP — A George III brown-painted housekeeper's cupboardProbably Irish, early 19th century

40TP — A large George III mahogany bookcaseThird quarter 18th century

41TP — A George II and later carved giltwood mirror

42TP — A George III carved giltwood and gesso oval mirror

43TP — A large George II carved giltwood and cut-gesso mirrorMid-18th century

44TP — A George II and later carved giltwood mirror

45Y — A taxidermy head of a leopard (Panthera pardus) Early 20th century

46Y — An ornithological taxidermy model of a barn owl (Tyto alba)

47Y — A large Victorian coral specimenLate 19th / early 20th century

48TP,Y — A hippopotamus skull (Hippopotamus amphibious)Late 19th / early 20th century

Specialist contacts

Madeleine Cater

Charlie Thomas

Client Services (UK)

Shipping (UK)

News and stories

Under the Hammer | Will Fisher of Jamb's Top Picks from Great Witchingham House

Bonhams to Offer Selected Contents From Historic Norfolk Home, Great Witchingham House

Bonhams Magazine | Nicholas Knightly's favourite room

Additional information

Auction information

Lot Symbols

Related Departments

Conditions of Sale

1^TP —
A Victorian ebonised and green leather upholstered easy armchair
Last quarter 19th century

2^TP —
A George II mahogany side table
Third quarter 18th century

3^TP —
A Regency mahogany bergère
Early 19th century

4^TP —
A Max Rollitt yellow upholstered 'Katzsic' sofa
In the George III style

5^TP —
A large Regency giltwood convex mirror
Early 19th century

6^TP —
A Scottish George III mahogany and satinwood crossbanded chest
Early 19th century

7^TP —
A large Regency giltwood convex mirror
Early 19th century

8^TP —
A George III mahogany chest
Second half 18th century

9^R,TP —
A Heriz carpet
North West Persia 549cm x 324cm

10^R,TP —
An all-over Heriz carpet
North West Persia 546cm x 266cm

11^R,TP —
A Mahal carpet
North-west Persia, circa 1900 561cm x 374cm

12^R,TP —
A Zeigler Farhan
North West Persia 505cm x 406cm

13^TP —
Joseph Highmore
(London 1692-1780 Canterbury)
Portrait of a gentleman, said to be Joseph Taylor as a young man, full-length, in a grey coat and breeches and a white waistcoat with a dog, in a park landscape

14 —
Nathaniel Hone R.A.
(Dublin 1718-1784 London)
Portrait of a gentleman, bust-length in a blue coat with red collar

15 —
English School
(18th Century)
Portrait of a lady, half-length, in a gold dress with white lace

16^TP —
John Russell RA
(Guildford 1745-1806 Hull)
Portrait of Miss S. D. Chambers, full-length, in a white dress, seated with a spaniel, in a landscape

17 —
A large pair of patinated bronze Ionic column table lamps

18 —
A pair of gilt brass Corinthian column table lamps

19 —
A pair of patinated bronze table lamps

20 —
A near pair of patinated bronze cluster column lamp bases

21^TP —
A pair of George III mahogany and ebonised line inlaid wine tables
Early 19th century

22^TP —
A George II mahogany wine table
Mid-18th century

23^TP —
An early 19th century mahogany butler's tray, together with a folding stand

24^TP —
A George II mahogany tripod table
Mid-18th century

25^TP —
A George II and later walnut and oak chest

26^TP —
A large late Regency / William IV giltwood convex mirror
Second quarter 19th century

27^TP —
A George III mahogany chest
Third quarter 19th century

28^TP —
A large Regency giltwood convex mirror
Early 19th century

29 —
A pair of Chinese blue and white cylindrical tea caddies and covers
20th century

30 —
A pair of Chinese blue and white reduced yenyen vases
Kangxi (1662-1722)

31 —
A collection of five Chinese blue and white baluster vases
19th / 20th century

32 —
A large Chinese blue and white 'dragons' baluster vase and cover
20th century

33^TP —
A George Smith rectangular upholstered stool

34^TP —
A George Smith upholstered rectangular stool

35^TP —
A large George Smith sofa, with Ralph Lauren blue-stripe upholstery
In the manner of Howard & Sons

36^TP —
A George Smith easy armchair, with Ralph Lauren blue-stripe upholstery
In the manner of Howard & Son

37^TP —
A George III mahogany chest-on-chest
Third quarter 18th century

38^TP —
A George III mahogany estate cabinet or bookcase
Third quarter 18th century

39^TP —
A George III brown-painted housekeeper's cupboard
Probably Irish, early 19th century

40^TP —
A large George III mahogany bookcase
Third quarter 18th century

41^TP —
A George II and later carved giltwood mirror

42^TP —
A George III carved giltwood and gesso oval mirror

43^TP —
A large George II carved giltwood and cut-gesso mirror
Mid-18th century

44^TP —
A George II and later carved giltwood mirror

45^Y —
A taxidermy head of a leopard (Panthera pardus)
Early 20th century

46^Y —
An ornithological taxidermy model of a barn owl (Tyto alba)

47^Y —
A large Victorian coral specimen
Late 19th / early 20th century

48^TP,Y —
A hippopotamus skull (Hippopotamus amphibious)
Late 19th / early 20th century