A number of artefacts owned by the former Liberal Party leader William Gladstone are set to fetch more than £1 million when the contents of Fasque House are auctioned off later this year. The Georgian mansion in Kincardine, bought by his father Sir John Gladstone in 1826, was sold last year by the Gladstone family.

The items being offered for sale by auctioneers Christie’s in London on 7 May include a document granting Gladstone the freedom of the city of Perth, a commemorative oak wheelbarrow and shovel, presented by the chairman and directors of Wirral Railways, a marble bust of the politician, and a selection of leather Gladstone bags.

The sale also includes a handwritten letter from the poet Robert Burns to David Blair, a gunsmith from Birmingham, which is expected to realise between £8,000 and £12,000.

There is also a selection of sculptures, including a marble figure of a seated girl, attributed to the Italian artist Lorenzo Bartolini, which is estimated to fetch between £30,000 and £50,000.

A spokesman for Christie’s auctioneers said: “The historic contents of the house to be offered at Christie’s include over 250 lots of furniture, old master pictures, antiquities, sculpture and Asian works of art, much of which has been in the house since 1830.

“W.E. Gladstone spent a considerable amount of his time at Fasque, adding a variety of objects to the family’s collection during his visits, many of which survive and will be offered at the sale.”

The spokesman added: “Individual estimates range from £250 to £40,000 and the sale is expected to realise in excess of £1 million.”

Posted: 03|1|08 at 9:57 am. Filed under: UK News.