Editor’s Note
A charity auction of props from the acclaimed series “Downton Abbey” far exceeded expectations, raising £1.7 million. The standout lot was the iconic “bell wall,” which sold for a staggering £216,300—over 30 times its pre-sale estimate.
A set of servant bells sold for £216,300 against an estimate of £7,000 as a Downton Abbey charity sale exceeded expectations by a factor of six.
Bonhams’ ‘Downton Abbey: the Auction’ raised £1.7 million yesterday, September 16, in London.
The “bell wall”, a wired wooden board labelled for the rooms in the Abbey, was the surprise of the sale. It was featured in all six seasons of the show, which explores the world of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants from 1912 to 1926.
The sale coincides with the release of a final movie, concluding a saga that debuted on ITV in 2010.
Also speeding past its estimate was a 1925 Sunbeam, shown on screen as Lord and Lady Grantham’s car. It sold for £172,500 against a £25,000 to £35,000 estimate.
The seven-seater car was a £950 luxury model when released and was originally owned by a Lancashire mill owner, who altered its wheels to safely navigate Blackpool’s tram tracks.
The sale was preceded by a free exhibition celebrating the franchise, which has amassed a total of 120 million viewers.
Charlie Thomas from Bonhams said.
TV props can be very valuable. In 2023, bar-room scenery from the US sitcom Cheers sold for $675,000.
‘Downton Abbey: the Auction’ raised money for the UK children’s charity Together for Short Lives.
