Tour a Historic English Castle Where One Design Legend Has Kept His Considerable Treasures

The prolific English designer Jasper Conran OBE, son of Sir Terence Conran and his first wife, author Shirley Conran, has created menswear and womenswear collections, as well as costumes for operas, ballets, and theater productions. Fashion chops aside, he’s most associated with the design universe, thanks to his Designers Guild fabrics and wallpapers, bone china collections for Wedgwood, and illustrious family history. 

What is more, he has long possessed a deep appreciation for classic English country houses, which he has filled with treasures found over the course of decades. And now this vast and important collection—amassed over 40 years—will go on sale in an unprecedented estate auction organized by Christie’s. The auction, which is split into two parts, will take place online from September 1–21 and in person on September 14 at Christie’s London.

The 436 lots encompass English furniture, Old Master paintings, and works of art from China, Japan, and India. Together, these pieces exemplify the interiors style of his residences at Flemings Hall, Suffolk, Walpole House, Chiswick, and New Wardour Castle. (The latter estate, located just two hours from London, in Wiltshire, is arguably one of England’s finest country houses.)

“Conran has always been fascinated by the English country house, and this is a very English collection,” says Benedict Winter, Christie’s head of sales. “He’s put together a collection of things that have an amazing history behind them, and [that] he’s loved.” 

Conran has also worked with prominent dealers including Edward Hurst, Christopher Gibbs, and Mark Weiss. “I don’t lay claim to being one of the world’s greatest collectors, but I do think I have a beady eye for the beautiful,” he has said.

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Standout items up for bidding include a portrait of Cecilia Nevill of Hampton Court in an Arcadian landscape by Robert Peake (lot 123) and a stunning portrait of Anthony Maria Browne, the second Viscount Montagu (lot 119). “Both are immensely important portraits,” Winter says. He adds, “The things that [Jasper] bought were for a decorative purpose, and to live with.” A pair of George III giltwood console tables, constructed around 1760 and attributed to Thomas Chippendale (lot 137), form another notable highlight.

“Conran’s mind is always at work, linking things,” Winter says. “He believes it’s not just a collection, but [that] every lot has an interesting story.” Evident in the many lots is Conran’s love of mixing objects from various cultures. “He wanted to have different countries in each room,” Winter says. Interested buyers will find everything from Chinese blue-and-white Kraak dishes to ovoid vases from the Ming Dynasty, as well as Japanese pieces from the Edo period. “This is very much a big sale, the end of [Conran’s] collecting journey,” Winter reflects.

Below, in honor of forthcoming auction, AD PRO takes a tour of New Wardour Castle to see where some of the treasures have lived.