Eclectic artefacts amassed on ‘a modern grand tour' will be sold at Christie's South Kensington on October 9, when James Perkins, owner of Aynhoe Park, sells more than 350 items to make room for more pieces in his constantly evolving collection. There's everything from an armadillo-shell helmet (estimated at £600-£900) to a stuffed walrus head, plus furniture and photography, but pride of sale is the magnificent Classical plaster sculpture.
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Mr Perkins's fascination with sculpture began when he was 15 and saw a newly cast bust of Apollo being drawn from its mould in a restorer's workshop in Cheltenham. He saved up his pocket money, and the bust became the first piece in his collection, which includes 12 sections from the Parthenon frieze, attributed to Brucciani & Co (£6,000-£9,000). Viewing days are at Aynhoe Park, Aynho, Oxfordshire, on October 5-8 (www.christies.com).
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Simon Jenkins: 50 years of saving Britain's buildings, from triumphs and disasters to the great country house we bought for £1In 1975, a new organisation was set up with the express aim of saving Britain's most beautiful and historic buildings from the wrecking ball. How has SAVE fared in the 50 years since then far? Simon Jenkins — who was involved as a trustee right from the very start — looks back on half a century of successes... and one or two painful failures.
