Description:

After Mrs Margaret Hunter [nee Trafford] left Michaelchurch Court in 1968 to live in Portugal [click here to see press cuttings about the move], the house was left unoccupied. Eventually, in 1970, the decision was made to dispose of the furniture and household effects by auction, which took place at the Court in September 1970. The sale catalogue [photographs below] is in effect an inventory, and since Mrs Hunter had taken comparatively little with her to Portugal it gives an interesting insight into the lifestyle and environment of a large country house in the post-war period.

The sale catalogue is annotated with the prices bid for the various items. Overall, the sale realised a relatively small sum said to be substantially less than the real worth of the items, which included valuable books, works of art and antique furniture. Rumour has it that the majority was purchased by dealers, who may have agreed amongst themselves beforehand how to divide the spoils.