Since then, a few contents have returned to the house but many of its original furnishings remained unaccounted for.
The purchases included three lots of elaborately carved ’antiquarian’ furniture, a pair of 7ft 2in x 5ft (2.19 x 1.56m) carved oak buffets with lower sections decorated with birds and cherubs, which made £5000; a 17th century style oak side cupboard featuring a pair of panelled doors with mask ornaments, 5ft 6in x 2ft 7in (1.65 x 1.15m) which fetched £110 and a near pair of 17th century Italian carved walnut hall chairs, or sgabelli, featuring shaped backs with cherub head cresting, above an armorial device which sold at £1000.
The Trust also bid £1900 to secure a 17th century German carved giltwood tabernacle, 7ft 6in x 2ft 7in (1.95m x 78 cm) which had once been located in the Roman Catholic chapel at Oxburgh Hall.
The other purchases were two religious sculptures.
A 16th century Flemish carved and gilded wood, 15in (38cm), panel, depicting Christ in the Wilderness doubled the pre-sale estimate to fetch £3100.
The largest Trust purchase was the 23 x 19in (60 x 50cm) carved alabaster figural group, right, of a nativity scene. Depicting the Holy Family with the three magi and angels overhead, it was estimated at £1000-1500 but sold at £9000.
In curators we trust
SIX lots from Bonhams' (17.5/10% buyer's premium) March 22-24 sale at The Old Rectory, Banningham will be making their way back whence they came, National Trust curators having identified them (Bonhams had only spotted one) as having been bought by the Rev. Hall & Son at the 1951 contents sale of Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk. The house now belongs to the Trust which rescued it from demolition.
