Rare treasures from two historic Scottish country homes are to be sold live online in Edinburgh next week.
Antique furniture, works of art and historic artefacts from Penicuik House in Midlothian and Towie Barclay, a 16th Century tower house castle near Turriff, Aberdeenshire, are to be auctioned by Lyon & Turnbull on Wednesday (March 27).
The Home & Heritage auction will see the likes of a rare George III mahogany serpentine chest of drawers by Leith-born master carpenter James Blaikie, and marble-topped 18th Century side tables estimated to be worth between £40,000 and £60,000.
Read more: Alasdair Gray 'masterwork' fetches £42,000 at auction
Another Highlight will be a carved limewood panel depicting the coronation of the Virgin Mary made in 16th Century Germany.
Douglas Girton, head of sale at Lyon & Turnbull, said: "It’s exciting to offer together two such distinctly different Scottish house collections.
"Penicuik House, the ancestral home of the Baronets of Penicuik, embodied all the neoclassicist sensibilities of the Scottish enlightenment, and was a celebration of Scottish craftsmanship of the eighteenth century.
"Towie Barclay Castle, saved from ruin by Marc and Karen Ellington in the 1970s, is a beacon for historic conservation and the joy of building a collection around what you love.
"The two houses complement each other beautifully. It is a pleasure and privilege to present them under the Home & Heritage banner, where they will no doubt attract all the attention they deserve.”
The Penicuik House sale features a range of pieces, specially made for the original house by local craftsmen, which were saved from a devastating fire in 1899.
Proceeds from the auction will go towards transforming it into an exclusive hospitality and events venue.
Sir Robert Clerk, 11th Baronet and current owner of Penicuik House, said: "With a new generation taking over the running of Penicuik Estate, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter.
"We have been working on a 50-year vision for the future and this year will see the commencement of our plans, including the diversification of the business into leisure and hospitality.
"The current Penicuik House, which was converted in the early 20th Century to become our family home after fire devastated the original house in 1899, is now set to be refurbished once again to bring some elements of it up-to-date and to equip it for twenty-first century living.
"We are excited to be securing its future by upgrading and adapting the house and look forward to offering it as an exclusive hotel and events venue later this year.
"As part of this modernisation process, we have been taking stock of the contents and sadly there will not be room for everything in the new design.
"After careful consideration, we have decided to auction some of our furniture that won’t easily fit in with the new layout and use of the house. We hope that new owners enjoy these wonderful pieces as much as we have over the generations."
Penicuik House was designed and constructed in the 1760s by Sir James Clerk, 3rd Baronet of Penicuik, with John Baxter the Elder, a renowned architect of that period responsible for many of Scotland’s most distinguished 18th Century houses.
Towie House, ancestral home of the Barclay clan, was bought by Marc and Karen Ellington for £4,000 in 1972.
Having lain empty for 200 years, the site was in ruin and the couple embarked on an extensive restoration programme.
Their work won the Saltire Society award in 1973, and drew various Royal visitors, including King Charles, who visited as the Duke of Rothesay.
After Mr Ellington's death in 2021, his widow decided to sell the property, with a new buyer found in late 2023.
Karen Ellington said: "I look back on the exciting years we had collecting antiques from all over the country for Towie Barclay.
"And now, with a sense of pride and a little sadness in saying goodbye to these treasures, we release them from Towie Barclay for others to enjoy, while holding onto the memories we shared with the many friends who have visited over the years.
"Hogmanay was always a special time for gatherings at Towie Barclay. I remember one year in the early days, the Scottish actor and director, Iain Cuthbertson, a regular visitor, rolling canon balls under the four poster bed where I was sleeping!
"Friends from our music days also joined the festivities. We had visitors such as folk singers Richard and Nancy Thompson, who co-founded Fairport Convention, singer songwriter, Dave Swarbrick and Scottish singer and actress Fiona Kennedy, to name but a few.
"It was always a thrill when Billy Connolly visited. One year we went for fish and chips in the nearby village of Whitehills with the family. On arrival, we were pleased to have the restaurant nearly all to ourselves.
"By the time we finished eating, there was a queue the length of a football pitch waiting to get in. Billy, as always, was generous with his time when approached by fans. It was a very happy time for us all.
"Our first Royal visitor was the late Queen Mother, who was particularly interested to see Towie Barclay as she had been involved in the restoration of the Castle of Mey. She arrived with some of her house guests for a cup of tea and chocolate chip cookies – freshly baked by our two young daughters.
"Several years later, the then Prince Charles visited on several occasions as he was considering the restoration of Knock Castle at Birkhall in Royal Deeside."
Home & Heritage: Property from Three Historic Houses takes place live in Edinburgh and online on Wednesday (March 27).
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