Rethinking the Auction View: Dreweatts Fine Furniture at Benham Park

Is this the new way to view auctions?

Dreweatts’ latest collaboration with Benham Park certainly makes a convincing case. Set within the historic Georgian estate, just a stone’s throw from Donnington Priory in Newbury, the forthcoming Fine Furniture, Works of Art & Decorations sale offers something rather different from the traditional auction viewing.

Taking place on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October, the sale brings together an impressive selection of fine and rare pieces, but it is the setting that immediately catches our attention.

Rather than looking at the furniture and works of art in the familiar surroundings of an auction house, visitors are invited to view them within the grand interiors of Benham Park itself.

It is an approach that makes considerable sense. Seen against panelled walls and beautifully proportioned rooms, the pieces begin to tell a different story. Scale and proportion become easier to appreciate, and as a buyer, envisioning lots in your home just becomes that little bit easier. Selected works have been photographed throughout the catalogue in these rooms, giving a glimpse of just how effectively the collection sits within its historic surroundings.

There is something particularly appealing about seeing fine furniture in a setting that feels closer to its original purpose. Benham Park provides not simply a backdrop, but part of the experience - inviting visitors to consider these objects as they might once have been seen. There was even a café offering coffee and tempting treats, adding to the sense that this was more than simply an auction viewing

Benham Park is a brilliant setting in which to discover this collection, and in our opinion, it is a smart and inspired move from this fast-growing auction house. It certainly adds an entirely new dimension to the traditional auction viewing experience.

More information on the sale can be found here.