Chatsworth House auction predicted to raise £2.5m

A three-day auction at Chatsworth House next week is expected to raise £2.5m and attract 3,000 people a day. "I'm not clearing out, I'm clearing up," the Duke of Devonshire said, surrounded by 20,000 items in a marquee at the Derbyshire estate. James Miller, historical consultant for Sotheby's, said the house had scores of redundant rooms and outhouses. A marble fireplace estimated at £300,000, was found in pieces in a building once used for repairing tractors. It took 18 months to sort through everywhere. Many of the grandest pieces, like the fireplace, came from Devonshire House, one of the grandest houses in London. Chatsworth has been dubbed "the palace of the peaks", Devonshire, demolished in the 1920s, was "the palace on Piccadilly". Entire rooms including the salon where the body of their most famous duchess, Georgiana, lay in state in 1806, could be reconstructed from the furniture, panelling, cornices, pilasters, mirrors and skirting boards. Even the bookcase with a secret door, through which Prinny, the scandalous Prince of Wales, slipped to meet his mistress when he used his friend's house for assignations, is for sale. The only thing that has vanished without trace is a legendary feature of Devonshire House, the crystal staircase with its crystal handrail and newell posts. They remain convinced it is still somewhere about the place. The Duke did did worry that future generations of Devonshires might gnash their teeth and howl at what he is selling. "I am sure they will disagree with us, that's the role of the next generation - but I hope they will understand that we had good thinking reasons for everything in the sale." Sotheby's reports intense interest, with 1,900 catalogues at £30 each already sold..