LONDON.- Among the many delights awaiting buyers attending Bonhams auction of the contents of Trelissick House in Cornwall, on July 23-24 are a pair of equine portraits of two hunters “Chantilly” and “King Cole” in their Stables. Painted by the Copeland family’s former coachman (later one of the leading animal painters of the 19th century), John Frederick Herring Snr (1795-1865), they are expected to realise £10,000-15,000 each.

Also by Herring are a series of charming sketches depicting glimpses of country pastimes and sports including fishing, shooting and steeplechasing, each framed set expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.

Herring was born in London in 1795 and the first 18 years of his life were spent in London where he developed his love of horses. He moved to Doncaster where he was employed as painter of inn signs and coach insignia which led to his employment as a night coachman. Painting horses in his spare time he became known as the artist coachman. Moving south again he experienced financial difficulties and was assisted by W. T. Copeland who recognized his prodigious talent and employed him as a coachman and commissioned many paintings from him including designs used for Copeland Spode china. Herring’s reputation having been established he went on to work as an animal portraitist to HRH the Duchess of Kent, followed by a commission from Queen Victoria who remained a patron.

These paintings alone must be worth the trip to Trelissick for how many families can boast the fact that a future artist to royalty once held the reins of their coach.

The wonderful collection of Spode and Copeland ceramics at Trelissick includes a stunning service in the Worcester style presented to the family by Josiah Spode himself on the occasion of William Taylor Copeland’s marriage to Sarah Yates in April 1826. Consisting of all the items that should grace a table at a banquet, the service is estimated at £8,000-12,000.

Amongst the fine furniture at Trelissick is a George II mahogany partners' desk in the manner of Thomas Chippendale. To be sold with a copy of the original receipt from Harrods to L.D. Cunliffe Esq who purchased the desk on January 26th 1914 for £500, it is now estimated at £20,000 to £30,000.