LONDON.- An auction of magnificent outdoor statuary, garden ornaments and gardening antiques from the collection of Baron and Baroness Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh at Dunsborough Park in Ripley, Surrey, is to be held at Christie’s South Kensington on 19 & 20 June 2013. The auction will feature over 500 lots of all sizes and is expected to realise in excess of £2 million. With estimates ranging from £200 to £150,000, it will cater for collectors with grand parklands, small courtyards or modest gardens.

Baron and Baroness Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh said: “We have been passionate about building this collection and restoring the garden here at Dunsborough. We remain devoted to our work, however it is time to prune in order to blossom more vigorously in the future.”

The Dutch couple Dolf and Caroline Sweerts de Landas met in California in the early 1980s and she moved to England to join him shortly afterwards. They lived in Cheshire and Hampshire before finally settling in Ripley. The house was derelict and the gardens needed landscaping but they set to work on the huge project in 1991 with the help and advice of the leading garden designers Penelope Hobhouse and Rupert Golby. During the 20 year project a magnificent range of objects has been installed in the six acres of walled gardens including sculptures, fountains, urns, pedestals, seats, sundials and even antique gardening tools. Several of the pieces originate from the gardens of some of Europe’s greatest treasure houses.

Highlights of the sale will include a French bronze life-size model of a stallion by Eugene-Louis Lequesne (1815-1887), c1870, estimated at £100,000 to £200,000, a late 19th century French cast iron fountain from the Val D’Osne foundry, estimated at £15,000 t0 £25,000, and a lead model of Victory from the first half of the 18th century attributed to John van Nost the Elder and estimated at £30,000 to £50,000.

Dunsborough Park: Garden Statuary from the Collection of Baron and Baroness Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh will take place at Christie’s South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LD on Wednesday and Thursday 19 – 20 June 2013 at 10.30am.