The China Mail - Downton Abbey auction of props and costumes smashes estimates

The "bell wall", the servant's call system that appears from the first series to the last, proved to be the prize item, selling for an eye-watering £216,300 against an estimate of £7,000.

The Bonhams sale, which featured everything from dresses to a car and a clapper board, ran online from August 18 until Tuesday, ahead of the UK's September 12 release of a third film -- "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale".

The movie brings to a close the British saga, which included six highly successful seasons on the small screen.

Another sale highlight was Lord and Lady Grantham's 1925 Sunbeam saloon car, which still runs, and sold for £172,500, against a pre-sale estimate of £30,000.

The dress worn by Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery, at her wedding to Matthew Crawley sold for £21,760 while a walking cane used by Maggie Smith's character Violet Crawley went under the hammer for £28,160.

The clapper board used in the production of the film "Downton Abbey: A New Era" sold for £9,600, with the auction realising £1,735,744 in total.

- 120 million viewers -

The proceeds from the sale will be donated to UK children's charity "Together for Short Lives".

"As the new release of 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' is currently No.1 in the UK and Ireland box office, it is thrilling that the concurrent Bonhams auction has so exceeded expectations," said Gareth Neame, CEO of Carnival Films, which produced the show.

"I am delighted that not only will the props and costumes from the series be preserved - and hopefully cherished - by their new owners, but also that they have raised so much money for our chosen good cause," he added.

Bonhams marked the sale with a free "special exhibition" in London, where fans could come face-to-face with some of the items.

"Over the past month, we've welcomed visitors from around the world to New Bond Street to view the exhibition and take part in the sale," said Charlie Thomas from Bonhams.

"With every lot sold and final prices far surpassing expectations, the auction stands as a true testament to the enduring appeal of Downton Abbey," he added.

The television series, created by Julian Fellowes, first aired in the UK in 2010 before conquering the world.

It tells the story of the wealthy aristocratic Crawley family and their servants over a 30-year period, spanning six seasons and 52 episodes.

More than 120 million viewers worldwide have seen the show, according to Bonhams.

S.Wilson--ThChM