Lady St Oswald's collectables to be auctioned

Andrew McMillan with some of the items going under the hammer

More than 130 items belonging to Lady St Oswald are to be sold at auction following her death, aged 94.

The Dowager Baroness, was also known as the Mistress of Nostell Priory, near Wakefield, where she lived until 1999.

Among the pieces to be sold are items of Georgian furniture, 18th century Meissen porcelain and Chinese ceramics.

Auctioneer Andrew McMillan, of Duggleby's Stephenson's, said Lady St Oswald "had a passion for the Georgian period".

Part of the collection of 'Cries of Paris' collection made between 1743 and 1768

Mr McMillan said: "There are 15 lots of Meissen going under the hammer, half of them 18th Century.

"Those include a set of thirteen of the famous 'Cris de Paris', a series modelled by the sculptor Peter Reinicke who worked for Meissen between 1743 and 1768.

"One of the modern lots that is expected to attract particular attention is a pair of late 20th Century neo-classical, giltwood mirrors that were commissioned by Lady St Oswald and designed by Francis Johnson."

Three of the 18th century Meissen porcelain pieces going under the hammer

Nostell was built for the Winn family in 1733 and was dubbed "one of the great treasure houses of the North" by the National Trust.

The house was passed to the National Trust in 1997, and, following the death of the 5th Baron St Oswald in 1999, Lady St Oswald relocated to The Old Vicarage, at Topcliffe, near Thirsk.

The items are due to be sold across two sales taking place on Thursday and Friday.