FOR more than 40 years Edna Northam gathered a remarkable collection of Victoriana, decorating every room of her house with a vast and valuable array of antiques. But now the antique dealer has retired to a home – and the entire collection is going under the hammer at a two-day auction

FOR more than 40 years Edna Northam gathered a remarkable collection of Victoriana, decorating every room of her house with a vast and valuable array of antiques.

Every surface in her Georgian 'time warp' house, in Long Sutton, was adorned with a stunning example of ceramics, glass, porcelain, figures, metalware and taxidermy.

But now the antique dealer has retired to a home - and the entire collection is going under the hammer at a two-day auction.

The sale, at auctioneers Thomas Mawer and Son in Lincoln, is predicted to fetch a healthy six-figure sum and is being promoted in America and Europe.

Auctioneer Clinton Slingsby said: "This is one of the most remarkable collections I have ever seen and probably one of the best examples of Victoriana remaining in the country.

"Mrs Northam dealt in antiques for many years and clearly kept for her own enjoyment the best examples of items that came her way.

"The house was literally crammed with glass, china and furniture and took eight men over a week to remove."

The 'time warp' house was the home of Mrs Northam, her husband Major Leslie Northam, known as Jim, and their daughter Jennifer.

In February 1968, Mrs Northam opened two rooms at the front of her house as 'The Antique Shop', but she always considered herself a collector of antiques rather than a dealer.

She themed each of the nine rooms in her home by colour - one room was full of cranberry glass, another blue glass, another green. She particularly admired Victorian oil lamps and had hundreds of fine examples in every colour of the rainbow.

All the ornaments stood on Victorian furniture such as mahogany, walnut and rosewood chiffoniers, whatnots and dressers.

Her huge collection reveals the high ornamentation favoured by the Victorians and reflects the elaborate taste for the decorative and colourful ornaments which adorned their homes.

Also included in the sale is an 18th century carved gilt wood Chippendale-design mirror, which is estimated to fetch between �5,000 and �10,000.

• The sale takes place on Tuesday June 16 and Wednesday June 17. A full catalogue will be available online a week before the sale.

The collection can be viewed prior to the sale on Thursday June 11 and Monday June 15 from 10am-4pm.

A charity preview will also be held on Sunday June 14 from 12noon-3pm in aid of Lincoln Cathedral and the mental health charity, Mind. Tickets are �10 and can be purchased either in advance or on the day.

For more information log on to www.thosmawer.com or phone 01522 524984.