THE ART FUND SAVES TO HISTORIC OBJECTS FROM SEATON DELAVAL HALL

LEADING INDEPENDENT ART CHARITY THE ART FUND RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAD HELPED SAVE TWO IMPORTANT OBJECTS HOUSED AT SEATON DELAVAL HALL, THE VANBRUGH MANSION WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MAJOR FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN BY THE NATIONAL TRUST. THE ART FUND HAS PLEDGED £100,000, ENABLING THE HALL TO ACQUIRE THE 'FAIRFAX JEWEL' WHICH CONSISTS OF THREE ENAMELED ROUNDELS SET IN AN ENGRAVED, RECTANGULAR GILT-METAL PLAQUE, AND THE 'MARBLE BUST OF CHARLES II' BY BUSHNELL. NEWS OF THE CHARITY GRANT CAME ON THE SAME DAY THAT THE NATIONAL TRUST ANNOUNCED THAT SEATON DELAVAL HALL, CLOSE TO BLYTH IN SOUTH EAST NORTHUMBERLAND, HAD BEEN SAVED FOR THE NATION. BOTH PIECES REFLECT THE ROYAL CONNECTIONS OF THE DELAVAL AND ASTLEY FAMILIES, WHO HAVE OWNED THE ESTATE SINCE THE TIME OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST. THE ROUNDELS ON THE 'FAIRFAX JEWEL' WERE MADE BY PIERRE BORDIER, A WELL KNOWN MINIATURIST AT THE TIME. ANDREW MACDONALD OF THE ART FUND SAID: 'THE PIECE 'FAIRFAX JEWEL' OFFERS A FASCINATING GLIMPSE AT THE POLITICAL WORLD OF THE 17th CENTURY, WHILST THE CHARLES II BUST IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER OF THE ASTLEY FAMILY'S LOYALTY TO THE CROWN. WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN SAVING THESE TWO ITEMS FOR THE NATION, TO GO ON DISPLAY FOR ALL TO ENJOY NOW THE HALL HAS BEEN SAVED FOR POSTERITY.' THE TWO ITEMS WILL GO ON DISPLAY IN SPRING 2010, WHEN SEATON DELAVAL HALL OPENS TO THE PUBLIC.