Downton Abbey auction of props and costumes smashes estimates

LONDON

Props, costumes and other items from the hit TV series "Downton Abbey" sold for 1.7 million pounds ($2.3 million) at a London auction, six times the pre-sale estimate, Bonhams revealed Tuesday.

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 pounds against an estimate of 7,000 pounds.

The Bonhams sale, which featured everything from dresses to a car and a clapper board, ran online, ahead of the UK's Sept. 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 pounds, against a pre-sale estimate of 30,000 pounds.

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

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

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

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 U.K. 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.