Bearnes Hampton and Littlewood are delighted to confirm the May 20th sale, 'The Residual Collection from a Remarkable Devonshire and London Estate', is the sale of the chattels of Halsdon House, the home of the late Charlie Watts, drummer of the Rolling Stones, and his wife, Shirley.
Despite Christie's already holding two auctions of Watts' collection of signed modern classic books and his jazz memorabilia, there is a wealth of art, furniture, antiquities, books and more that we are offering at auction. The residual items from Halsdon House and the Watts' London home will come to Bearnes Hampton and Littlewood in May, accompanied by a beautifully printed catalogue, as well as the usual digital catalogue.
The Watts' were avid collectors of just about everything - from classic cars to Roman antiquities, they had it all. The contents of Halsdon House show Charlie Watts as more than 'just' a rockstar; he was a deeply curious man with diverse and unique interests. He met his wife, Shirley, at art college, where she was studying sculpture, and she went on to became an accomplished sculptor. They married in 1964, shortly after the Rolling Stones formed, and kept their marriage a secret so as not to damage Charlies 'rockstar' image. Unlike his bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, who have all had multiple relationships, the Watts' were dedicated to one another until Charlie's death in 2021. Shirley died sixteen months later.
In the 1980s they purchased Halsdon house, near Dolton in Devon. A grand, late seventeenth century house, the Watts' transformed it into a family home and a retreat from the world of rock 'n' roll. As well as their respective careers in music and sculpting, the Watts' were respected Arabian horse breeders and trainers. Their horse stud, located next door to Halsdon House, has recently been sold off separately to the house.
From Egyptian Mamluk style metal furniture, to a gorgeous Venetian glass mirror, Regency ormolu and cut-glass chandeliers, to Indian painted furniture, and from a garden model of David after Donatello, to ancient Roman and Near Eastern artefacts, Halsdon House boasts furnishings from almost every corner of the world, spanning hundreds of years. The archetypal ‘rockstar’ image, typified by some of Watts’ bandmates, is conspicuously absent in the life and home of Charlie Watts. Halsdon House is not a shrine to the Rolling Stones; it is a home. It’s not filled with merchandise or Platinum records, but instead a motley crew of designs, showcasing their interests, their travels and hobbies.
Follow us over the coming weeks as we unveil the highlights of the sale across our social media platforms and our website.
Halsdon House: The Collections of Charlie and Shirley Watts takes place on Wednesday 20th May, at the Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction rooms in Exeter. Join us in-person or live via a number of online bidding platforms.
