August 1, 1956

"With their children now all leaving the homestead for places of their own, the couple have decided to downgrade..." This familiar story becomes more interesting when you realize the downgrader is a member of the Guinness family.

Patrick Guinness (August 1, 1956) is, one reads, 2,259th in line to the British throne. He does not often mention his titles. His mother was Mariga, (the Princess Marie Gabrielle von Urach), granddaughter of William, second Duke of Urach and related to old European noble houses.

Since his grandmother on his father's side was Diana Mitford (later Lady Mosley), he is also related to that notorious group.

Patrick Guiness works in his father's real estate business. He is a financial analyst and represented Sotheby's in Ireland. A graduate of TCD, he married his second wife, Louise Arundel, in 1990. According to the auction catalog:
 
Patrick and Louise Guinness acquired Furness, a beautiful Georgian house in Kildare, in 1994 and transformed the house into their family home, kitted out with artwork, collectibles and family heirlooms including period furniture, paintings and drawings, wonderful silver and objets d’art, rare examples of carriages and coaches, garden furniture, and statuary as well as an incredible library of books, important manuscript letters and maps.

Our interest is an item to be auctioned as part of the downgrading. It is part of the
Contents of Furness House , Naas, Co. Kildare , Ireland. I refer to:

Taxidermy: "The School Room." An extremely fine and rare 19th Century diorama of a school room interior depicting a hedgehog as the school master at his desk, conducting a lesson to his class of weasels, squirrels, and kittens, one of whom is in the "Dunce's" corner, each holding a book, in a well decorated classroom, with maps of Ireland and... North America, pictures of animals, and an Act of Parliament Wall Clock, with glazed front, approx. 59cms (23") high, 80cms (31 1/2") wide; 30cms (12") deep. (1)

The estmated value was 1,500 EUR - 2,000 EUR. And here are pictures associated with Lot 571 .