RARE gems from historic Wordsley Manor are set to go under the hammer at auction next weekend.

Fieldings Auctioneers in Stourbridge are offering a host of treasures from the property for sale at their Mill Race Lane auction house on Saturday September 2.

Owner Christopher Firmstone has put the grade II listed manor house on the market after many years of trying to restore it to its former glory - and he's also selling off much of the contents.

Stourbridge News:

Auctioneer Will Farmer said: "The contents cover a wide range of interesting and significant items, most notably a large carved carrara marble sculpture by Emanuele Caroni valued at £20,000 to £30,000.

"It's the first time this has been seen since it was first exhibited in 1867. It's a really exciting find for it to resurface.

"It's stunning and it's an internationally important piece of sculpture."

Stourbridge News:

The piece (pictured above) was one of three medal-winning sculptures entered by renowned Italian artist Emanuele Caroni into the Exposition Universalle, at the Paris Salon in 1867.

It is believed to have been acquired by the Firmstone family in the late 19th or early 20th century.

Also in the sale are a number of pictures painted by Mr Firmstone, a retired architect turned painter who inherited Wordsley Manor in 1991.

The landmark property, which dates back to around 1757, was originally a house in a park, built for successful businessman John Holt.

Little is known of the house's early years but when the present owner's great-great-grandfather bought it in the early 1850s it took on a new lease of life.

He was a member of the well-known Hodgetts glassmaking family. His daughters were creative and one of them, Emily Hodgetts, was a gifted amateur painter whose pictures will also go under the hammer in the forthcoming sale.

Another daughter, Mary, eventually inherited the house and her eldest son, George Firmstone, took possession in 1924.

Although George hailed from a long line of Black Country ironmasters, he published a novel at 16 and wrote poetry throughout his life.

His children, Cicely and Eldon, who lived at the manor for the rest of their lives, indulged their enthusiasm for the arts and Eldon, a musician, installed a cinema organ in the house, made records and even built a 49-seat private cinema on the top floor.

After inheriting the house - Christopher Firmstone (pictured below with wife Joan), whose architectural work included the adaptation and restoration of Somerset House in London for the Courtauld Galleries between 1981 and 1993, set about breathing new life into it as a family home.

Stourbridge News: Christopher and Joan Firmstone outside Wordsley Manor (ref: 031133L)

But time has taken its toll and the property has in recent years been in need of restoration.

It is now on the market, with The Lee, Shaw Partnership, to cash buyers only, priced £350,000.

The contents which are set to go under the hammer can be viewed at Fieldings on Thursday August 31 from 10am until 4am, Friday September 1 from 10am to 8pm and Saturday from 8am ahead of the sale which starts at 10am.