A vanity case made for Lady Grace Lowther - wife of the notorious 5th Earl of Lonsdale of Lowther Castle in Cumbria - is set to go under the hammer.

Made from the rare Coromandel wood, the exquisite Victorian velvet-lined case is inscribed with its owner’s initials G.L. and is expected to reach between £3,000 and £5,000 at auction with North Yorkshire auctioneers Elstob & Elstob on Saturday 15 August.

Daughter of the Marquess of Huntly, Lady Grace (1854-1941) married Hugh Cecil Lowther in 1878, a match opposed by her family. She became the Countess of Lonsdale in 1882 when her husband unexpectedly came into his inheritance and the couple was never far from the public eye on account of the famed and often scandalous exploits of the ‘Yellow Earl’. One of the richest men in England, inheriting enormous wealth derived from Cumberland coalmines, the Earl devoted himself to a life of ostentatious pleasure. He regularly entertained foreign royalty and had yellow-liveried footmen (his favourite colour), a groom of the bedchamber, a chamberlain and a master of music to supervise the 24 musicians who travelled with him from house to house on a special train. He even ordered a yellow Rolls Royce with an unusually tall roof to accommodate his black, silk top hat.

His fondness for cars made him the first president of the Automobile Association, which adopted his yellow livery. An avid sportsman, he was first president of the International Horse Show at Olympia, founding member and first president of the National Sporting Club and chairman of Arsenal Football Club. His name was later given to the Lonsdale clothing brand and the Lonsdale cigar size.

The Earl’s behaviour was as newsworthy as his extravagant lifestyle. He had a high profile affair with the actress Violet Cameron and a public duel with Sir George Chetwynd over the celebrated beauty of the day and mistress of Edward VII, Lily Langtrey. The Countess of Lonsdale herself was a partial invalid following a hunting accident early in their marriage that caused her to lose her baby and render the couple childless.

Because of extreme overspending, the Earl was eventually made to sell some of his inherited properties and possessions. In 1921 Whitehaven Castle was sold, Barleythorpe followed in 1926 and in 1935 the couple were forced to move from Lowther Castle, which ceased to become the family’s residence. Grace died in 1941 and Hugh died three years later in 1944.

Hugh’s heir, the 6th Earl of Lonsdale, auctioned off the contents of Lowther Castle in 1947, which proved to be the largest country house sale of the 20th century. The property fell into disrepair before being largely demolished in 1957. Now a managed ruin, its gardens have been restored and it has become one of Cumbria’s leading visitor attractions.

“The colourful history associated with the vanity case will undoubtedly attract a lot of interest at the sale,” said David Elstob, Director of the Ripon-based auction house. “Yet it is also a very fine piece in its own right. Sumptuously lined with velvet, the case has several drawers and compartments and contains ten exquisite cut-glass jars and a selection of monogrammed brushes.

“It is also made from Coromandel wood, which - although now extinct - during the reign of Queen Victoria was considered to be one of the most exotic, luxurious and expensive woods to work with,” he added.

The Countess’s vanity case is one of almost 800 lots to be presented at the sale on 15 August, which includes some of the finest art and antiques in the region.

Elstob & Elstob currently holds eight sales a year with two specialist sales of silver, jewellery and watches. There will be a specialist Jewellery Sale on Thursday 20 August. Viewing and attendance at the sale is by appointment only to ensure that adequate social distancing can be observed. For further information about the lots, as well as the sales and services provided by Elstob & Elstob, please contact 01765 699200 or email: info@elstobandelstob.co.uk