Jane Austen's real-life Mr Darcy sofa sells for TWICE its estimated bid at £2,300 as Pride and Prejudice fans snap up historic piece

George III framed sofa thought to have belonged to Thomas Lefroy

Lefroy and Austen were courting in the year she wrote Pride and Prejudice

He is thought to have provided the inspiration for hero Mr Darcy

However, flirtation ended when he was called to the Bar in Ireland

It is believed the sofa was bought for his manor house in County Longford



A vintage sofa that belonged to the real-life Mr Darcy from Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice has sold for more than twice its estimate bid at £2,300.



The George III mahogany framed sofa is thought to have belonged to Thomas Lefroy, a love interest of the famous author who is believed to have provided the inspiration for romantic hero Mr Darcy.



The upholstered Art Nouveau piece was expected to sell for just £1,000 at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester but today shocked collectors as a fan took it for £2,300.

For sale: The sofa that belonged to Thomas Lefroy, who is thought to have been the inspiration for Mr Darcy

Courtship: Austen (left) and Lefroy (right) were both 20 when they began a whirlwind courtship in 1796, the year Pride and Prejudice was written



Inspiration: Lefroy is thought to have inspired the character of Mr Darcy in Pride And Prejudice, played in the 1995 BBC series by Colin Firth

Austen and Lefroy were both 20 when they began a whirlwind courtship in 1796, the year Pride and Prejudice was written.

However, the flirtation ended swiftly when the law student was called to the Bar in Ireland.

A fictitious account of their relationship is at the centre of the 2007 historical romance film Becoming Jane, in which Lefroy is played by actor James McAvoy.



Despite settling down with a wife in Ireland, he did later admit to his nephew that he had loved Austen, but stated that it was a 'boyish love'.

Owner: The George III mahogany framed sofa is thought to have belonged to Lefroy, a love interest of the famous author

Design: The sofa is upholstered in Art Nouveau style fabric over a fluted show frame on eight tapering legs

Home: Lefroy, who went on to become the Lord Chief Justice for Ireland, built his own stunning castle-like home, Carrigglas Manor in County Longford

History: It is believed the settee was purchased for one of the extravagant rooms of the manor house

Heirloom: It is believed that after Lefroy's death in 1869 the sofa, manor house, and contents of the property were passed down through the family

Lefroy, who went on to become the Lord Chief Justice for Ireland, built his own stunning castle-like home, Carrigglas Manor in County Longford, and it is believed the settee was purchased for one of the extravagant rooms.

The sofa is upholstered in Art Nouveau style fabric over a fluted show frame on eight tapering legs.

It is believed that after his death in 1869 the sofa, manor house, and contents of the property were passed down through the family.

Film: A fictitious account of their relationship is at the centre of the 2007 historical romance film Becoming Jane, in which Lefroy is played by actor James McAvoy and Austen by Anne Hathaway

After the landmark sale, auctioneer Philip Allwood said: 'We had huge international interest, especially from the States, where they're big on all things Austen.

'It was a nice sofa anyway, but anything to do with Jane Austen was going to create some sort of wider interest.

'I was listening to a radio play about them meeting this week and it was weird thinking, "I've got his sofa in the auction house."'