article: Veteran actor Robert Hardy is selling his enormous collection of antiques in a £100,000 auction after deciding to downsize his home. The star, known for appearing in All Creatures Great and Small and playing Winston Churchill several times, is auctioning off more than 200 items he has collected over his career. Mr Hardy, 89, is a keen military historian who studied English with J.R.R. Tolkien and is now an expert on the medieval longbow. Sale: Actor Robert Hardy is selling off his collection of antiques including a diorama of the Battle of Agincourt . Cabinets: A pair of early Victorian items of furniture made by Gillows of Lancaster which are set to fetch up to £4,000 at the auction on Saturday . Portrait: A painting of Mr Hardy holding a longbow, reflecting his interest in medieval history . One of the most unusual items featured in the auction of his possessions is a hand-painted limewood diorama depicted the progress of the Battle of Agincourt in 3D. The piece was created by artist L.M. Rendall in the 1960s after being commissioned by Mr Hardy himself, and has an estimate of £4,000 to £6,000. There is also a longbow made from yew with a mother-of-pearl handle, as well as a portrait of Mr Hardy holding the bow, which is set to sell for up to £2,000. The actor is also selling paintings, furniture, swords, flintlock rifles, silverware and a fine collection of crystal chandeliers. Diorama: The 3D model was commissioned specially by Mr Hardy from artist L.M. Rendall in the 1960s . Close-up: The piece was rendered in amazing detail showing the progress of the battle in 1415 . Luxurious: A view of many of the items of furniture and other antiques which are being sold . Dozens of books, some dating back to the 17th century, are included in the auction which is set to take place this Saturday. A total of 238 lots are being sold by Dominic Winter auctioneers at its saleroom in South Cerney, Gloucestershire. Mr Hardy, who lives in the Cotswolds, said that he was sad to sell his collection. 'Downsizing and losing a great part of a treasured library makes for sadness,' he said. 'Entrusting it all to Dominic Winter and Co has taken away much of the pain, and through them I wish anyone who comes to possess anything that was mine as much joy and pleasure as it has given me through the years.' Historical: An early 20th-century painting of Alfred the Great rebuilding London, by Frank Owen Salisbury . Auction: The objects are being sold at Dominic Winter in Gloucestershire on Saturday . Pride: Mr Hardy pictured in 2012 with the longbow and other objects from his collection . He has built up the haul of antiques thanks to his interest in classic literature and military history. Mr Hardy was taught by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis when he studied English at Magdalen College, Oxford, and he has published two books on the history of the longbow. He was also consulted as an expert during the raising of the Tudor shipwreck the Mary Rose. Mr Hardy, a close friend of Richard Burton, worked with top actors including Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Judi Dench during his early days as a Shakespearean specialist. He found national fame playing vet Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small, the hit BBC drama which aired between 1978 and 1990 and also starred Lynda Bellingham. Star: Mr Hardy, left, is known for his role as vet Siegriein the BBC's All Creatures Great and Small . Role: He has frequently played Winston Churchill in a series of television dramas . New generation: Mr Hardy appeared as Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter films . The actor is well known for portraying Winston Churchill in a number of television performances, and has also played Churchill's fellow Second World War leader Franklin D. Roosevelt. More recently, he introduced himself to a younger generation of viewers with an appearance in the Harry Potter films, where he played Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. Mr Hardy was forced to retire from stage acting two years ago, when he suffered a fall while playing Churchill again in The Audience, a West End play about the Queen which starred Helen Mirren. However, he has insisted that he will continue to do television work despite his advanced age.
highlights: Robert Hardy, 89, is a military enthusiast who studied English literature under J.R.R. Tolkien .
  He is selling off a huge collection of books, artwork and furniture .
  Among the objects which have gone up for auction are a huge 3D diorama of the Battle of Agincourt .
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