Sykes’s collection of old master and modern prints was on as impressive scale as his library. Some 4500 lots were sold over a period of ten months for nearly £18,000.

On succeeding to the Estate a difficult decision had to be made by Sir Tatton Sykes. “A large sum of money had to be raised to pay off the considerable debt with which the Estate was encumbered. He did not wish to sell any land since this was the main source of the family’s income and he was reluctant to part with his horses or hounds which represented his favourite pastime. This left his brothers works of art and his books. Though he had no trouble coming to a decision about the former, which comprised Italian paintings, sculptures, medals and coins, and a collection of some 50,000 prints “believed to be the rarest and best selected assemblage, particularly of portraits, of any private collection in the Kingdom”, he has greater difficulty when it came to the latter, knowing the passion Mark had felt for them It is said that when the day came when the decision finally had to be made, he went and stood outside the door of the Library... the library itself being sold between the 11th and 24th May caused a sensation and buyers came from all over the world... Thomas Dibdin reflected “Never did the owner of such treasures so thoroughly enjoy them”. The sale of the library and prints did not get the tiniest mention in Tatton’s diaries. On May 11th the entry is blank. On May 24th it reads “York Races”.”—C. S. Sykes, The Big Hose. 2004. p.120.