"If we had sold some of the furniture lots last December they would have made significantly more."
That said, the most expensive entry in the 351-lot furniture sale which totalled £186,565 with an 80 per cent take-up by lot, was a surprise.
This was the unusual William IV mahogany inverted breakfront serving table illustrated right. Measuring 6ft 9in (2.06m) long, it had tapering columns adorned with robust acanthus carved decoration.
Estimated to fetch £2000-3000 and in good condition, this eye-catching lot attracted considerable interest and sold to the London trade at £10,500.
Another pleasant surprise on the table for the auctioneer was the feisty £4200 winning bid by the Scottish trade on a William IV mahogany pedestal dining table, despite it only being able to comfortably seat six people with its one additional leaf extending it to 7ft 11in (2.42m).
There were few furniture blockbusters in the 120-lot mixed lots from the Grogar Castle dispersal consigned from the Scottish estate of the late Lady Brenda Steel-Maitland.
Entries were there to be sold, some at the auctioneer's discretion rather than with a pre-sale reserve, and all did so.
The collection netted around £40,000 with winning bids ranging from as little as £20 for a Victorian mahogany Pembroke table, up through £240 for a chromed metal car mascot depicting the Steel-Maitland family armorial, and £1300 for a 19th century brass tester bed to £2600 for a Scottish late Regency bergère sofa which went to the London trade.
A dealer from South of the Border also took home a late 18th century black lacquer and gilt japanned tavern clock which, though not an absolutely top-drawer example, was highly decorative. The 4ft 5 1/2in (1.36cm) high timepiece had enough going for it to realise £4800.
Headlining the 264-lot jewellery and silver section which saw a more modest 72 per cent take up by lot and £158,285 total, was an impressive pair of five-light candelabra by Hawksworth & Eyre, Sheffield, 1898. The 19in (49cm) pair was contested to a triple-estimate £7200.
The quality, maker, condition and restrained decoration of a pair of George III tea caddies by Aaron Lestourgeon ensured they fetched £6000.
With the best quality Scottish provincial silver reserved for Bonhams' major Scottish sale in August, there were no really oustanding lots in this section, but there was a privately consigned set of 12 George III Irish provincial spoons which managed a winning £2000 bid.
