However, also worth noting was the steady interest in furniture with obvious decorative features such as inlay, painting and marquetry.
Typical of the current taste for eye-catching furniture was a 19th century floral marquetry bureau. Its interior was set with elegant, shaped pigeonholes and cupboards and it had a three-drawer serpentine base. With a good colour and in decent condition, it fetched £2350. The best selling piece of furniture was a late 19th century Sheraton Revival satinwood and mahogany crossbanded bureau bookcase. With the added attraction of a tambour cylinder front enclosing a marquetry panelled two-door cupboard, pigeonholes, drawers and a writing slide, it sold at £3300.
A Regency mahogany secretaire bookcase with a stylish scroll surmount realised £2700.
An example of decorative furniture selling well was a 2ft 2in (66cm) wide, 19th century Continental inlaid marquetry chest of drawers which fetched £680.
Adding an unusual note, so to speak, was a pair of ceremonial trumpets used at the Anglesey Assizes in 1902 that attracted the interest of several parties, selling at £320.
Decorative touches add value
Brightwells, Leominster, January 12-13 Buyer’s premium: 15 per cent Illuminating this 900-lot Hereford-shire sale was the English brass candlestick featured on the front page of ATG No.1675, February 5, which was taken to £4600 in the confident belief it was a period 16th century example.
