Buyers were even found for the majority of Victorian brown furniture due to sensible estimates with the more expensive entries including a 5ft 7in (1.7m) wide inlaid satinwood credenza which made £1200; a mahogany side table also made £1200 against modest pre-sale hopes of £150-250 and a carved mahogany chaise longue sold at £750.
Outside the furniture, a large Imari-decorated Japanese vase standing 4ft (1.22m) high sold at £2000 while continued demand for collectable wine-related silver saw a Rawlings & Sumner 1841 wine funnel and strainer top its upper estimate when it sold at £620.
Common sense is a Victorian value
THERE were few exceptional entries at McTear's (15% buyer's premium) March 19 sale but take-up was steady with 88 per cent of the 473 lots getting away.