The cameras of BBC’s Bargain Hunt were in Whitchurch last weekend as Trevanion and Dean held another successful auction day.

Eric Knowles – a legend of TV antiques – was the host at the Station Road auctioneers, which presided over serious interest in a collection of 150 lots of medals.

There was a ferocious battle between bidders in the room, online and on the phone, as part of the collection sold for £50,000, with the top-selling lot a Naval General Service Medal (1793-1840) issued to
C Letch, Midshipman with Egypt clasp which sold for £2,800.

“Although this medal was given to soldiers and sailors who fought in the Egyptian campaign of 1800, the medal itself was not issued until Victoria’s reign in 1848,” explained auctioneer Aaron Dean.

“It was decided by Army High Command that the servicemen who fought in this particular campaign had not been recognised at the time, but that they should have been.

“To apply for this medal you still had to be alive, and clearly, 48 years after the event, numbers had dwindled and so only 610 of these medals with the Egypt clasp were subsequently issued, making this a rare and sought- after piece.”

This collection is the second time Trevanion and Dean have offered a large and impressive private collection of medals following their earlier success in May 2016 which saw a local collection selling for £32,000.

Christina Trevanion added: “We are creating a niche facility in the north west for vendors to offer their collections.

“We have a successful track record of being able to achieve fantastic prices for our vendors, who are safe in the knowledge they are getting the optimum prices for their precious collections.

“That, coupled with our expertise, our genuine love of the subject and exceptional customer service, has provided a winning combination for both buyers and sellers alike.”

The auction included more than 900 lots of medals, jewellery, silver, ceramics, works of art, collectables, furniture, etc.

The auctioneers reported the furniture market was incredibly buoyant with several of the top lots of the day belonging to this section, including a late Victorian jockey scales or weighing chair which sold for £3,100.