A Chinese cushion cover caused quite a stir when it sold for £6,500 at auction from Whitchurch’s Trevanion and Dean’s.  

The cover, found in the loft of a local country house, was identified by Asian Arts valuer Ashley Jones as a Chinese silk embroidered throne cover circa 1800.  

It created quite a stir when it was offered at the firm’s December auction and bought by a Chinese collector, and was swiftly followed by a Chinese court robe which, despite extensive damage was sold for £4,400 much to the delight of the seller.

The pre-Christmas event saw high prices throughout the 900 lot auction as a collection of Beswick animals sold for £21,000, leaving partner and auctioneer Christina Trevanion delighted.

“It was quite extraordinary,” she said. “The collection was found hidden in the loft of a bungalow in the heart of Shropshire.

“Once found, the collection was unpacked after years of being hidden away, unpacked and washed. When we first saw the collection it covered the entire floor of four rooms, it was quite extraordinary.

“It took a lot of sorting, examining and cataloguing but it was all worth it. Beswick collectors flocked from around the country which also saw strong bids from America, New Zealand and Australia.”

Jewellery and watches also performed very strongly at the auctioneers monthly auction where a Patek Philippe wristwatch secured the top price of £3,100 within this section.

“Wristwatches are proving a timely investment for collectors,” added Christina.

“It is an area which has seen year on year price increases proving a sound and beautiful purchase for savvy investors.

The auctioneers next auction will be held on February 10 – entries are accepted until January 25.