Each sale at auctioneers Greenslade Taylor Hunt provides an interesting or glamorous item to captivate the attention of salegoers.

This month’s most appealing lots in cash terms, if not aesthetically, were two unassuming wooden mahogany joint stools or “coffin stools”.

One sold for £680 and the second for £700 – an astounding result when it is widely believed that “brown furniture” can’t find a home.

This was certainly not the case at The Octagon Salerooms, East Reach, Taunton, where furniture is enjoying a bit of a renaissance.

Indeed an occasional table destined for the general sale at Sedgemoor Auction Centre proved another success at the May sale.

The eagle-eyed head of the furniture department realised the piece was something rather special.

The Anglo Moorish occasional table in the manner of Liberty’s was initially consigned to the general sale at Sedgemoor Auction Centre.

Simon Rayner, the auctioneer, spotted its potential and switched it to the May monthly antiques auction. Here it achieved a very pleasing £280 for the delighted vendor.

A beautiful Rene Lalique glass “Dauphins” pattern bowl decorated with swimming fish had attracted good pre-sale interest and this translated into a £700 price tag at the May sale.

Silver continues to perform well. A matched part canteen of silver flatware by Lambert and Co, London, achieved £1,300

The sale also featured a comprehensive selection of collectors’ items. Chief among these was a Great Britain collection of 19th Century and later stamps. This included a Victorian brown and lilac one pound note. The haul sold for £850.

An attractive, collectors’ section is included in each month’s antiques auction, but each quarter a specialist sale devoted to all matters collectable takes place. The next such sale will be staged on Friday, June 2, under the expert eye of auctioneer Peter Rixon, who curates these auctions.

Items are being accepted for the June antiques sale which takes place on Thursday, June 1. Please contact the saleroom on 01823 332525 for more information.