BROWN furniture dominated the top-sellers at a Cotswolds antiques auction.

Among the best performers at Moore Allen & Innocent's recent sale in Cirencester were a 19th century oak dresser, a 17th century Jacobean-style dresser, a 17th century Wainscott chair, and a Victorian dwarf specimen cabinet.

Designed for entomologists and geologists, the specimen cabinet featured two banks of 10 short drawers over five long drawers behind a single drawer, yet stood at just over 70cm tall.

Despite splits to the veneer and general signs of discolouration, stains and fading, the auctioneers were confident of bids between £200 and £300, but were pleasantly surprised when the hammer fell at £480.

With a 1.9m plain top above three drawers, the 17th Century oak dresser in the Jacobean manner, selling for £80 above its lower estimate of £500, while the 19th century dresser exceeded its £150 to £200 estimate, with the gavel coming down at £620.

And with its carved floral decoration, the Yorkshire Wainscott armchair also exceeded its £200 to £300 estimate, finishing at £380.

Even modern furniture performed well: a very large modern pine breakfront bookcase measuring more than four metres across sold for £620, while a modern leather three piece suite with an estimate of £100 to £200 took everyone by surprise, making the top price of the day at £1,050.

Auctioneer Philip Allwood said: "These prices are good in the current market. When you think of craftsmanship, the age, and the arguable beauty antique furniture continues to be excellent value for money."

For more information about buying and selling furniture – or anything else – at auction, visit mooreallen.co.uk/auction-house