3. Bold and beautiful, it’s not surprising this Picasso jug sailed past its estimate at auction.

2. Arts and Crafts

Estimate £80-£120 Sold £260

Bookcases are fantastic value at auction, where you’ll ! nd a wide variety of 19th and early 20th- century designs to browse and bid on. This narrow oak bookcase, which sold at Che" ns recently, is Arts and Cra #s in style, with a simple fretwork motif on the top shelf. It stands 137cm tall, 65cm wide and 26cm deep and, as it’s not too large, it’s ideal for storing cookbooks, novels and perhaps box sets.

01223 213343; cheffins.co.uk/fineart

3. Feline Beauty

Estimate £400-£500 Sold £520

Highly polished marble is often a feature of art deco objects, such as this Equilibre (balancing) spelter cat table light, with a plinth of black marble, which sold at Roseberys. Made c1930, it was attributed to the Le Verrier studio in Paris, established by sculptor Max Le Verrier. His most famous design was the Clarte lamp, where a spelter model of a beautiful woman holds an illuminated ball in her outstretched hands.

020 8761 2522; roseberys.co.uk

4. Picasso Piece

Estimate £2,375-£ 4,000 Sold £9,000

From 1946 Pablo Picasso began designing ceramics – one- o% pieces and limited editions – in collaboration with the Madoura po$ery studio in Vallauris, South of France. Over the years, he produced over 3,500 designs, and these dishes and jugs are now the only a %ordable way to own something created by him. Consigned to Christie’s, this pichet anse prise (pitcher with a handle), designed in 1953, depicts a bird, of which Picasso was fond.

020 7839 9060; christies.com

5. Lock and Key

Estimate £1,500-£1,800 Sold £4,562

The silversmith Edward Wakelin of London made this exquisite silver tea caddy in 1752. Sold at Bonhams, the caddy has a tiny lock and stands just under 12cm tall. It is engraved with trelliswork and "ower motifs. Up until 1784, when taxation on tea was drastically reduced, imported China tea was extremely expensive to buy, so chatelaines locked up their leaves in caddies, using a tiny key to liberate small amounts to brew up with water. 020 7447 7447; bonhams.com

6. Just Peachy

Estimate £100-£200 Sold £112

A Chinese embroidered silk panel from the Qing dynasty came up for sale at Chiswick Auctions recently. Scholars were held in the highest regard in Imperial China and the embroidered image shows a brush pot ! lled with calligraphy brushes, another small pot – possibly for ink – and a bundle of books, reflecting the integrity of their work. To the side is a panel of auspicious lotus "owers. It would look lovely mounted under glass for display in a bedroom.

020 8992 4442; chiswickauctions.co.uk