A pair of Stephen Grant & Sons London 12 bore side lever side by side shotguns topped the bill at this year's Mitchells Country Sporting Sale, netting £4,000.

The event saw sporting guns, gold hound trail medals, and taxidermy pieces take the auction stage, with the total proceeds nearly reaching the £70,000 mark.

Other prized possessions included a Browning Custom Model 20 bore over/under shotgun with 28" barrels which fetched £2,400, while a Browning Ultra XS 12 bore over/under shotgun with 30" barrels took in £1,200.

Gold hound trail medals proved as desired items too.

A 9ct gold Hound Trail Association medal from 1950, engraved with the details ‘Champion hound 1950 Perivale, winner of 44 trails, trainer Mr J Nolan’, sold for £900.

News and Star: A pair of taxidermy kingfishersA pair of taxidermy kingfishers (Image: Mitchells)

Similarly, a 1948 season medal, also credited to Mr J Nolan after winning 59 trails, drew a purchase price of £880.

Quality taxidermy, particularly by esteemed makers, was a highlight.

A pair of Kingfishers showcased in a wall hanging case containing rocks, trees, and a watercolour background by Murray of Carnforth scored £720.

A brown trout with a naturalistic gravel base in a three-sided mahogany case by Peter Scott of Barepot Workington, inset with the description ‘Brown Trout 6lbs caught by Peter Scott 27/5/2016 Bassenthwaite Lake’, earned £420.

Attributed to Peter Spicer & Sons, a badger mask mounted on an oak shield marked ‘Ynysfor Gwynfyndd April 23rd 1931’ sold for £400.

Meanwhile, a fox mask with a label ‘Killed at Isel February 5th 1935’ was purchased for £350.

Fishing aficionados swooped for a Charles Farlow & Co. four-tiered concertina fly box containing around 100 salmon flies, costing the bidder £400.

A Hardy The Perfect 4" wide drum fly reel sold for £160.

Prices ranged across a variety of items such as a 20th-century wooden pigeon decoy at £350, two Dan Evans Ironmonger smokeless 12 bore shotgun cartridges at £140 and £130, a watercolour gouache of a stoat or weasel by Ralph Waterhouse at £190, and a walking stick with a hare-shaped carved wooden handle at £140.

News and Star: A walking stick with a carved wooden handle in the form of a hareA walking stick with a carved wooden handle in the form of a hare (Image: Mitchells)

There's still time to register items for Mitchells' Maritime & Transport Sale, which includes a 2006 Piaggio Vespa LX50 scooter, estimated to get between £400 and £600.

If interested, contact Claire Machin for a free valuation on 01900 827800. Entries close Friday, April 30.

Mitchells currently holds free Drop-In Valuations at their Cockermouth saleroom Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.

Whether it's a painting, a piece of jewellery, or something else entirely, Mitchells’ expert valuers are on standby for free, no obligation appraisals.