Next week, owners of all kinds of vintage items - from militaria to heirloom toys - can find out how much they are worth.

Specialists will be at Thomson Roddick’s Carlisle premises, on Marconi Road on Burgh Road Industrial Estate, from 10am to 3pm from Monday to Friday to offer free valuations.

Tuesday and Wednesday are dedicated to coins, banknotes, vintage toys and military paraphernalia, while valuations of other items take place on the other days. No advance booking is necessary.

There is no obligation to sell, but customers, if they wish, can then submit items for the next antiques auction there on Wednesday, July 31.

Thomson Roddick’s last sale featured many items that came to light through the valuation days.

The most valuable by far was a Japanese Meiji period inlaid hardwood cabinet, with drawers depicting flowers and insects, which sold for £2,700.

Two lots featured work by the painter Orlando Greenwood, who was born in Nelson in Lancashire but settled in Cumbria in later life.

One was an oil-on-canvas still life of poppies, cornflower and columbines in a coffee pot. The other was a collection of watercolour sketches.

Another oil painting was by an unnamed artist of the Victorian school. It is of Lieutenant and Adjutant Charles Poole of the1st Royal Scots, and sold for £800.

The next highest price, of £550, was fetched by an oval, silver twin-handled tray made in Sheffield by Roberts & Belk.

A Damascus table of octagonal shape with a chequer board inlay sold for £420, and a diamond and garnet openwork white gold brooch from 1910 earned £380.

One item, which fetched £350, was a car mascot depicting a devil in plus fours, with a golf club swung over one shoulder – and is the badge of an extremely exclusive gentlemen’s club, the “Lucifer Golfing Society”, whose members have included George V, Edward VIII and the Duke of Edinburgh.

With smaller homes – and a trend for minimalism – large clocks are sometimes seen as undesirable clutter. But a 61cm gilt metal mounted mantel clock sold for £220.

A smaller timepiece did even better. Three stainless steel watches were submitted for the sale and, after fierce bidding, a Seiko automatic world time watch made £320.

A gold pendant modelled as a pansy, and adorned with sapphires, rubies and emeralds, fetched £300. But the most expensive item of jewellery by far was a diamond and ruby oval cluster ring in 18-carat gold that reached £1,150.