A West Midlands antiques expert has tracked down the origins of a valuable bookcase which sold for £33,000 at auction.

The 19th century library bookcase, which originally cost £32, is thought to have once stood in Riccall Hall, which is near York.

Andrew Beeston from Halls in Kidderminster researched the roots of the rare piece of furniture, which is almost nine feet high, and found it later belonged to the owners of a Worcestershire country manor house before it went under the hammer this week.

Bidding for the mahogany, satinwood and marquetry bookcase at Halls in Shrewsbury exceeded predicted estimates of £25,000.

An anonymous London dealer who eventually bought the it faced fierce bidding from a rival from the Channel Isles. The bookcase is inlaid with urn motifs and was originally purchased for £32 at a sale, ordered by the executors of the late Lord Danesfort who lived at Ricall Hall.

Mr Beeston said the bookcase was probably brought over from Ireland in the first quarter of the 19th century.

He said: “We are delighted with the excellent price achieved for the bookcase at the sale and hope to attract more fine antiques and paintings from Worcestershire for our forthcoming auctions.”