A great day for Claire Rawle and her team at Tamlyn's in Bridgwater on Tuesday, when David Dickinson's Real Deal crew was on hand to see this late 18th-century North Italian commode and its pair sell for £19,500.

The decoration, with marquetry song birds, wild strawberries and scrolls, was in the style of Giuseppe Maggiolini (1738-1814), who was the pre-eminent cabinetmaker in Milan in his day as well as being expert in marquetry.

The commodes came from a private vendor, and at one time they might have been among the furniture at Kings Weston House, near Bristol.

They are certainly characteristic of Maggiolini's output; commodes were among his great specialities, along with chests, coffers, writing desks and tables inlaid with a wide variety of European woods and exotic imported timbers, used in their natural colours or tinted green, blue or rose.

So were these really by him or his workshop? In truth, he was a much admired and therefore imitated craftsman – but what the bidding at Bridgwater proved was that whatever their origin, they were recognised by those in the know as very desirable pieces of work.