Not since the 1950s has there been an auction house in Falmouth, but that has now been remedied.

The Duchy Auction Company Limited has set up a sale room in the Main Gallery at The Poly in Church Street and will have its inaugural action on Saturday, September 24. It is set to be quite an event with some truly outstanding and rare items to go under the hammer.

With all items in the sale coming from local private estates and individuals, many with no reserves, there is bound to be keen interest – in fact within hours of the sale day catalogue going online via the-saleroom.com and invaluableauctions.com, enquires were received from as far afield as Hong Kong and Australia.

One of the most interesting items to be entered is a rare 18th century map of London by John Rocque – An Exact Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, The Borough of Southwark, with The Country near Ten Miles round.

Started in 1741, finished in 1745, the bound engraved map on 16 double page sheets with the dedication to the Right Honourable Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington & Cork, includes several of the new features Rocque introduced to English cartography. Guided at £4,000 - £6,000, there have already been many inquiries.

This together with an important complete set of Volume I, II and III of London Plans dated 1886 through 1926 by Chas E Goad, guided at £800-£1,200 should make for some lively biding.

Many fine items of jewellery, both gold, silver, plain and set with fine stones, from an Art Deco white gold diamond set rectangular brooch guided £600-£800, an 18ct yellow gold diamond and sapphire cluster ring guided £2,600-£3,000, a pair of single stone diamond earrings together with a solitaire pendant on hallmarked platinum fine chain £600-£800, a Faberge 18ct diamond set ladies ring guided £900-£1,400.

In watches an 18ct gold keyless lever open faced pocket watch £800-£1,000, a ladies' Hublot wrist watch guided £350-£550, a gent’s 1960's Omega wrist watch guided £100-£150.

The auction takes place on Saturday, September 24, but there is a chance to view many of the lots between 10am and 4pm from the Wednesday to Friday.