ITEMS from a much-loved Pembroke museum of domestic life are coming up for sale at auction in the coming months.

The Museum of the Home was the passion of local collectors Judy and John Stimson.

Peter Francis auctioneers in Carmarthen will disperse around 450 items from the museum in the coming months.

John and Judy, whose families holidayed together for many years when the pair were children - began collecting shortly after they were married in 1955, buying modestly-priced items such as Victorian and Georgian metalwork, domestic bygones, children’s toys and games and folk art.

Later, turned and carved wooden objects became a passion; the Stimsons ultimately owning over 1,000 pieces, from simple ladles to love spoons and money boxes.

“We chose items that had been used in the home over 300 years,” said John. “Functionality was important when we made a purchase but so too was good design. We developed an eye for the unusual.”

The Museum of The Home opened shortly after John took early retirement and the couple moved to Westgate Hill, staying open for 20 years.

The Stimsons are now ‘downsizing’ but they still have the collection at home to enjoy.

“We have so many pictures we are planning to start hanging them from the ceilings,” said Judy.

The auctioneers plan to sell the collection across many auctions in 2019.

The first tranche was offered in the firm’s July 3 auction with the 35 lots bringing around £2,500.

Many of these bygones were focused on the accoutrements of smoking (or tobaccoiana as it is known by collectors) and sewing and needlework items.