'Quite incredible' - Collection of items from 'timewarp' house in Yorkshire to go up for sale

Some visitors described the buildings as almost like a museum, full of items which have not been seen in modern homes for years.

This house was owned by Donald Shaw, who died recently aged 84, bringing to an end four generations of ownership.

His female cousin, who declined to be named, said: “It was a unique home. Donald was simply trying to keep the home as it was. He wasn’t a stick in the mud or anything like that.

"He simply respected how things were and kept it as such in memory of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

“Years back they were joiners and wheelwrights and there was a workshop which had lots of old tools. It was a fascinating place.

“I’m guessing, but I don’t think it had changed much since the 1850s or 1860s. There can’t be many houses like that.

"When you walk through the door it was like stepping back in time and there was so much to look at. Your eyes were drawn everywhere.”

Now Tim Summersgill, of Summersgills Auctioneers, in Easingwold, is getting ready to sell some of the items from the home on November 21 and 22.

There are large American studio pottery bowls and more than 150 Dinky toy cars, including Duple Roadmaster and Leyland Royal Tiger coaches and Royal Mail vans in assorted colours.

There is an Edwardian brass Imperial One Gallon grain measure from the early 20th century, by De Grave & Co Ltd, London, plus period clocks, paintings, crockery and ornaments.

Auctioneer Tim Summersgill said he was almost lost for words when he first saw the house.

"I have never seen anything like it in all my years in this business,” he said.

“We often see quite a few antiques collected together but this house had room after room of things all cared for and in their place.

"There are a lot of police helmets and uniforms which will be of interest and the model cars and buses will no doubt cause a lot of interest.

"The man who lived here last obviously had a great interest in police and security.”

Donald was a prison officer and later ran his own security business.

Mr Summersgill said: "The workshop was interesting. The workshop used to be run as a joinery business and funeral directors so the tools in there are quite amazing.

"There are lots of oil lamps too. We seem quite a lot of oil lamps but in this house they were used every day which is something you don’t often see.

"It took us two days to clear the house and we kept finding more and more interesting items.”

He said the auction will be online so should cause a lot of interest around the world, especially in the United States.

“I really can’t wait to see how the sale goes,” said Mr Summersgill. “We just hope these items find new homes with people who appreciate how interesting and unusual they are.

“It really is quite incredible.”