I n the sixties and seventies, there was a craze for modernising period properties. Solid wood doors and cast iron fireplaces were ripped out, picture rails and architraves were pulled down, much to the detrement of many properties.

Fortunately, many buyers of period properties want to return some of the original features and this applies to the garden as well. Not everyone wants to concrete over their lawn. There are plenty of gardeners who like a little romance among the roses .

I visited Ben Lloyd at Mallams when the auctioneers held their now annual sale of architectural and garden antiques.

Describe how the market for architectural and garden antiques has developed?

There has always been a market for Grand Tour'-type statuary. The London sale rooms have held specialist sales for many years. We launched ours in Bicester four years ago and introduced it in our Oxford saleroom in September last year.

The May auction was very successful and almost everything sold. The range of items has grown since more private buyers have been attracted to these sales. Some will buy just one piece but at this sale one customer was restoring a formal garden and so bought many items.

What were the most desirable pieces in the sale?

The highest bid was for an 18th-century style marble birdbath which sold for £2,900 and a pair of Coalbrookdale 'Fern' pattern cast iron garden seats fetched £2,000.

There is something of affordable interest for most gardeners in these sales. A wood and copper planter was knocked down to the bargain price of £20. The Regency wirework half-round conservatory planter was probably a good buy at £480.

We were selling museum cabinets from the Ashmolean as they are clearing galleries for rebuilding. They were a snip to anyone with the space to house them. There was strong interest in the classical and the quirky sentimental lots, including memorial masonry.

If people are interested in restoring period properties or gardens are there books you would recommend any?

There are masses of expensive coffee table type books on the subject. I swear by old editions of Country Life, a favourite of mine is an out of print book entitled English Garden Ornament by Paul Edwards.

Antiquarian book dealers will often search for a copy for customers. Another good reference book is Mrs Coades Stone, by Alison Kelly. Reconstituted stone is not a new invention, Mrs Coade was making it in 1850!

What are the drawbacks and advantages and have you any advice for the novice?

The main drawback is the weight. The mid-19th century limestone obelisk in the sale took six men to carry!

Most people are wary of putting expensive pieces in their garden. They are happier using them in a conservatory. The advantage is that they can transform a garden. I have added pieces to my garden and they give me great pleasure.

Inside, panelling can have the same transforming effect on a room. A few years ago we sold a Mediaeval oak door for between five and six thousand pounds. Considering it is the kind of thing you usually only see in a church, it must look wonderful and be great fun to own.

My advice is it to view very carefully. Unlike a wooden chair, stone items are hard to pick up and you want to be aware of cracks. Also think about how you will lift and transport the piece before you bid in an auction.

What advice would you give to someone buying at auction for the first time?

Remember the hammer price is not what you actually pay. Most auction houses charge between 15 and 20 per cent commission and there is VAT to be paid on the commission. Bear that in mind before you set your maximum bid.

If you are new to auctions, don't be afraid to ask. Good auctioneers will be pleased to help. We put our sales on our website. It is useful to browse that before viewing the sale.

There are some bulky things that you are unlikely to find in an auction. You will need to source those from architectural salvage companies. Although you can search on the net, there is really no substitute for measuring correctly and seeing for yourself, as you can at a sale or when buying from a dealer.

If you want to start in a small way, you could always visit Brian Forbes in Gloucester Green Market on a Thursday. He specialises in door furniture. So if you want to begin by replacing reproduction handles and knobs with the real thing or fitting Art Nouveau finger plates, it won't break the bank and may give you the inspiration for bigger projects.