A salmon weighing more than 48lbs, a huge pair of cast metal stags and an antique shotgun in its original case are among the highlights of Mitchells’ next sporting sale on Saturday.

The sale in Cockermouth boasts a large gun section with the most valuable expected to be Lot 101; a Fredrick Beesley 12-bore side-by-side sidelock shotgun, built in 1906, which comes with its original leather, oak and brass-cornered case and has an estimate of £3,000 to £5,000.

Also of note are Lot 54 – a Beretta 687 EELL 12-bore shotgun with an estimate of £2,500 to £3,000 and Lot 99 – a Cogswell and Harrison 16-bore side-by-side Victor back-action shotgun with Damascus barrels with case, estimated at £1,000 to £1,500.

Lot 64 – a WW Greener 16-bore side-by-side Facile Princeps shotgun with a Lancaster game counter set into the stock – is also expected to do well.

Other makers of note include Holland and Holland, Westley Richards, Graham of Cockermouth and Army and Navy. The sale also features a range of Webley airguns.

The enormous salmon that didn’t get away is Lot 541. This Mallochs of Perth cast fish is expected to make £1,800 to £2,000.

The taxidermy section also features Lot 539: a six-point Samba Stag’s head mounted by Theobald Brothers of Mysore, India,. This has an estimate of £400 to £600.

Lot 545 is a cased pair of corncrakes by Hope of Penrith valued at £50 to £80 along with various other sporting trophies.

Of local interest is a set of hunt buttons from ‘Mrs M Lawson’s Beagles’ of Brayton Hall, Aspatria. Lot 396 comprises four large coat buttons and Lot 397 eight waistcoat buttons, each lot estimated at £80 to £120.

Sporting art includes two Snaffles prints. Lot 432 is titled The Season 1939, 1940 and Lot 433 is That Far, Far-away Echo. These carry estimates of £900 to £1,000.

Five Wilk hunt cartoons with estimates from £100 to £500 include Lot 490, depicting Johnny Richardson of Blencathra Foxhounds. This is estimated at the upper end of the pricing.

Lots 458 and 459 are a pair of cast metal stags standing at nearly 5ft-tall, expected to sell for £600 to £800 each.

The fishing section features a large number of Hardy reels including Lot 659 – an early Hardy Perfect 4in alloy fly reel valued at £500 to £800, and a Hardy Perfect 3 3/8 trout fly reel with a red agate line guard, estimated at £200 to £300. There is also a selection of good quality modern usable tackle, reels and rods. Lot 618 is an 8ft fishing boat with trailer, estimated at £300-£500.

An illustrated catalogue can be viewed at www.mitchellsantiques.co.uk or at www.the-saleroom.com

A printed text-only catalogue is available for £2 from Mitchells’ Station Road saleroom. Lots can be viewed there next Friday from 3pm until 7pm, and from 8.30am on the day of the sale – which begins at 10am.

For further information contact auctioneer James Moore on 01900 827800.