The sideboard is typical of the elaborate style produced by Pugin

Brian and Louise Corfield, from Montgomery in mid Wales, inherited the ornate piece of furniture, made by Augustus Pugin, who helped design the Houses of Parliament.

But they decided to put it up for auction to help pay the mortgage on their pig and sheep farm after seeing how much a "sister" piece of furniture raised at auction.

Last month the sideboard was put up for sale at Halls Fine Art in Shrewsbury with an estimate of �25,000 to �35,000 but failed to reach its reserve price.

Now a private collector, who is believed to be based at Church Stretton, has stepped in to buy it for an undisclosed figure.

The money will be a big help in paying the mortgage on our farm Brian Corfield

"Although we were disappointed the sideboard wasn't sold at auction we got three phone calls on the same afternoon from people interested in buying it," said Mr Corfield.

"I can't tell you how much we got for it but the money will be a big help in paying the mortgage on our farm."

Mr and Mrs Corfield bought his brother's share of the 170 acre beef and sheep farm earlier this year.

The ornate carved sideboard cost just �6 when it was bought by Mr Corfield's great-aunt in 1931.

It was only after a table designed by Pugin was sold by another mid Wales farmer for �180,000 that value of their own furniture dawned on the couple.

Mr Corfield's mother lad left them the sideboard but it had lain unwanted for many years in a barn.

Pugin saw Parliament burn down in 1834 and helped redesign it

"I went to have a nose at the auctioneers' salesroom when I heard that the table was for sale," said Mrs Corfield.

"It was only then that I realised the sideboard's potential because it has the same carvings.

"I told the auctioneer that we had a sideboard to go with the table and at first I don't think he believed me.

"But he then came to the farm and confirmed our opinion.

The sideboard was commissioned for the dining room at Leighton Hall, near Welshpool, in the 1850s.

But it was then discarded in a barn for two decades before being left to Mr Corfield's mother.

"Nobody in the family wanted it because at nine feet wide it was too big for their homes," Mr Corfield explained.

"It ended up in a barn in the Welshpool area for 20 years before my mother took the piece when she got married and came to live at this farm."