Celebrity furniture under the hammer

AN AUCTION of the contents of the Presidential Suites in Edinburgh's Sheraton Grand Hotel will offer members of the public the chance to own a sofa Tony Blair has relaxed on or a table Sir Sean Connery ate his tea at.

The hotel is refurbishing all of its bedrooms and suites this year to mark its 25th anniversary in Edinburgh, so managers have decided to sell off the contents of suites which have been graced by many celebrities over the years.

High-profile guests including Kofi Annan, Christian Slater, the Black Eyed Peas and Vin Diesel have stayed in the Presidential Suites. The items are being auctioned off by McTear's Auctioneers in Glasgow on 30 January.

McTear's director, Brian Clements, said: "If furniture could talk then these high-quality pieces would certainly have a few tales to tell."

Items for auction include two mahogany dining tables and accompanying chairs, Chippendale style desks, a dressing table, a Georgian chest of drawers, armchairs, couches and a pair of mahogany TV cabinets.

Mr Clements said: "This is a great opportunity to pick up a real piece of celebrity history.

"There is no doubt these items would provide a very interesting talking point in any home."