Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers

Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers: art and antiques auctions in the United Kingdom

Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers presents itself as one of the oldest art and antiques auction houses in the United Kingdom. Its activity is structured around scheduled auctions, online sales and valuation services, with a departmental structure covering a wide range of disciplines.

Specialities and auction categories

The house's sales calendar covers a broad spectrum of collectables and works of art. Among the announced categories are modern and contemporary art, Asian and Islamic art, old master, British and European art, jewellery and watches, design, glass, classic cars and automobilia, books, manuscripts and maps. The firm also organises single-owner sales dedicated to specific private collections.

Featured auctions in the calendar

The published schedule includes the Modern and Contemporary Art sale, which incorporates the James Birch Collection, on 6 and 7 October; The Glass Sale, on 13 October; Classic Cars and Automobilia, from 6 to 15 October; Design, on 27 October; Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection, on 29 October; Books, Manuscripts and Maps, on 1 November; Old Master, British and European Art, on 10 November; Asian and Islamic Art, on 11 and 12 November, and Fine Jewellery and Watches, on 17 November. The jewellery sale on 23 September is listed as published results.

Recent results

Among the sold lots that the house highlights are a set of four 'Klismos' chairs by T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, knocked down at £26,500; an archive of contact sheets of The Beatles from Leslie Bryce, sold for £27,800; a George II carved giltwood side table, circa 1735, for £117,000; a 1956 Bentley S1 for £22,000; a work by Gillis Claeissens for £53,300; a Chinese gilt-bronze figure for £24,700; a work by Harold Harvey for £46,800; a Greek marble funerary stele from the Hellenistic period for £24,700; three volumes of diaries by Francis Harry Compton Crick from 1938-39 for £16,500; a piece by Dale Chihuly for £11,000, and a work by Sir John Lavery for £468,000. Two dodo foot bones pre-dating 1690, from Mauritius, are also recorded as sold for £14,500.

Services for buyers and sellers

The house offers online and at-home valuation services, as well as valuations for private clients. It organises house sales and private collections, and provides buying and selling guides. For buyers, it facilitates registration to bid, invoice payment and participation in live and online auctions. It also offers a collection and shipping service, with free collections available, and publishes an archive of lots with realised prices from previous sales.

Publications and editorial content

Sworders maintains a section of news, views and insights, with articles on collections, artistic techniques and specific pieces. Among the topics covered are the Doris Lockhart Saatchi collection, the silver of an Eton headmaster, John Hutton's engraving technique, the glass of Honzík, Rozínek and Exbor, the design of Alvar Aalto, Dino Martens, the James Birch Collection, Martin Luther King Jr. and Lal Bahadur Shastri, the work of The HALO Trust, Company School painting, John Mitchell's military horology collection, miniatures by George Hewey, Churchill at Chartwell and the drawings of Madge Gill presented by Vivienne Roberts. The house also offers subscriptions to printed catalogues and lot alerts.

Sustainability and cultural commitment

The company devotes a specific section to sustainability and maintains cultural and charitable partnerships, with cultural enrichment programmes and collaboration with organisations such as The HALO Trust. It also publishes information about its team, its press office and its corporate values.

Locations and offices

Stansted Auction Rooms: Phone: 01279 817778 · Email: auctions@sworder.co.uk

Hertford: Phone: 01992 583508 · Email: hertford@sworder.co.uk

London: Email: london@sworder.co.uk