Sworders

Sworders are an auction house based in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. They have a history dating back to 1782 when their Bishop’s Stortford-based forerunner started out in agriculture and property sales.

In 2008 Sworders moved to new purpose-built auction rooms and they also maintain a valuation office in Hertford.

The firm stages regular sales of antiques and collectables as well as other specialist events including dedicated modern art and design auctions and quarterly Country House sales.


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Power of the Penn second time around

21 October 2015

As part of their latest 20th Century & Decorative Art auction in Stansted Mountfitchet, Sworders sold this still life by the influential American photographer Irving Penn (1917-2009) for £61,000.

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Godwin barn find becomes £31,000 reward at Essex auction

10 June 2015

This spectacular barn find, an ebonised coromandel and inlaid octagonal centre table designed by Edward Godwin (1833-86), sold for £31,000 at Sworders’ sale of decorative art and design in Stansted Mountfitchet.

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Stolen, recovered and resold – the £80,000 Henri Martin

16 March 2015

A picture stolen from a Hertfordshire house three years ago and recently recovered sold at an Essex auction last week for £80,000.

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Figurehead sails to £50,000

24 December 2014

A superb combination of history, condition and rarity came together as a figurehead from a Brazilian slavers’ ship sold at Essex saleroom Sworders for ten times the low estimate at £50,000.

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The £150,000 doorstop with an Imperial past

02 May 2014

The latest Asian art sale at Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet was led by this massive 9½in (24.5cm) high Chinese calligrapher’s brush pot dating to the late 18th or early 19th century.

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Danish furniture pulled from sale over CITES

29 January 2014

More than 80 lots of Danish rosewood furniture were withdrawn from Sworder’s January 28 sale of Decorative Art and Design after advice that their sale contravened the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

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Art Deco sideboard at specialist design sale

23 January 2014

This Art Deco walnut sideboard accompanied by a dining table is one of around 400 lots of Art Deco, Arts & Crafts and Danish design furniture on sale at Sworders of Stansted Mountfitchet later this month.

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A gift from a doomed Duke

28 November 2013

This cased Austro-Hungarian gold and enamel brooch/pendant with a diamond-set monogram and coronet was the gift of Archduke Franz Ferdinand to Mary Marshall, the head housekeeper at Welbeck Abbey, country residence of the Dukes of Portland, from the 1890s until her retirement in 1923.

Storm forces change

04 November 2013

Sworders of Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex had to postpone last week’s Interiors sale after the St Jude’s storm knocked out their electricity supply for two days.

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Sworders' Debden sale sets solid bench mark

23 October 2013

Sworders have sold the contents of Debden Manor, Essex from their saleroom in Stansted Mountfitchet – a house sale titled ‘An Architect’s Eye, A Collector’s Passion’.

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Owl photograph that failed to amuse the prince

22 February 2013

This album, included in Sworders’ February 26 sale at Stansted Mountfitchet, contains correspondence relating to an incident over the shooting of an owl during a Royal visit to the Wynyard Park estate in 1896.

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Fairytale ending at £29,500

11 February 2013

The highlight of the recent Decorative Art and Design sale conducted by Sworders of Stansted Mountfitchet was this Wedgwood Fairyland lustre malfrey pot and cover designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones (1881-1945).

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Stylish Finnish chair in decorative sale

18 January 2013

Created by the 20th century Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, this Paimio seat, with a model no. of 41, is to be included in Sworders’ Decorative Art Sale on January 29 in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex.

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The added value of celebrity

18 January 2013

The names Cartier and Paul Hubner of Augsburg guaranteed the quality of a lapel watch and parcel gilt cup, but their values were enhanced by the names of early 20th century celebrities when they were offered at a recent sale held by Sworders at Stansted Mountfitchet.

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Christening cup with literary connections

29 November 2012

A gilt christening cup given by Lawrence of Arabia to the son of the real-life Peter Pan is to be sold at Sworders on December 4.

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American buyer poaches top Black Forest carving

05 November 2012

This carving of a poacher signed by Johann Huggler (1834-1912) of Brienz, Switzerland was the highlight of a collection of 28 ‘Black Forest’ type carvings sold at the latest sale held by Sworders.

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Carved ship model at Sworders

29 October 2012

Sworders are offering this ornately carved ivory model of a pleasure junk dating from the early 20th century in their Asian art sale on November 13.

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Is this Swiss wood-carving a self-portrait?

18 October 2012

Despite being called a ‘Black Forest’ carving, this late 19th century figure by Johann Huggler of Brienz, of a poacher with dead deer, gun and a dog at his feet, the base carved with rabbits and birds, was actually produced in Switzerland rather than Bavaria.

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Dino Martens glasswork makes rare appearance in UK sale

18 October 2012

Although originally entered into one of the regular weekly sales held by Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet, this striking mid-century glass vessel was plucked from obscurity by a member of staff who recognised it as something worthy of further research.

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Rare Ravilious submarines surface at Sworders

29 September 2012

Prints by Eric Ravilious (1903-42) don’t crop up too often, so when Sworders’ offered a collection of five lithographs from his ‘Submarines’ series at latest sale in Stansted Mountfitchet, there was understandably a good level of interest.

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