West End Lights: The Bustle of Sworders London Gallery

If you venture on to the website of Cecil Court, it is aptly self-described as ‘the ultimate destination for art, antiques, books, culture and curiosities – a whole street of uncommonly good independent shops.’

The Cecil Court gallery provides an excellent stage for showcasing both highlights and entire-sale exhibitions and previews for Sworders’ sales, and is just a moment’s walk from Leicester Square tube station. Our gallery’s scene is set in an exciting and constant state of flux - attend the gallery one week and be greeted by some of the finest works by British contemporary artists and pioneers of design; another, and see ancient works from the hands Chinese craftsmen, working for the highest in society; another and find a sparkling array jewels, fit to encrust the hands of royalty.

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Most recently, the gallery was thrilled to host the preview of our sale ‘Instinct, Scholarship and Curiosity: The Jan Finch Collection’, a sale containing 350 eclectic lots of ethnography, natural history, European art, and astonishing antiques from the connoisseurs at Finch & Co. A particular highlight from this preview was lot 102 of this sale: a fine French prisoner-of-war ship model,c.1820, of a forty-eight-gun frigate of the Royal Navy, inlaid with bone. This was made by French prisoners of war at Portchester Castle in about 1810, a medieval fortress east of Fareham. The castle was used as a prison from the 17th century and, in the early 19th century, it housed over 7,000 French prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars. Crafted with the finest thread rigging and including miniscule models of buckets, row boats and cannon barrels, the detail of this ship model was truly astounding to behold. We were thrilled to bring this item to the London gallery and share it with a wider audience, where its intricacy and workmanship could really be appreciated in a real-world setting.

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Step through our door and you will be greeted by our London team, consisting of Mark Wilkinson and Madeleine Armstrong. Mark was appointed Head of the London Gallery in the autumn of 2021 and with over 40 years of auction experience, runs the remarkably unique Out of the Ordinary sales, for which he developed his love of all things unusual during his time at Christie’s. Maddie joined our team as Gallery Manager in April 2022 from Sotheby’s Dublin, having garnered a passion for art and antiques through both her academic career and external interests.

Sworders’ London Gallery, with its 700 square feet of exhibition space and private valuation room, is open from Monday to Friday for free auction valuations, auction preview events and exhibitions. In addition, our team of experts are available to offer advice on a broad range of specialisms, from classic cars to coins and fine wine to furniture. We conduct valuations for a range of purposes including sale, probate, and insurance.

Looking to 2023, the London Gallery is busy preparing an exciting calendar of sale previews, exhibitions, and evening events, and we can’t wait to welcome you soon!

To contact our London office please email london@sworder.co.uk