Mid-Century & Modern Design

 

Our Mid-Century and Modern Design offering falls under the Design department's care as an area of keen interest. This aspect of our department encompasses the various modern styles of the post-war period, with a renewed interest in British design from exhibitions such as the Festival of Britain, with the likes of John & Sylvia Reid and Ernest Race, through to the contemporary designs of John Makepeace and Mark Brazier-Jones.

Further to this, mid-century Scandinavian and American design continues to dominate the market and Sworders have become leaders in the sale of furniture, applied arts, glassware and jewellery from this category. Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, Nanna Ditzel, Alvar Aalto, Charles & Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and Harry Bertoia are but some of the regular designers who feature in our dedicated Design auctions.

European glass remains extremely popular with designers spanning the continent from France, Italy, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom. Our auctions regularly include works designed by René Lalique, Geoffrey Baxter, Alessandro Pianon and manufacturers such as Murano and Orrefors.

Be sure not to miss out on the launch of a new catalogue by signing up for alerts here and follow the department on Instagram @swordersdesign

 

Results & Highlights

Our specialists

Our specialists hold regular valuation days. Please contact us for more information, or complete the online form to enquire about the valuation of your items. 

John Black

John Black ASFAV
Director

T: 01279 817778
E: johnblack@sworder.co.uk

 

Matthew Yeats

Matthew Yeats
Design | Head of Department

T: 01279 817778
E: matthewyeats@sworder.co.uk

 

Alex Froggatt

Alex Froggatt
Senior Valuer | Glass & Decorative Arts

T: 01279 817778
E: alexfroggatt@sworder.co.uk

 

Request a Valuation 

Want to know how much your Mid-Century & Modern Design may be worth? Fill out our easy-to-use form and a member of the team will be in touch with free advice shortly.

Get a Valuation

 


 

Design Newsletter

Sign up to receive the latest news straight to your inbox.

 


 

Lot Alerts

Don't miss out on the things you love! Sign up for our free Lot Alert service and we'll send you a reminder when an item you want is coming up.

 

News & Articles

Paving the Way | Design-led Furniture Brands

Our upcoming Design auction offers carefully crafted pieces by designers and brands that have collaborated to create distinctive, high‑quality furniture, such as Heal's and Fritz Hansen.

15 January 2026

Design on Display

With an enduring link between important designers and department stores, works from a variety of these stores often prove extremely popular at auction, and we are proud to present examples of these in our 27 January Design auction.

8 January 2026

The Year in Review | A Look Back at 2025

Join us as we look back at some of the most notable highlights from our 2025 sales and celebrate another excellent year.

18 December 2025