The sale covers works dating from the 15th century to the beginning of the 20th century, including prints, works on paper and oil paintings. Our Old Master, British & European Art sales offer a fascinating mix of styles and periods from early portraiture, still lifes and landscapes, portrait miniatures, golden age watercolours, maritime art, through to Victorian, symbolist, Impressionist, Pre-Raphaelite and the Belle Époque, and with estimates starting from £400, there will be something for every pocket.
Within the market for Old Master, British & European Art, Sworders holds several notable successes, including a John Constable oil of Dedham Vale selling for £91,000 including fees in December of 2020. Other highlights include the works of celebrated artists such as Thomas Hudson, Allan Ramsay, Peter Monamy, Montague Dawson, Edouard Moyse and John William Waterhouse.
Sales are held twice per annum and all sales are available for live internet bidding on our Sworders Live platform, for which bidders pay the same as they would as if they were bidding in the room, as well as listed on other leading international platforms.
With a commitment to diligent research and precise marketing, we guarantee that every lot is presented to its best advantage, ensuring that it receives the attention it deserves, maximising the opportunity to achieve the highest possible sale price. With decades of expertise, our specialists can offer unrivalled advice to both buyers and vendors. Please get in touch for a free valuation without obligation. Home visits can also be arranged.
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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.
Want to know how much your Old Master, British & European Art may be worth? Fill out our easy to use form and a member of the team will be in touch with free advice shortly.
Here, close friend, art historian and former Senior Curator of Modern British Art at Tate, Andrew Wilson, offers an insight into James Birch’s remarkable collection and the extraordinary life behind it. Having known James since the late 1980s, Andrew has witnessed first-hand his restless curiosity, his friendships with artists and his instinct for the unusual.
15 September 2026
Art dealer, curator, gallerist and author James Birch has spent more than four decades championing artists and staging groundbreaking exhibitions. This October, approximately 300 works from his private collection come to auction at Sworders, tracing a remarkable career from the King’s Road to Moscow and beyond.
Day One of our autumn Modern & Contemporary Art auction will be celebrate The James Birch Collection, offering bidders an exciting opportunity to purchase works from Birch's private collection.
27 August 2026
