On Tuesday 31 March, Sworders presented a Books & Maps sale, which included some works by some of the finest writers from the 20th Century. Among them was a set of three editions of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
17/04/2015 BOOKS & MAPS
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
On Tuesday 31 March, Sworders presented a Books & Maps sale, which included some works by some of the finest writers from the 20th Century. Among them was a set of three editions of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' With dust jackets, they were rare first American, first English and first book club editions.
It was an unique opportunity to purchase one of the most iconic books of the 20th Century by an author who continues to make headlines today. Harper Lee was born in 1926 and grew up in Monroeville, Alabama - at the heart of America's Deep South - leaving her well placed to tackle the heavy subject of racial inequality. It took two and a half frustrating years for Lee to finish 'Mockingbird' and the book became famous the world over for somehow taking on the serious issues with a high degree of warmth and even humour, while never losing grip on the tough situations the characters face. The undoubted star appeal drew bidders from all over the world, eventually selling for £2,900.
A major highlight of our forthcoming Dreams – A Unique Private Collection sale on 9 July is a remarkable archive of letters and manuscripts by John Ruskin (1819–1900), the celebrated Victorian polymath. This unparalleled group – numbering in the hundreds – is believed to be the largest collection of Ruskin correspondence in private hands and spans a vast range of topics from art and architecture to politics, religion, and personal reflection.
2 July 2025
'The Scented Garden of Abdullah the Satirist of Shiraz' - also known as 'The Bagh-i-Muattar' - quickly caught the attention of our book specialists, when a copy bound in full vellum was brought in by a local client to our weekly valuation day.
2 July 2025
We are thrilled to launch The Glass Sale - a brand-new addition to our auction calendar! The inaugural sale will take place on Tuesday 28 October and will become a biannual fixture in our calendar going forward.
20 June 2025