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.
In anticipation of our upcoming auction 'The Glass Sale', we shine a spotlight on one of Britain’s most accomplished contemporary glass engravers, Katharine Coleman MBE.
20 March 2026
Imagine holding a beautifully painted porcelain dish in your hands. The colours, the delicate brushwork, the elegant form - all suggest it must be Chinese. But what if it wasn’t? What if this seemingly Chinese porcelain dish was actually made in nineteenth-century France?
18 March 2026
This remarkable survivor is featured as a highlight in our forthcoming Books, Manuscripts and Maps timed auction, running from Friday 24 April to Monday 4 May, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire an evocative piece of early Victorian court history.
12 March 2026