A collapsible silk top hat - perfect for a Victorian night at the opera, or a 20th century magic trick - comes for sale on July 20.
Our Homes & Interiors sale on Tuesday 20 July includes the novelty hat, made by Gibus of 10 Chandles Street, Trafalgar Square alongside a presentation wand given to a member of the Magic Circle with a guide of £80-120.
Antoine Gibus was a Parisian hatmaker who, during the early 19th century, had solved a problem with which wearers of the top hat were well acquainted. Rather than seek a place to hang one’s silk topper, he created a hat, using a system of steel springs, that could be collapsed flat!
The wand, with silver mounts and a presentation inscription to John Holt, Esq M.M.C. 1963 has a terminal enamelled with the signs of the zodiac. It comes in a silk lined case for John Finches, London.
Sworders is pleased to present two classic Volvos in our forthcoming Cars & Automobilia sale - cars that neatly showcase the marque’s practical elegance and loyal following.
31 October 2025
In our upcoming Fine Interiors auction on 9–10 December 2025, two lots offer more than fine craftsmanship and design — they carry the weight of imperial history. One piece was acquired from Provender House, the Kent home of Princess Olga Andreevna Romanoff, and the other holds a curious clue to its past, bearing a connection to the Russian Imperial family.
23 October 2025
Murano’s centuries-old glassmaking tradition meets 20th-century design in this spotlight on Paolo Venini and his iconic Inciso vases.
23 October 2025