For International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting four women at Sworders and the opportunities, learning and support that have shaped their careers.
8 March 2026
Carefully curated over the last forty years, Sworders is pleased to present the selected contents of North Road House, Hertford.
28 August 2024
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Designed in 1827 by the prominent local architect Thomas Smith, for his own occupation, the house is distinctly Regency with its stucco façade to the front, but with nods to the neoclassical style throughout. After a period of disregard, the house was saved from conversion to flats by the vendor and put back to its former splendour in the early 1980s.
Growing up in a household of collectors, the vendor notes he was influenced from an early age by his father, but cites an exhibition at the Victorian and Albert Museum in the late 1970s on Biedermeier furniture as the greatest steer in developing his daring yet genius taste. North Road offers the perfect expression of this, with its boldly coloured walls and abundance of architectural detail complementing the effortless mix of English and Continental furnishings. Each piece confidently placed with purpose, but without fussiness.
The collection is broad and eccentric, spanning from furniture to porcelain, but throughout is underpinned by a discerning eye for good early 19th-century design. Among the highlights are three striking chandeliers which hung in the principal rooms, to include a Regency colza example. Beyond this, a Biedermeier secrétaire à abattant with architectural interior is particularly notable.
fineinteriors@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778
It is a rare opportunity to encounter the private world of a man whose life was devoted to the pursuit of architectural integrity, aesthetic refinement and the quiet joy of beautiful things. We are therefore honoured to offer works from the personal collection of the late Richard Collins (1952-2024) in our upcoming Fine Interiors sale.
10 March 2026
For International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting four women at Sworders and the opportunities, learning and support that have shaped their careers.
8 March 2026
We are excited to share a collection of works from the estate of John Nash that features in our 31 March 'Modern & Contemporary Art' auction.
6 March 2026