Political scandals come and go and today we are seldom surprised when our elected representatives fall below the standards expected of them. However, back in 1963 when it emerged that John Profumo had lied to the House of Commons regarding an extramarital affair with the 19-year-old model Christine Keeler, the nation’s faith in the ruling classes was shaken to its core.
20 January 2022
The credibility of the Macmillan government was severely damaged and the fallout contributed to the Conservative government's defeat the following year. The relationship between politicians and the public was never quite the same again.
Almost 60 years later dramatisations of the Profumo Affair continue to appear on stage and screen. Interest in Keeler and the showgirl Mandy Rice-Davies has seldom subsided.
Sworders’ Out of the Ordinary sale on 15-16 February includes a series of candid photographs of both Keeler and Rice-Davies taken at the height of their notoriety.
A rare nude studio photograph of Mandy Rice-Davies was taken by an unknown photographer sometime in the early 1960s. At the time the showgirl from Llanelli was mixing in surprisingly important social circles, enjoying the company of Lord Astor at Cliveden. Famously, when challenged in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her. She replied: “He would, wouldn’t he?” The photo, originally purchased from the estate of the late actor Peter Wyngarde, is guided at £500-700.
CHRISTINE KEELER,
Ray Bellisario (1936-2018): 'Freedom - First Day Out Of Prison, Lying In A Field' (Full Length) Signed By Christine Keeler, 1964
£800-1,200
For her role in the labyrinthine events of the Profumo Affair, Christine Keeler was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for perjury. A series of photos in the sale were taken by Ray Bellisario (1936-2018) on the day she was released from Holloway prison in June 1964. The original negatives were purchased by the vendor in 2013 when a series of silver gelatin prints were made in an edition of ten, all signed by Keeler.
'Freedom - Laughing' and 'Freedom - Mini car' are expected to bring £400-600 each while ‘Freedom - First Day Out Of Prison, Lying In A Field' (Full Length) is guided at £800-1200.
A group three of glamour photos by unknown photographer, including one of the model topless, is expected to bring £400-600. The original negatives for these prints are held by the Christine Keeler family archive.
The term ‘Company School’ refers to a genre of painting that emerged in India in the late 18th and 19th centuries, flourishing under the patronage of British East India Company officials, their families, and other European residents in India. Sworders Asian & Islamic Art department is pleased to present a curated selection of these wonderfully insightful works in their next auction on Friday 15 May.
20 April 2026
A fascinating group of 42 lots from the Sir Thomas Longmore library feature in our Books, Manuscripts and Maps auction, offering a rare insight into Victorian military medicine and reform. Highlights include two letters by Florence Nightingale, alongside annotated books and personal volumes from Longmore’s own collection.
16 April 2026
A remarkable group of books from the library of Professor C.J.F. Dowsett will feature in our April Books, Manuscripts and Maps sale. The collection reflects a lifetime of scholarship in Armenian, Iranian and Near Eastern studies.
16 April 2026