We are amused: after-dinner entertainment of the Victorian era
Automata, clockwork models that could perform for guests at the wind of a key, were the after-dinner entertainment of the Victorian era....
A late Victorian papier-mâché model of a Boston terrier, complete with working growler, attracted strong bidding at Sworders’ bi-weekly Homes & Interiors auction on Tuesday 16 October. Probably made by the French toy manufacturing company Roullet & Decamps, well known for their automata and walking and moving dolls and toys, the mechanical terrier was consigned to sale by a seller local to Sworders' Stansted Moutfitchet auction room. It sold for £1,353 including premium.
Recent News
The 13th Note | Battle of the Bands
Ahead of our inaugural sale, The 13th Note, Head of Department Tony Salani reflects on one of music's greatest rivalries. As The Beatles and The Rolling Stones go head-to-head through a remarkable selection of memorabilia, he reveals which side ultimately wins his vote in this friendly Battle of the Bands.
12 June 2026
Klismos Chairs | Duality in Design
This summer, Sworders will offer an exceptional set of eight ‘Klismos’ Classical Greek No. 3 chairs, designed by Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings and manufactured by Saridis of Athens. Presented in the 14 July Design auction in two lots of four, the chairs represent one of the 20th century’s most refined reinterpretations of the ancient world.
11 June 2026
Continental Drift | Parisian Elegance in Thurloe Square
Situated in the heart of South Kensington, 18 Thurloe Square forms part of one of London's most distinguished nineteenth-century garden residences, and we are delighted to offer items from this collection in our forthcoming Fine Interiors sale.
8 June 2026