Guy Schooling
Chairman
Chairman and auctioneer at Sworders with more than 25 years experience in the fine art and the auction profession. His interests lie with English furniture and the Arts & Crafts Movement. He is available to undertake valuations of single items or entire collections.
T: 01279 817778
E: guyschooling@sworder.co.uk
John Black ASFAV
Director 20th Century Art & Design
John has a degree in Art History augmented by a one year course at Christies, and has 15 years auction room experience. An integral member of our team he has a broad knowledge of the decorative arts, however his principal interest lies in 20th Century Design. John runs our successful Decorative Art and Design sales, held three times a year.
T: 01279 817778
E: johnblack@sworder.co.uk
Paul Martin
Finance Director
Paul runs the Finance and HR functions of Sworders, as well as helping the board develop the strategic direction of the firm. Paul joined Sworders as Finance Director after 15 years as a partner with Price Bailey, advising family businesses and international groups. This included a period running their off-shore office in Guernsey. He and his wife love travelling and have their eyes on South America for their next adventure.
T: 01279 817778
E: paulmartin@sworder.co.uk
Daniel Webster
Head of Hertford Office
Daniel is an auctioneer and valuer with over 25 years of experience in the world of auctioneering. He started his career at a regional saleroom in Essex and has now moved back to the provinces after working at a London auctioneers for 21 years. He heads our Hertford office and has a broad knowledge of antique market with special interests in furniture and the Arts and Crafts Period.
T: 01992 583 508
E: danielwebster@sworder.co.uk
Frank Barnett
Saleroom Manager
Frank has been with Sworders for over eight years, managing and coordinating our salerooms. He has a natural flair for interior design and oversees the presentation of our sales. He previously worked at Bonhams and Phillips, bringing a wealth of experience in the antiques trade.
T: 01279 817778
E: frankbarnett@sworder.co.uk
Andrew Bowyer
Paintings
Andrew gained his extensive experience and knowledge at Phillips and Sothebys in London and has been involved in cataloguing and valuing work in various parts of the world, and in fields as diverse as Old Master painting, English watercolours and 20th Century British art.
T: 01279 817778
E: fineart@sworder.co.uk
Dick Burge
Fine Wine
After many years as a wine enthusiast, Dick co-founded a wine importing business in 1982, selling this ten years ago. He is non-executive chairman of a large regional wine merchant and has been associated with Sworders for five years.
T: 01279 817778
E: finewine@sworder.co.uk
Paul Fox
Homes & Interiors and Fine Wine
Paul joined the team in 2013 as a saleroom assistant. He quickly expanded his roles into our Fine Wine sales and running much of the logistics of the saleroom. A graduate in Furniture Restoration at London Metropolitan University, he previously worked as a picture framer before going on to work in a London gallery prior to Sworders.
T: 01279 817778
E: paulfox@sworder.co.uk
Claire Grindey
Silver
Claire joined Sworders in 2017, following 20 years international experience of the art market as an independent consultant, and with Sotheby’s London and Amsterdam as a silver specialist. She has lectured for Sotheby’s Institute Contemporary Design and Fine & Decorative Arts MA, and currently sits on the board for RICS Art & Antiques. Claire speaks French, Swedish, Italian and Dutch.
T: 01279 817778
E: clairegrindey@sworder.co.uk
Luan Grocholski
Asian Art
T: 01279 817778
E: luangrocholski@sworder.co.uk
Prudence Hopkins
Jewellery and Accessories
Prudence is an auctioneer and jewellery valuer at the Stansted Auction rooms and Head of the Designer Handbags and Couture department. She has a BA Honours in Historical Fashion and Costume and a Gemmology Diploma from The Gemological Association of Great Britain. During her time working in the industry she has built up an extensive knowledge in fine and decorative arts.
T: 01279 817778
E: prudencehopkins@sworder.co.uk
Michael Kousah
Books
Michael has been in the book trade for well over thirty years, During that time he ran his own bookshop in Ely for fourteen years. He was one of the UK's first Founding/Associate members on the Sotheby's online auction site and for many years a member of the P.B.F.A.
T: 01279 817778
E: rarebooks@sworder.co.uk
Yexue Li
Asian Art
Yexue joined our Asian Art department in 2013, after graduating with a Master’s degree in East Asian Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
T: 01279 817778
E: yexueli@sworder.co.uk
James Pickup
Homes and Interiors
James is an auctioneer & valuer with 7 years of auction room experience to add to a lifetime of interest in antiques. He heads up the fortnightly Homes & Interiors sales, offering a range of high quality and affordable modern and antique furnishings for the home and garden. These sales are the perfect introduction to the auction world for new and inexperienced buyers.
T: 01279 817778
E: jamespickup@sworder.co.uk
Tony Salani
Coins, Homes and Interiors
Tony joined Sworders in December 2016 having previously worked in salerooms around the country and been involved in the Art and Antiques industry for over 15 years. He is a general valuer and auctioneer for the fortnightly Homes & Interiors sales, with specialist knowledge of Musical Instruments and Coins.
T: 01279 817778
E: tonysalani@sworder.co.uk
Amy Scanlon
Paintings
Amy joined Sworders in 2009 as a junior valuer, after spending three years working in a leading London gallery. She has risen through the ranks to work in our Paintings department, where she works with specialist Andrew Bowyer. Amy also holds a BA (Hons) degree in History of Art from University College London.
T: 01279 817778
E: amyscanlon@sworder.co.uk
Catriona Smith - R.J. Dip, FIRV 76194 NAJ’s Institute of Registered Valuers, Fellow
Jewellery
Catriona has been in the jewellery trade for over 35 years, spending 15 years working for the crown jewellers, Mappin and Webb. She is a registered valuer with the National Association of Jewellers, who through her knowledge and enthusiasm has overseen a huge expansion in our jewellery sales.
T: 01279 817778
E: jewellery@sworder.co.uk
Tim Turner
Senior Valuer
Tim is an auctioneer and valuer with more than 30 years experience in the antiques and auction profession. He has been with Sworders for 27 years He has also been a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors for 20 years.
T: 01279 817778
E: timturner@sworder.co.uk
Clive Welch
Consultant Valuer
Clive is a 4th generation valuer and auctioneer, brought up in a multi-practice family business and now specialising in valuations for insurance and probate.
T: 01279 817778
E: clivewelch@sworder.co.uk
Mark Wilkinson
Out of the Ordinary Sales
Mark joined Sworders in 2017 having previously worked for Christies for 31 years and Bonhams for 2 years. During his time at Christie’s Mark helped to devise the ground-breaking Interiors sales, moving to Bonhams in 2015 to work his magic as European Head of Decorative Arts. He now heads up our ‘Out of The Ordinary’ sales, an eclectic mix of art and antiques with a wow factor, and acts as our Kent representative.
T: 01279 817778
E: markwilkinson@sworder.co.uk
Shane Xu
Prints
Shane came to Sworders in early 2017 with 6 years experience in the modern and contemporary prints department at a leading London auction house. Before immersing herself in the art world, Shane was a financial analyst for a Fortune 500 company in Shanghai.
T: 01279 817778
E: shanexu@sworder.co.uk
Sue Stephenson
Fine Wine
Sue joined the Sworders administrative team in 2012 and brings her organisational skills to support Dick Burge, Wine Specialist. She runs the Fine Wine & Port Sales dealing with all aspects of the sale from beginning to end.
T: 01279 817778
E: suestephenson@sworder.co.uk
Jane Watkins
PA to Guy Schooling
Jane has worked with Guy as his Personal Assistant since 2003, with a special interest in the Valuation Department and promoting Sworders by taking the stand to exhibitions. When she is not working, Jane has a great interest in dressage, both as a rider and a judge and enjoys walking her dog at lunchtime as we have a kennel here at the Auction Rooms.
T: 01279 817778
E: janewatkins@sworder.co.uk
Diane Baynes
Specialist Catalogues Co-ordinator
Diane has been at Sworders for nine years and co-ordinates production of the majority of the specialist sales catalogues, from lotting up and checking over proofs, to uploading the sales on to the websites. She provides administration support for John Black, Director, and can also be spotted on the rostrum assisting the auctioneers on sale days.
T: 01279 817778
E: dianebaynes@sworder.co.uk
Claire Hayter
Marketing & Events
Claire splits her time between the Stansted Saleroom and the Hertford office and is responsible for all print advertising and the organistion of valuation events nationwide.
T: 01992 583508
E: clairehayter@sworder.co.uk
Emma McCann
Digital Marketing
Emma joined the Marketing Department in March 2017 to oversee all aspects of digital marketing including the day to day management of the website, social media and email campaigns. She previously spent three years working for the Antiques Trade Gazette in London where she established a good working knowledge of the industry. Emma holds a BSc degree in Product Design from the University of Sussex.
T: 01279 817778
E: emmamccann@sworder.co.uk
Stephen Thomas
Photography
Stephen has been in the photography and graphic design business for over thirty years. He started his career as a product photographer for Marks and Spencer before entering the freelance world, working for many clients. He joined Sworders in 2013.
T: 01279 817778
E: stephenthomas@sworder.co.uk
