Coming up in our auction of Design in January 2022, we have a collection of Eames designs that were once owned by the architect John ‘Jack’ Bonnington and used at his offices in Tyttenhanger House near St Albans.
29 December 2021
Charles Eames and his wife, Ray, are considered the most important American designers of the 20th century. Influenced by new materials in the 1940s, such as moulded plywood, their work was innovative and cutting-edge. Even today, designs look elegant, refined and practical, and are still highly sought after throughout the world.
In the early 1950s, Eero Saarinen and Alex Girard were asked to design a house for the industrialist Irwin Miller, in Columbus, Indiana. They approached Charles Eames to design ‘high quality outdoor seating’ - the three were all known to each other, as Saarinen had studied with Eames, and Girard was a member of the team at Herman Miller who made many of Charles Eames’ designs.
It was this commission that led to Eames designing the ‘Aluminium Group’ chairs that were, in part, designed for the outdoor, but quickly became synonymous with the interior look of the late 1950s and 60s.
The designs in our forthcoming auction in the New Year include examples of the ‘EA116’ lobby chairs (lots 487 and 488), and the ‘EA105’ office chairs (lots 573 and 603). These were all once owned by the architect John ‘Jack’ Bonnington and used at his offices in Tyttenhanger House near St Albans. The modernist home that Bonnington built for himself, Ferrum House is now for sale with The Modern House.
A remarkable collection of 177 lots of rare and historic Bibles feature in our timed auction of Books, Manuscripts and Maps from 17-27 April, offering collectors, scholars and history enthusiasts a unique opportunity to own some of the most significant early English translations of the Holy Scriptures. The collection showcases centuries-old editions that played a pivotal role in shaping religious thought, language and culture.
15 April 2025
Ahead of his upcoming ‘retirement sale’ on 13–14 May, we caught up with the ever-charismatic Paul Atkinson to uncover some of the captivating stories behind the lots on offer.
11 April 2025
With styles and silhouettes endlessly evolving during the Victorian period, the continuous advancements in fashion offered women more choice and freedom regarding their attire. Sworders are delighted to present a collection of Victorian clothing in our upcoming Jewellery, Designer Handbags & Accessories sale, taking place on Wednesday 23 April.
9 April 2025