The Colony Room Club was arguably one of the most iconic afternoon drinking dens from Soho of which there were once 500, this napkin signed by members the year it closed is part of our London Auction.
This embroidered cotton napkin titled ‘F******g Beautiful’ is from the Colony Room Club and bears signatures from members, including Tracey Emin, Dinos Chapman, Fiona Banner, David Adjaye, Mick Jones and Gavin Turk, complete with original stains and dated 7th June 2008, the year the Colony closed its doors for good.
The Colony Room Club was arguably one of the most iconic afternoon drinking dens from Soho of which there were once 500, established in 1948 by Muriel Belcher who ran the club until her death in 1979. With Francis Bacon as a founding member, who supposedly walked in the day after it was opened was adopted by Belcher who gave him free drinks to bring in friends and rich clients. Since then the private members room attracted countless artists, poets, actors, gangsters and even members of parliament until it closed in 2008 under the management of Michael Wojas.
The napkin has been consigned to our December London Auction with an estimate of £1,000-1,500. If you have something London connection that you would like to sell contact london@sworder.co.uk
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