The Latest Hires at Sworders Fine Art

Amelia Hone

Picture Department Assistant

Born with an eye for detail and magpie tendencies toward beautiful and interesting objects, Amelia has spent much of her adult life curating spaces both personally and professionally. With one foot in art history and the other leaning towards contemporary practices, her home is her canvas where she displays and styles her treasured finds.

Amelia has always enjoyed a layered approach to furnishing and decorating a home, reminiscent of Grand Tour era interiors, and hopes for more of her generation to become open to antiques, particularly given their history and environmental benefits.

Having studied Fine Art at university, Amelia looks forward to applying her passion for art and design with an intrinsic love of antiques as Picture Department Assistant for Sworders.

Let’s get to know her…

What attracted you to the world of Art & Antiques?

I think it was my dad. He was always bringing home pieces of furniture and interesting curiosities. When I was a child, he would take my brother and I around car boot sales, antique shops, and auctions and end up coming home with something peculiar. I went on to study Fine Art at university and got into interior design, and styling, but I’ve always had a soft spot for antiques.

Which museum, anywhere in the world, would you most recommend visiting and why?

I love to visit museums that were once homes or studios to be inspired by the people who lived and worked there.

I adore the Charleston Farmhouse near Lewes. It was home to the Bloomsbury Group of artists and writers who lived and worked in the farmhouse. Walking into the farmhouse with the doors, walls and furniture all adorned with the Bloomsbury Group’s signature painterly designs is really something quite special. It is a fantastic insight into the Bloomsbury Group, highlighting a playful assembly of beautiful objects celebrating art and craft.

I also love the Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. Sir John Soane was one of the foremost architects of the Regency era. The house and offices are brimming with a collection containing thousands of objects ranging from Ancient Egyptian antiquities, Old Master paintings, Roman sculpture, fragments and plaster casts.  With each interior being a work of art, Soane was constantly arranging and rearranging the collection, not just to incorporate new acquisitions, but to enhance the objects’ poetic qualities through creative and inspiring juxtapositions. An original interior decorator as well as a celebrated architect.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to spend my spare time meeting friends, finding new quaint villages for antiquing, visiting grand old houses and their gardens, and discovering new art exhibitions.

What was the last book you read?

I am an avid collector of coffee table books and I am currently flicking through ‘Greco Disco: The Art and Design of Luke Edward Hall’, ‘Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics’, and ‘Architectural Digest Celebrity Homes’ from 1977. I’m also rereading ‘Mrs Dalloway’ by Virginia Woolf at the moment.

Do you have plans to travel this year?

I would love to go back to Greece soon, sailing around The Cyclades sounds good to me!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself

Whilst on holiday travelling around New Zealand as a child I saw a bungee jumper and promptly told my parents “I want to do that!”. As I was ten and there was no chance of that happening, they agreed.

When we arrived in Queenstown, I marched off to the bungee jump booking centre, having been very tall for my age (you would never know it now) I was the correct height and was given the okay from the bungee team. So as a ten-year-old child I did a bungee jump!

Simon Willett

Porter

Simon’s working life began at the age of 16 when he undertook an agricultural apprenticeship with a renowned East Anglian dealership. After the successful completion of the City and Guilds course, which involved stints at Plumpton Agricultural College situated on the South Downs in rural East Sussex, he was invited to join another fledgling company dealing in farm machinery.

September 1988 saw a radical change of profession with Simon joining Essex Police. Throughout a 30-year career, he served in a variety of operational roles before choosing to pursue a route in detective work. For much of his service he was a detective sergeant specialising in child abuse investigations, retiring in September 2018.

He has worked ever since to maintain an active mind and body and joined Sworders’ Porter Team in the spring of 2022.

Let’s get to know him…

What part of the new role are you most excited about?

Meeting new people is always fascinating for different reasons. Many years ago, I realised that behind every face lies a lifetime of experiences and these are what ultimately shape our individual character. Making new acquaintances can be extremely interesting and I have already had the good fortune of speaking to many customers and colleagues alike, who each have great stories to tell and their accounts have been a pleasure to listen to. In addition, I find it highly thought-provoking to learn about the provenance and the history of the items that are bought and sold in our various sales. If only they could talk!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am very much a country boy and I love the English countryside and its wide variety of wildlife. I have several Labradors, all of which I have had and trained from puppies, including some that I have bred myself. I also have a lurcher and a Jack Russell. Dogs are a big part of my life and have been since I was a small boy as my father had German Shepherds that he ran in obedience trials.

I am a keen fly fisherman and belong to a small syndicate close to where I live. I also assist at our local clay shooting school, where I act as a coach. It is particularly rewarding when teaching novices, especially children, and to help them to start smashing clays is highly satisfying.

My biggest passion in life is my family and despite our children having all grown up and flown the nest, we are all very close and continue to each other very often.

I am also an avid reader and love to pick up a good book, mainly non-fiction, including the subjects of true crime, politics, military history and biographies.

What was the last film you watched?

Operation Mincemeat is a spellbinding film, which I watched after I had read the book of the same name. It is beautifully written by Ben McIntyre and is based on a true story relating to the Second World War. In April 1943 a body is found floating in the sea off the coast of Spain. When it is brought ashore it is identified as a British soldier and secured to his belt is a leather case that contains Allied invasion plans. However, this is an elaborate hoax planned by Churchill’s spies. The soldier never existed and the body is that of a Welsh tramp. Both the book and the film are compelling and I would thoroughly recommend them. It’s gripping stuff and if it wasn’t true it could understandably attract comments suggesting that the story is rather fanciful.

Do you cook?

I love cooking. I also love eating and drinking! I go through various fads of experimenting with different recipes. My current favourite cuisine is Middle Eastern food and over this summer I have recreated a variety of dishes from that region of the world, which I believe to be among the tastiest. Sitting down to a good meal and great wine, together with friends and family, is one of my favourite things. Such a simple thing is disproportionately enjoyable. Long may it continue!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

It is my ambition to write a book one day.

Natalie Lipscombe

Shipping Administrator

Prior to joining Sworders’ Shipping Department, Natalie graduated with a 1^st class honours degree in Textile Design and spent 15 years working as a textile designer and colourist for the home furnishing industry. Her passion for interiors, antique furnishings and pattern brought her to Sworders doors, and she now thrives in an industry she finds fascinating.

Let’s get to know her…

Prior to joining Sworders, did you have much experience with auctions/auction houses?

I love trawling antiques and interior shops and I used to come to the interior viewings at Sworders (pre-covid of course) so I had a feel for how things operate and I fell in love with the industry.

What part of the new role are you most excited about?

Generally getting to work in an intriguing and creative environment. Seeing all the interesting items that come through the sales fascinates me. I have a love of Decorative Arts, especially from the Arts and Crafts movement through to the Art Deco period. I have already got my eye on some William De Morgan tiles!

Do you have any hobbies?

I love to shop! I like to know what’s happening with trends in interiors and fashion. I also enjoy drawing, painting and design and would love to develop these skills with a bit more time.

What was the last book you read?

I enjoy reading but with two small children, I can’t remember the last good book I got to read. Other than one of Annabel Karmel’s recipe books!

If you were stranded on a desert island, what one luxury could you not live without?

I feel like I should say something Bear Grylls would approve of like a knife or fishing net to survive, but a nice large hammock where I could relax in peace seems much more appealing. And some books I could finally get a chance to read!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself

I sold part of my graduate exhibition of printed fabric lengths to Laura Ashley.

Sworders' staff are the core strength of our business. As we expand we are always looking for the best talent to increase our momentum.

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