Furniture & Rugs

Overview

Fine antique furniture and mid-century modern furniture form a key element of our auctions. There is still a strong market for clean-lined affordable Georgian furniture which can work well in contemporary interiors. The better pieces are of course still keenly pursued, a prime example being a George III serpentine chest of drawers which recently for £4500 (plus buyers premium). Antique furniture which connects with maker’s names such as Gillows, Marsh and Tatham, Holland & Sons, Howard & Sons, is always in demand.

A market which has grown strikingly is that for mid-century modern pieces, especially the signed and designed examples. Key designers are Finn Juhl, Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Gio Ponti and Marcel Breuer. The Scandinavian look is very chic and being located on the edge of London, we are of course very well positioned for this expanding market.

Colonial, Chinese and Japanese furniture is a more specialised area, and probably because of this fact, rarer pieces do command strong prices at auction. Certain pieces are eagerly pursued by collectors online. In 2023 we sold a pair of Ceylonese ebony armchairs for £2300 (plus buyers premium) to a collector. Campaign items of furniture are also strong sellers, particularly twin section brass bound chests of drawers, both fashionable and functional. Hand made rugs with bold tribal patterns and with age are also popular sellers as they sit well in eclectic modern interiors.