20th Century Design

The 20th Century Design Department’s expertise and knowledge encompasses furniture, studio pottery, ceramics, glass, metal, sculpture and furnishings from all the major design movements in the applied arts from 1860 to the present day: Arts and Crafts, Aesthetic Movement, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Modernist, Post-War Design and Contemporary Design.

The Department attracts specialist collectors from around the world to its 20th Century Design auctions, which are held three times a year. Notable sales have been made by the department for works by all the major designers of the period including: William Morris & Co, Charles Voysey, Martin Brothers, Sidney Barnsley, William Moorcroft, Christopher Dresser, Liberty & Co, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, William De Morgan, Demétre Chiparus and Ferdinand Preiss.

Selling high-profile single owner collections is a specialism of the department. These include the Michael Webb Collection of Studio Pottery, the Carl Banks Collection of Linthorpe Pottery, an Important Collection of Art Deco Figures, and an extensive Private Collection of Moorcroft Pottery, the Property of a Lady.