The Millinery Works Collection

Arts & Crafts Movement Design

Inspired by the Arts & Crafts Movement and its emphasis on honesty, quality materials, beautiful design and skilful construction, The Millinery Works has traded for a happy 26 years in Islington. This October, our Design Since 1860 auction will feature a selection of finely designed furniture and works of art from their collection, including pieces by Gordon Russell, Arthur Simpson, Peter Waals and Ambrose Heal (Lots 497 - 595).

The Millinery Works’ story begins in 1967 on a stall in North London’s leading antique centre, Camden Passage, every Saturday. Three years later when a local shop became vacant, Derek Rothera & Brian Thompson opened the Antique Trader specialising in early English oak furniture. Over the years they dealt in a range of antiques but were always most inspired by the Arts & Crafts Movement and its emphasis on honesty, quality materials, beautiful design and skill of construction.

LOT 533 | AMBROSE HEAL (1872-1959) FOR HEAL & SON, LONDON | ARTS & CRAFTS ‘OWL’ CABINET, CIRCA 1910

model 412, unpolished chestnut | 113cm wide 153cm high, 54cm deep | £6,000 - £8,000 + fees

View Lot 533 ⇒

Their stock of late 19th and early 20th century furniture increased and by 1995 the shop was simply not big enough, so the business was moved to two large buildings, part of a former massive hat factory in Islington and the company was renamed The Millinery Works.

LOT 572 | ARTHUR W. SIMPSON (1857-1922), KENDAL (ATTRIBUTED MAKER) | ARTS & CRAFTS FREESTANDING DESK, CIRCA 1920

oak, inlaid with ebony and bone, with an arrangement of six drawers to one side and two cupboard doors to the other | 137cm long, 74cm high, 75cm deep | £3,000 - £5,000 + fees

View Lot 572 ⇒

Painter and graphic artist Gordon House (1932-2004), himself a keen collector of Arts & Crafts, designed their logo and house style based on a hat block that Derek & Brian had in their collection.

LOT 498 | RICHARD NORMAN SHAW (ATTRIBUTED DESIGNER) | GOTHIC REVIVAL BOOKCASE, CIRCA 1875

oak with painted polychrome panel and brass fittings, with key | 147cm wide, 258cm high, 49cm deep | £2,000 - £3,000 + fees

View Lot 498 ⇒

After a happy 26 years The Millinery Works is closing its doors at the hat factory, but opening again soon to continue trading online, albeit on a smaller scale.

LOT 556 | ERNEST GIMSON (1864-1919) (DESIGNER) PETER WAALS (1870-1937) (ATTRIBUTED MAKER) | ARTS & CRAFTS DINING TABLE, CIRCA 1920

chestnut | 148.5cm long, 74.5cm high, 80cm deep | £4,000 - £6,000 + fees

View Lot 556 ⇒

This October, our Design Since 1860 auction will feature a selection of finely designed furniture, works of art, and paintings including pieces by Gordon Russell, Arthur Simpson Peter Waals and Ambrose Heal from The Millinery Works Collection (Lots 497 - 595).

View The Millinery Works Collection ⇒

Auction Information

DESIGN SINCE 1860

Lot: 49 to 333 - Wed, 20th Oct 2021 10:00

Lot: 334 to 622 - Thu, 21st Oct 2021 10:00

Live Online | Edinburgh

View the auction catalogue ⇒

Design 1860 - 1945

Lyon & Turnbull’s Decorative Arts & Design specialists are renowned for both their knowledge and their sales of artworks conducted from our Scottish auction house based in Edinburgh and via our live online auctions. Our specialists are experts not only on design from 1860 to the present, but also on current market conditions, an essential combination to any successful auction.

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