The Millinery Works Collection

In October 2021, our Design Since 1860 auction featured a selection of finely designed furniture and works of art from the Millinery Works 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.

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

model 412, unpolished chestnut | 113cm wide 153cm high, 54cm deep | Sold for £11,875 incl premium

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.

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 | Sold for £3,000 incl premium

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.

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 | Sold for £2,000 incl premium

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.

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 | Sold for £10,000 incl premium

View Lot 556 ⇒

View The Millinery Works Collection ⇒

Auction Information

DESIGN SINCE 1860

20th & 21st October 2021 | Live Online | Edinburgh

View the auction results ⇒

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.

Learn more about the department ⇒