Sale number: 670
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.
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. 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.
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. After a happy 26 years The Millinery Works closed its doors at the hat factory and now trades online.
