We are privileged to present the remarkable private collection of the late Lord Christopher CBE, a man whose extraordinary life spanned more than a century and whose collection reflects an enduring curiosity for craftsmanship, history and beautiful objects.

Anthony Martin Grosvenor Christopher, Baron Christopher of Leckhampton, was born in Gloucestershire in 1925. His long and distinguished life took him from service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War to a prominent career in public life. He became General Secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation, played a significant role within the Trades Union Congress, was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1984 and, in 1998, was created a life peer. Lord Christopher died in July 2026 at the remarkable age of 101.

But beyond that public life was a passionate and deeply personal appreciation of objects and the people who made them.

This collection was assembled by Lord Christopher himself over many years and, perhaps more than any formal biography, it offers an insight into the breadth of his interests. There is no single period, movement or material that defines it. Instead, it is united by an evident appreciation of craftsmanship.

The sale moves effortlessly across centuries and disciplines: from early oak furniture and historic silver to fine porcelain; from the elegance and technical brilliance of Lalique glass to the characterful bronzes of Franz Bergman; and onward into the twentieth century, including the unmistakable hand-crafted furniture of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson.

It is a wonderfully eclectic collection.

What connects these very different objects is the eye of the man who chose them. Lord Christopher appears to have been drawn not simply to names or periods, but to things that demonstrated ingenuity, skill, individuality and the mark of their maker. Glass, bronze, silver, ceramics and furniture sit comfortably alongside one another because each represents somebody, somewhere, mastering their craft.

For an auctioneer, that makes this an especially enjoyable collection to offer. It is not a collection constructed to fit neatly within one category. It is the accumulation of a lifetime — personal, varied, intelligent and occasionally unexpected.

From objects made centuries apart and by craftsmen working in entirely different traditions emerges a common thread: a lifelong fascination with things made well.

Bishop & Miller is delighted to offer the collection of the late Lord Christopher CBE as a single-owner sale, giving collectors the opportunity not only to acquire individual pieces, but to discover something of the remarkable man who brought them together.

Viewing takes place at our Stowmarket saleroom on:

Friday 9 October 2026 9am – 4pm

Saturday 10 October 2026 9am – 10.30am

Monday 12 October 2026 & Tuesday 13 October 2026 9am – 5pm

On the morning of the auction from 9am.