TV Presenter
Fine Art & Antiques,
Expert & Auctioneer

Eric was born in Nelson in 1953 and worked in both engineering and for a firm of antique shippers in the early 1970’s. His love of antiques, inherited from his parents, came to the fore in 1976, when he joined Bonham’s, the London auctioneers, working first as a porter in the ceramics’ department, before becoming head of the department in 1981.

Eric Knowles – a leading authority

In 1985, he was offered a full directorship at Bonham’s. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Eric Knowles has become a leading authority in the following fields: European and Oriental Ceramics from the Seventeenth to the Twentieth Century; the glass of Tiffany and Lalique; and Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Decorative Arts. Today he looks after museum liaison and several of his finds can now be seen in national museums.

Eric has also become a regular face on TV.  His appearances include Antiques Master, The Twentieth Century Roadshow, Crimewatch UK, Selling the Family Silver, Going For A Song, The Great Antiques Hunt, The Antique Inspectors, It’s a Gift and You Can’t Take It with You, and as a resident antiques expert on This Morning.  He was a contestant on Celebrity Mastermind Christmas Special where he narrowly missed winning the trophy by 2 points!

He filmed the historical renovation series for Discovery Home & Leisure called The House That Mackintosh Built, property series Period Property and Restoration Man.

Eric is a writer. He is resident Sunday Times Antiques Expert and a frequent contributor to the BBC Homes and Antiques magazine and has written articles for the Evening Standard supplement, Home and Property and The Sunday Times’ Home.

Eric has lectured extensively in the UK at such renowned museums as the Victoria and Albert and the British Museum and he has also lectured in both the USA and Canada.

As well as presenting and appearing on radio (including regular appearances on Radio 2) and TV, he has written books on subjects such as Victoriana, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Royal Memorabilia. The famous pottery of Royal Doulton has launched the Eric Knowles character jug.

He is a patron of several charities and is an Ambassador for the Princes Trust.

‘Our thanks to Eric for an excellent job well done’ (MD, Gemsco Promotions)