Francesca Hickin

Spear’s Review

After a four-year stint at Christie’s, Francesca Hickin moved to Bonhams in 2017 to head up its antiquities department, which showcases artefacts from the 3rd millennium BC to the 10th century AD. All manner of objects pass through Bonhams’ antiquities department doors, from Egyptian canopic jars and Greek statues to inscribed stelae, Roman glass beakers and Near Eastern painted bowls. 

‘I think almost everyone has some level of interest in the ancient world,’ Hickin has said. ‘Most people recall having their imaginations captured by ancient Egyptian mummies or Greek myths when they were younger.’

Hickin has a masters in Greek and Roman history from the University of Oxford, and a BA in ancient history from Durham University, where she focused on the material culture and social history of the Roman Empire.

As of May 2025, Hickin is on maternity leave.