Eric Knowles began his career in the north of England in the early 70s. He came south to join Bonhams, the London auctioneers, gaining initial experience working as a porter in the ceramics department. He started the Art Nouveau and Art Deco departments in 1978 and became head of the English and European Ceramics and Works of Art department in 1981, a department that also includes bygones, curiosities, and glass. In 1984, he became a director of Bonhams. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He regularly appears on BBC's Going for a Song and BBC Radio 2's Jimmy Young Show, and has written numerous books and articles on Victoriana Art Nouveau and Art Deco.