Our first auction of the year is a bumper one - over 550 lots of vintage fashion, textiles and accessories – so hopefully something to interest everyone?
Stuck for something to wear to this year’s Met Gala Ball? Then look no further – see lot 183, the scarlet satin surrealist hat made to Karl Lagerfeld’s design by London milliner Kirstin Woodward in 1985. It is not only desirable as a wearable accessory but is also museum quality having previously been included in FIT’s Fashion & Surrealism exhibition, October 30, 1987-January 23, 1988. Isabelle Pascoe was photographed wearing a pink example for British Vogue, December, 1985. Vogue stated,
‘'A surreal trick of judgement with wild surmise. Surprise? Classic distortion, upholstery, plat du jour perch above the stark silhouette of something sexy and understated.'"
At Christmas, the fashion world lost its honorary Queen: Dame Vivienne Westwood and she is well represented in our sale. Highlights include Lot 160, the sleeved ‘Boucher’ corset, ‘Portrait’ collection, Autumn-Winter 1990-91, and Lot 184, which comprises a red velvet corset, ‘Harris Tweed’ collection, Autumn-Winter 1987-88 and rare ‘mini-crini’, Spring-Summer 1985. We even have a photograph showing the original beautiful owner wearing the corset, dancing the night away in the Kinky Gerlinky night club!
We offer the ‘Lucinda Portobello Collection, Part I’. Lucinda Alford was a major player in the London Vintage fashion scene for many decades. She was renowned for her exceptional eye and eclectic taste, which is evident throughout the rails filled with pretty 1930s floral chiffons, romantic Edwardian dresses, dreamy bohemian gowns and colourful prints, starkly contrasted by the brutal minimalism of pieces by one of Lucinda’s great loves: Martin Margiela.
Families gathering around their TV’s in the UK on Saturday nights during the 1960s would have been familiar with the Kaye Sisters who achieved huge fame during the late 50s and 60s with hits including 'Paper Roses’ and ‘Handed Down’. They performed in numerous Royal Command Performances at the London Palladium, as well as TV variety shows hosted by Max Bygraves and others. The three singers – Shan, Carole and Shiela, weren’t actually sisters but had matching blonde hairstyles to suggest a familial resemblance. Their preferred costumier was Douglas Darnell who also produced many of Shirley Bassey’s most glittering costumes. Shan Kaye’s razzle-dazzle stage outfits dripping in faux gems, shimmering with beads are lots 343-346.
We also feature a selection of fine antique costume & textiles from around the world, including Lot 554, a brocaded summer dragon robe - jifu, Chinese, circa 1900, Lot 539, an embroidered wool scarf, Zoroastrian, Yazd, Persia, 19th century.
We hope you enjoy browsing this sale as much as we have enjoyed creating it for you and look forward to assisting you with condition reports and bidding.
Morning session, lots 1-250, begins at 9.30am GMT. The afternoon session, lots 251-556, will begin at 2pm GMT.
For more information on how to bid, please click here. Live bidding is now possible via our website on sale day. In order to bid online, please ensure you have created an account with us and that your account is enabled for live bidding - new clients will need to email us a form of photo ID, proof of address and paid invoices from other auction houses where appropriate. Once you have created an account and have been approved to bid, please click the purple 'Pre-register for live bidding' button which will appear on the online catalogue before the sale. You then need to accept the terms and conditions to proceed. On the day of the sale, a button marked 'Bid live' will appear on the website and clicking this will allow you to access the live bidding platform. Please note that there is an additional 1.5% charge plus VAT for any lots won via our online bidding platform. Please also note that online bidding is automatically capped at £6,000 in total - if you envisage that you will exceed this amount, please contact us directly so we can remove the bidding cap - we may ask for further information from you before doing this.
Clients who prefer to bid via Invaluable still have this option and can access the catalogue here. Please note the charge for bidding online via the Invaluable platform is 3% plus VAT. We strongly advise that you register to bid in advance of the auction and not the day of, as we cannot guarantee approval once the auction has begun.
Lot 386 - Two men's Korean tour jackets, late 1940s-early 50s
Sold for £910
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 387 - A Christian Dior New York steel grey silk dress, mid 1950s
Sold for £3,120
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 388 - A Christian Dior London chiné printed silk dress, circa 1958
Sold for £975
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 389 - A group of mainly perspex handbags, late 1950s-early 1960s
Sold for £364
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 390 - A large group of mainly wooden soled shoes, 1950s-1970s
Sold for £468
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 391 - A Schiaparelli 'grape vine' demi-parure, 1950s-early 60s
Sold for £195
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 392 - A rare Suki Originals parasol-shaped wicker novelty handbag, 1950s
Sold for £338
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 393 - A rare frog-shaped wicker novelty handbag, 1950s
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 394 - Three clock-themed novelty handbags, 1950s-60s
Sold for £221
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 396 - A pink silk and lace evening gown, circa 1956
Sold for £390
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 397 - Two printed floral crepe tea gowns, 1940s
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 398 - Two Jacqmar novelty printed WWII silk scarves/panels, 1940s
Sold for £208
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 399 - A Pelta Furs Colobus monkey-fur coat, early 1940s
Sold for £494
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 400 - Three printed cotton dresses, late 1930s-early 40s
Sold for £442
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 401 - A group of clothing, late 1930s-1940s
Sold for £572
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 402 - A black and white Colobus monkey fur cape, circa 1940
Sold for £910
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 403 - A Susan Small grey faille suit, late 1940s
Sold for £130
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 404 - A Collection of British Vogues, 1940s-1950s
Sold for £221
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 406 - A Molyneux tartan coat and hood, late 1940s
Sold for £195
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 407 - Robert Piguet couture fashion sketches, probably Autumn-Winter 1949 and Spring-Summer 1950
Sold for £416
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 408 - A gold and black lace dress, circa 1930
Sold for £442
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 409 - A group of clothing, mainly late 1930s.
Sold for £1,170
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 410 - An embroidered ombré silk Japanese kimono, 1930s
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 412 - A lamé evening gown, circa 1919 and altered in the 1930s
Sold for £390
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 413 - A royal-blue bias-cut chiffon evening-gown, 1930s
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 414 - An ostrich feather cape in ombré peach, 1930s
Sold for £845
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 416 - A floral chiffon evening gown, 1930s
Sold for £286
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 417 - A bias-cut black devoré velvet dress, mid-1930s
Sold for £780
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 418 - Two sequined and beaded tulle evening boleros, 1930s
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 419 - Two tunics/dresses formed from Union Jack printed cotton, probably 1930s
Sold for £234
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 420 - A polka-dot blue-grey chiffon evening gown, 1930s
Sold for £546
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 421 - A printed silk-chiffon and lamé evening gown, 1930s
Sold for £234
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 424 - A printed chiffon bias-cut garden party gown, 1930s
Sold for £442
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 425 - A floral printed chiffon garden party gown, 1930s
Sold for £494
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 426 - Two floral printed evening gowns, 1930s
Sold for £845
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 427 - A floral printed chiffon dress in shades of black and purple, 1930s
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 429 - A good group of mainly printed clothing, 1930s
Sold for £598
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 433 - A good group of haberdashery and accessories, mainly 1930s
Sold for £546
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 434 - A Cantonese figurative embroidered evening coat, Chinese, 1930s
Sold for £494
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 435 - A Normal Hartnell couture black sequined evening dress, circa 1930
Sold for £416
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 436 - A Jantzen knitted wool swimsuit, circa 1931
Sold for £715
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 437 - A group of 1930s clothing and accessories
Sold for £390
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 438 - A Maxwell of Hove magenta chiffon beaded evening dress, early 1930s
Sold for £364
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 439 - A whitework embroidered cotton dress, circa 1914
Sold for £286
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 440 - An Indian embroidered black wool coat, 1930s
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 441 - A red chiffon sequined shawl/cape, 1920s
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 442 - An Egyptian-inspired jacquard woven satin over-dress, c.1923
Sold for £780
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 443 - A rare evening bag with Egyptian-inspired celluloid frame, circa 1922
Sold for £780
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 444 - Two floral lamé shawls, French, circa 1925
Sold for £910
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 445 - Two Beauvais embroidered net shawls, French, circa 1923
Sold for £975
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 446 - A Cantonese embroidered shawl, Chinese, 1920s
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 448 - A floral lamé shawl, French, circa 1925
Sold for £1,170
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 453 - A beaded teal muslin flapper dress, circa 1925
Sold for £468
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 454 - A rose-pink beaded muslin flapper dress, circa 1925
Sold for £624
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 456 - A beaded dark-blue muslin flapper dress, circa 1927
Sold for £416
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 457 - Two beaded black muslin flapper dresses, circa 1925
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 458 - A beaded black muslin flapper dress, circa 1925
Sold for £442
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 459 - A beaded black chiffon evening gown, 1920s
Sold for £468
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 460 - An embroidered velvet opera coat, 1920s
Sold for £598
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 465 - A beaded muslin evening jacket, late 1920s-early 1930s
Sold for £364
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 466 - Two Cantonese embroidered silk shawls, 1920s
Sold for £1,300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 467 - Five white summer dresses, mainly circa 1920
Sold for £338
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 468 - Five dresses in mainly shades of pink and peach, 1920s
Sold for £780
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 469 - An interesting group of clothing in autumnal shades, 1920s
Sold for £1,300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 470 - Two dresses embellished with coral-coloured beads, mid 1920s
Sold for £585
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 471 - A group of pyjamas and lingerie, 1930s-30s
Sold for £975
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 472 - A floral lamé shawl, French, circa 1925
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 473 - A beaded white flapper dress, circa 1928
Sold for £845
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 474 - An Adair beaded black silk evening dress, circa 1922-4
Sold for £520
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 475 - A black chiffon beaded flapper dress, 1925
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 476 - A Redfern embroidered jacket, mid 1920s
Sold for £1,950
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 477 - A rare Wienner Werkstatte by Dagobert Peche leather purse, circa 1920
Sold for £1,430
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 478 - An interesting group of bags, purses 1920s-30s
Sold for £572
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 479 - An Henriette Boudreaux beaded evening dress, circa 1924
Sold for £208
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 480 - A chartreuse muslin beaded flapper dress, circa 1928
Sold for £442
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 481 - A group of beadwork and sequinned garments and trimmings, mainly 1920s/30s
Sold for £455
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
