We are pleased to announce that this bumper sale features 445 lots of tantalizing textiles and fashion from every decade and period. This sale includes two very different private collections: the first is a fashion archive which forms almost 200 lots of this sale. Carefully and lovingly compiled over several decades, the collection begins in the early 19th century, with every decade thereafter well represented, right through to the 1980s. With a focus on the 19th century, 1930s and 1970s, there are rails upon rails of Victorian and Edwardian fashions, glamorous gowns in lamé and velvet, as well as pieces by Ossie Clark, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche and British boutique designers. As part of this single owner collection we include boxes overflowing with dazzling but damaged 1920s flapper dresses and 30s bias-cut gowns which are excellent as construction references or for use as trimmings or for repair. Sure to catch the eye of collectors and designers alike, this collection also features over 200 pairs of shoes - to be sold in group lots - which span a century of fashion history.
Lots 284-331 comprise the second exciting private collection: the wardrobe of John Cowell (part 1), featuring over 50 lots of superb menswear from the 1980s-2000s by Jean-Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and others. These will appeal to museums and modern dandies alike. Mr Cowell is a costume designer and renowned textile artist specializing in hand-painted textiles, special dye effects and customized fabric treatments for both stage and film. During his illustrious career he has worked on films including ‘The Favourite’, ‘Gangs of New York’, ‘The Young Victoria’, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ and ‘Star Wars – The Phantom Menace’, to name but a few. After each production was finished, he liked to celebrate by going shopping for some eye-catching menswear. Some ensembles were worn just a few times, others never. His reason for selling? He tells us he is now ‘too old and too fat’ and wants others to enjoy them!
For the final chapter of the sale - lots 405-440 - we present the second chapter of the late Dr Joan Coleman Shawl Collection, with good examples of Spitalfields, Kashmir, Norwich, woven and printed Paisley and Edinburgh shawls dating from 1800-1860s.
We hope you enjoy perusing this glorious treasure-trove of a sale. Do get in touch to request condition reports and to place bids. We look forward to hearing from you!
For more information on how to bid, please click here. If you wish to participate in live online bidding on the day, you must register via Invaluable here.
Lot 145 - An Ossie Clark figured satin two-piece ensemble, circa 1970
Sold for £300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 147 - A Biba 30s-inspired brown and gold spotted jersey dress, early 1970s
Sold for £380
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 148 - An Ossie Clark for Radley navy moss crêpe dress, circa 1970
Sold for £600
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 149 - An Ossie Clark black damask 'Cuddly' gown, early 1970s
Sold for £1,600
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 150 - A Jean Varon op-art 'checkerboard' printed cotton maxi-dress, 'Wild West sweetheart', 1973
Sold for £300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 151 - An Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell for Quorum 'Pointillist' printed chiffon dress, circa 1976
Sold for £420
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 152 - An Ossie Clark black pleated crêpe dress, mid 1970s
Sold for £200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 153 - A Bill Gibb knitted three-piece ensemble, ‘Byzantine’ collection, A/W 1976-77
Sold for £200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 154 - Two Bill Gibb ensembles, late 1970s-1980s
Sold for £280
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 155 - A group of Bill Gibb clothing, 1970s-early 1980s
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 156 - A Bill Gibb five-piece knitted wool ensemble,1970s
Sold for £160
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 156A - A Bill Gibb leather and plush two-piece ensemble, circa 1972
Sold for £850
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 157 - A Bill Gibb four-piece pale green knitted ensemble, Spring-Summer 1976
Sold for £750
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 159 - A Bill Gibb knitted wool four-piece ensemble, Autumn-Winter 1977-78
Sold for £340
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 160 - A Vivienne Westwood Chico sheepskin jacket, 'Nostalgia of Mud' collection, A/W 1982-83
Sold for £1,800
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 161 - A group of Westwood/McLaren tops, early 1980s
Sold for £750
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 162 - A Westwood/McLaren Navajo print cotton tunic and shorts, 'Savage' collection, S/S 1982
Sold for £400
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 163 - Two Westwood/McLaren 'Pirate' collection tops, A/W 1981-82
Sold for £480
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 164 - A group of BodyMap clothing, 1980s
Sold for £1,300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 165 - A Body Map printed orange nylon coat, 1980s
Sold for £1,000
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 166 - Vivienne Westwood Nostalgia of Mud (Buffalo) Collection 'bag'-boots, A/W 1982-83
Sold for £200
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 168 - Eight designer dresses, mainly velvet or printed, 1980s
Sold for £600
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 169 - A John Galliano navy gaberdine capelet-tunic, S/S 1989
Sold for £1,300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 170 - A group of Yves Saint Laurent clothing in shades of mainly blue and pink, 1980s-1990s
Sold for £380
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 171 - An Yves Saint Laurent embroidered velvet knickerbockers suit, Autumn-Winter 1982-83
Sold for £1,300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 172 - An Yves Saint Laurent purple wool hooded cloak, circa 1976
Sold for £360
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 173 - Two Yves Saint Laurent printed smock-dresses in shades of brown, late 1970s
Sold for £1,400
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 174 - A group of Yves Saint Laurent tailoring and cocktail wear, 1980s-1990s
Sold for £380
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 176 - Two Scaasi black cocktail dresses, 1980s
Sold for £260
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 177 - A Yuki royal-blue pleated evening gown, circa 1987
Sold for £1,600
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 178 - An Azzedine Alaïa brown leather suit, A/W 1989-90
Sold for £320
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 179 - An Yves Saint Laurent couture ivory satin evening jacket, probably Spring-Summer 1988
Sold for £300
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 180 - A group of sparkly evening-wear, mainly 1980s
Sold for £240
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 181 - A Chanel couture three-piece violet checked tweed ensemble, circa 1986
Sold for £400
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 182 - A Chanel couture black wool suit, circa 1988
Sold for £420
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 183 - A Chanel couture pleated black velvet dress, circa 1988
Sold for £350
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 184 - A Pierre Cardin pink crêpe-de-chine evening gown, mid 1980s
Sold for £650
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 186 - A Chanel black wool halterneck jumpsuit, Spring-Summer 1995
Sold for £380
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 188 - A Vivienne Westwood checked linen smock, 1990s
Sold for £450
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 189 - A Thierry Mugler black jersey shorts ensemble, early 1990s
Sold for £280
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 190 - A group of John Galliano separates, mainly 'Honcho Woman', Spring-Summer 1991
Sold for £220
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
Lot 191 - A John Galliano black bias-cut dress, 'Honcho Woman' collection, S/S 1991
Sold for £2,800
Buyer's premium: 25% (exclusive of VAT)
