Vintage Fashion & Textiles

Biannual sale at Gloucestershire firm once again provides eclectic range of lots from across the globe

A fine Indian Kashmir shawl of intricate traditional design offered in Colchester included a sewn label 'Horatia E Erskine, June 26th 1861 (Indian) from H.M. Queen Victoria'.

Even though the Austro-Hungarian monarchy was abolished in 1918, there is still no shortage of nostalgic buyers for memorabilia and relics from the House of Habsburg.

Textiles from the nomadic Tekke tribe of Turkestan were highly sought after at Rippon Boswell’s (25% buyer’s premium) May 31 auction in Wiesbaden.

When the situation demanded it, German consular officials in the tropics were required to wear a ceremonial helmet.

Pierre-Jean Chalençon is well known as an enthusiast for Napoleonic memorabilia and this summer Sotheby’s Paris (27/22/15% buyer’s premium) offered just over 100 lots from his collection.

Sotheby’s €7m sale of the original Hermès Birkin handbag, custom made for late actress and singer Jane Birkin in 1985, has given some welcome exposure to the market for preloved luxury accessories. And for many of today’s collectors, vintage is best.

Just a month after a rare Christian Dior (1905-57) musical brooch was sold Tajan in Paris, two more examples appeared for sale at Fellows’ (30% buyer’s premium inc VAT) Handbags & Accessories auction in Birmingham on June 24.

An extensive needlework collection built up over 40 years by dealer Lanto Synge has been donated to Ulster Museum in Belfast.

Alan Old of So Last Century fairs launched his first vintage and retro fair at Beckenham Place Mansion in south London 10 years ago.

Oxfordshire sale includes minaudière designed as an alternative to traditional handbags - plus a more conventional ‘French Jazz Age’ evening bag

French silk and wool Coriolanus scenes go well over predictions in US auction

When a c.1890 May Morris for Morris & Co embroidery came up for sale at Toomey & Co (27% buyer’s premium), the timing was less than perfect for the midwestern lady who was destined to become its new owner.