Textiles and Stuff 

This is a beautiful and rare example of a silk embroidered apron dating from about 1750. These aprons were never meant to be practical but were a fashionable accessory of the period. The silk is cream in colour and embroidered entirely in gold thread. On it are flowers and sprays in an unusual design, with areas filled in with different stitches, and some couched work. Many of the flowers and leaves are worked in satin stitch, the flowers in star-like shapes which make up a rather strange design. The waist is slightly gathered on to a ribbon waistband and the sides of the apron have a very fine handworked hem. It measures 36 inches (91 cms.) wide by 17 inches (43 cms.) deep. There is very little damage, considering that the apron is over 250 years old. There are several small holes which can be seen in the photographs and the waistband has become separated from the skirt in a section about 2 inches long. This apron in in excellent condition considering its age and would be suitable for a museum or personal collection and a well preserved example of its type.

This is a very attractive example of a filler, probably dating from Regency times (the era of Jane Austen) or later in the century when they came into fashion again. It was worn under the dresses of the time, which had very wide and low necks and was therefore named a tucker or filler. It is made of a fine cotton net and voile with a delicate stand up collar in a dainty lace. The two front sections have ruched panels with narrow floral lace in between. The back section has a tape which was tied round the waist at the front and the front sections of the bodice were pinned at the waist to keep it in position. The measurements are as follows the back from the neck edge to hem is 13 1/2 inches and the front from the shoulder to the hem is 16 inches. The shoulder seam measures just over 6 inches. The side seams are finished with a hand stitched hem. The owner’s initials “E A J C” have been embroidered in very tiny cross stitch on the back. The filler is in excellent condition, and it would make a great addition to a period costume, in restoration, or a collection.

This is an antique traditional woven paisley shawl in a fine woollen fabric, dating from the 1850s/60s, It is designed in an all over traditional pattern of botehs, leaves and swirls. The predominant colours are red and black with small touches of pale blue, green, cream, black and white and the edge of the shawl has a narrow green border with a short fringe at each end. There is a large cartouche in the centre which is mainly black red and blue. The colours are bright and fresh and there is no fading. The shawl measures 336 cms. by 162 cms wide. There is a woven mark of some sort in white which can be seen in the photograph. There are also a few small holes near one end and another small hole about 2 x 1 cms. near the centre,which can be seen in the photograph and several smaller ones in the same area. This is a very beautiful garment and very suitable for display or wearing with care. Please do not hesitate to ask questions before bidding and I will endeavour to answer them. SHIPPING Fully insured this would be £12 to U.K. customers, £33 to Europe and £40 to the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Asia. The rates may seem high but the shawl weighs over 1.5 Kilos and this is reflected in the shipping cost.

This is a most elegant ball gown in cream silk satin with a train. I believe it to date to around the beginning of the 20th Century, to the Victorian or Edwardian era. It has a low oval neckline trimmed with tamboured lace, and short puff sleeves. It is high waisted in the Directoire style and the skirt which is cut on the bias falls with soft gathers from the bodice, the seam being accentuated with piped silk. There is a generous train at the back of the bodice, which fastens at the centre with hooks and eyes. The bodice has a blouson effect at the front, which began to be seen in dresses of the late 19th Century and through into the next. Both the neckline and the cuffs are decorated with ruching in the silk. The dress is fully lined with a cotton fabric which strengthens it considerably and makes it suitable for wearing with care or for a striking display. The measurements of the dress are as follows Front shoulder to hem 56 1/2 inches (143 cms) Bust under arm 34 inches High waist 34 inches Sleeve underarm 7 inches The train is approximately 3 feet long (90 cms.) There are a few places in the fabric where it is worn, particularly round the hem, but this could be remedied by taking up the hem slightly. There is also an area of weakness in the skirt, which can be seen in the photograph, but this is supported by the lining. There are some tiny repairs in the lace trimming. It is possible that this dress might have been worn for Presentation at Court, but we shall never know!

This is a beautiful lady’s bonnet of the Victorian period in what I believe to be beaver fur in two shades of brown. It is fully lined in quilted dark brown silk and has a generous brim at the base of the neck for warmth. It fastens with brown ribbon ties. The measurement round the brim is 24 inches (58.5 cms.) There are a few small signs of wear, a little wear at the top of the brim and the back neck edge and a tiny hole in the lining near the edge, otherwise the bonnet is in very good condition and very wearable and attractive!

This is a lovely summer skirt from the late 19th Century, which is made from a firm cotton fabric in candy stripes of pink and white which are 1/4 inch/0.6 cms. wide on a blue background. It is tailored at the front to give a fairly flat effect and the back is gathered fully to fit over a bustle. There is also a deep pocket on the right hand side and the bottom hem is a separate piece of fabric of the same pattern. The skirt is fully lined in a firm white cotton fabric and the hem of the lining is an 11 inch deep section of the dress fabric. The waistband has several buttonholes in it, for attachment to a blouse. Measurements Waist (measured flat) 23 ins, with hooks and eyes to increase this by half an inch, Front Length 42 1/2 inches The skirt is in excellent condition, very strong and wearable, and the only faults I can find are a couple of brown marks, one near the bottom (faint) and the other on the hem, both of which can be seen in the third photo and a slight difference in colour strength between the applied hem section and the rest of the skirt.

This is a delightful petticoat in cotton dating towards the end of the 19th Century. It is full length, with a double frill of crochet, and the lower section made with vertical pleats and panels of crochet to match the frills. It has a draw string round the waist which makes the waist adjustable. An additional feature of the petticoat is the gathering tape at the back of the skirt which pulls together the lower back section to wear with a dress with a bustle. The measurements are length 34 ins/86.4 cms, waist 44 ins./112 cms. fully extended, but meant to be gathered up to fit the wearer. There is some wear at the waistline and the fabric is a little thin, but otherwise it is in very good wearable condition. There is a very slight colour variation in that the lower section of the frill is a very pale blue colour, perhaps due to an over use of the blue dolly bag when it was laundered all those years ago! There are also some small repairs to the crochet in the frill but these are not significant. This is a lovely petticoat and very wearable with a period outfit.

This is a very well preserved example of a barrister’s wig, in horsehair, dating from the late 19th Century. It fits very neatly into its carrying case, which carries the maker’s name “Ravenscroft - Law,Wig and Robe Makers, Lincolns Inn, London”. The case is metal and painted in black and gold. The name of the owner appears on the outside - I Ginsberg Esquire. The firm of Ravenscroft was started in 1689 and bore this name until 1921, when it was changed to Ede and Ravenscroft and in fact is still in business at present and Robe Makers to Her Majesty the Queen. Also with the wig are four pairs of barrister’s bands or tags, which are attached with tapes. The carrying case shows some signs of wear, especially on the sides. The wig is in good condition, as can be seen from the photos and is complete with the draw string at centre back inside. It shows some signs of wear and the only fault I can find is some small holes in the net which lines it inside on the crown and at the back which can be seen in the photos. The hair is in excellent condition. This is an interesting piece of legal history in great condition and made by the longest established wig and robe maker in Britain.

This is a most unusual Victorian bodice in a cotton print which has a very modern look about it. The bodice is made from an attractive navy blue and white print in an abstract design, with sleeves of machine lace, lined with satin. The yoke and stand up collar are made of the same lace and satin and the shape of the collar is marked with three lines of black velvet ribbon which also is used on the sleeves. The bodice fastens asymmetrically with a draped panel with hooks and eyes to one side and underneath the basic bodice fastens centrally with hooks and eyes. The bodice is also trimmed with wider velvet ribbon, two pieces on each shoulder, with small cut steel buckles. The bodice is fully boned and has a waist tie fastened with hooks and eyes inside. The measurements (measured flat) are are follows Bust 32 inches Waist 22 inches Sleeve length shoulder to hem 24 1/4 inches Front length shoulder to hem 19 inches The bodice is a small size, in fact I have no dress form small enough to display it and had to drape it on a larger one. There is some wear to the chiffon which lines the stand up collar and there is a small coloured stain on the front of the draped section of the bodice, which can be seen in the photographs. Otherwise it is in very good condition for its age and is wearable with care.

This is a very elegant full length silk skirt from the Edwardian era at the beginning of the 20th Century. It is very finely pleated and gathered slightly on to a narrow waist band which is fastened with two hooks and eyes. It is deep cream in colour and has a band of machine made filet lace inserted above the hem line of the skirt. The waist measurement is 23 inches (57 cms.) and the length from waist to hem is 42 inches (106.5 cms.) It is in good condition and very wearable with care.

This is an unusual example of a pelisse or coat dating from the early 19th Century, It is entirely hand made in a pink cotton fabric which has a surface glaze. It is quite voluminous and has a shoulder cape and hood which are attached at the neck and decorated with a pleated frill as are the sleeves. The lower skirt is stiffened to a depth of 40 inches with a stiff cotton fabric. The measurements are as follows. The length of the coat from shoulder to hem is 66 inches, the cape is 29 inches deep at the centre back, the sleeves which are attached in rather a simple fashion into the side of the coat without a shoulder seam, measure 28 inches long on the outer edge. The coat and hood both fasten with a narrow silk ribbon tie. There is some fading and discolouration to the cape and some fading to the lower half of the sleeves but otherwise the colour is good. The fabric is strong and the only damage I can find is a small area of soiling and small holes near the hem at the back of the coat, see photograph. Only half of the left hand tie at the neck is remaining. There is a small dark mark on the bonnet. The front edges of the coat have been sewn together at the lower end, but although this stitching is probably not original I have not unpicked it. This is an amazing survival from this period and is in excellent condition considering its age.

This is a lovely example of a pretty Victorian bonnet in embroidered cotton with inserts of broderie anglaise and a double frill edged with bobbin lace round the brim. It has a high crown with four gathered sections at the back and long ties to fasten at the front. There is a drawstring at the back of the neck to adjust the size. The measurement round the brim is 16 inches (40.6 cms.) and round the nape of the neck is 11 inches (28 cms.) which can be drawn up with the tapes. There are a few tiny holes in the body of the bonnet and one of the ties, and a small slit (about 1/4 inch long) in one of the gathered sections, with some very small repairs, but these are very small faults and can hardly be seen. This is an elegant and unusual bonnet - one for wearing or for the collector! This item is sent by signed for delivery, post free.