Textiles and Stuff 

A most unusual and rare pair of 19th Century Victorian sandal boots, or Barrettes, which date from the 1870s. They are made of dark blue leather, bound with silk of a lighter blue and fastening with three spherical metal buttons into buttonholes from each side. At the top of the boot there is a flap which fastens with a hook and eye and conceals the top button. The sandals are lined with cream kid, the sole is leather and the heels are of a stacked leather type. The sandals have seen quite a bit of wear. There is a little scuffing of the leather and the silk binding has worn away in some places, and one of the buttons is held in place with fine wire, but in view of their age and amount of use, they are in good condition. In their time these barrettes must have been the height of fashion, even a little daring, and were worn to show off coloured stockings, perhaps in a sporty environment or at the beach. They would make a most unusual addition to a collection. POSTAGE By Royal Mail Special Delivery or Airsure and insurance is included in the postal charge. I will always combine items for posting if you are making more than one purchase.

This is a vintage wedding dress from the mid 1950s, in an ivory satin floral brocade. It has a fitted bodice in a princess line with a boat neck with softly folded collar and is fastened at the back with a metal zip and a hook and eye at the neck. The skirt is gathered at the sides and back with this seam and that at the yoke piped and a long train at the back. The sleeves are long with pointed hem and fastened with press studs, with covered buttons as a trim. There is a small pocket in the side seam of the dress and a blue bow stitched inside the dress, a traditional touch. The measurements are as follows: bust: 91 cms. Waist: 71 cms. Outside sleeve length (excluding point): 58 cms. Length shoulder to hem: 152 cms. These are the flat measurements. There is also a small quantity of the original fabric available, a piece approximately 261 cms. x 45 cms. The dress is in very good condition except for a few age marks, but these are more prominent on the inside than the outside of he fabric and are not noticeable. There are some small marks on the hem mostly on the train. The dress is very wearable, but could also be used at the basis of a theatrical or period costume.

This is a beautiful set of vintage place mats in what is probably pina cloth, with finely worked borders of needlepoint lace. There are eight mats and a set of eight matching napkins with matching lace corners. They are white in colour. The mats are embroidered in mercerised thread with an urn of flowers at each end and tiny urns along the edges, which incorporate some drawn thread work. The place mats measure 41 x 27 cms. (16 x 10 1/2 inches) and the napkins approximately 41 cms. (16 ins) square. They are in excellent unused condition, finely embroidered and would be a superb table setting for a special occasion.

This is a delightful silver caddy spoon, hallmarked and dated for 1835. It bears the king’s head, date letter, London mark and a maker’s mark in the form of an oblong containing three pairs of initials and a star. The first two sets of initials are indistinct but the third pair CL is clear and I think refer to John, Henry and Charles Lias of London. It is engraved in the bowl with a spotted bird, a thrush perhaps, sitting on a vine and surrounded by grapes and leaves. It has a fiddle pattern handle which bears the monogram S E. It is in very good condition, with a few marks of use commensurate with its age.

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. 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 or as a template for creating a modern reproduction.

This is a set of four antique handles for a chest of drawers or bureau, in Gothic style, made of brass which at one time was gilded, in an attractive design. Each handle has three holes for screws on each fixing plate. They are quite heavy and of a robust design and in good condition. They measure 5 inches wide including the fixing plate and would be an authentic addition to a piece of furniture of the period.

This is an excellent example of an inlaid sewing box of the Victorian era, inlaid with many different varieties of wood, which originates from the Portuguese island of Madeira and has a pleasing design of an anchor and an eagle holding a banner reading "forget me not". This is surrounded by stylised flowers in a star shape. The edge is bordered in a chevron pattern of different woods. The sides and back of the box are decorated with stringing and a fine chevron strip which is typical of this work. It was probably made for the British visitors during the mid-19th Century. The dimensions are as follows: Length: 12.5 ins/32 cms. Width: 8.5 ins./21.75 cms., Height: 4 ins./10cms. It is fitted with a lift out tray which has lidded compartments and two small velvet pincushions and there is a storage space beneath the tray. The lock is present but there is no key. It has been sympathetically restored and bears a few marks commensurate with age but it is in very good condition. This is a beautiful box and a rare example of its type. A must for collectors!

This is a good example of a quilt from Central Asia, probably from Usbekistan. It is made mainly from cotton, cut in strips and put together in the style of Log Cabin. The squares in the middle of the sections are made of silk velvet or heavy cotton in dark red, dark green and brown. The pile on these squares run in different directions and so give an impression of colour variation in the photographs. In one corner of the quilt the small triangular pieces are made of an orange chintz instead of the white fabric in the rest of it. The edge is finished with a strip of orange cotton. The back is lined with a floral cotton which probably originated in Russia. The quilt measures approximately 24 inches square. The condition is good - there is some wear but this is quite in accordance with its age and there is surface dirt, which I am sure would respond to cleaning, but I have not attempted this. This is a fascinating piece of ethnic work and illustrates how designs travelled many miles round the world and turn up in unexpected places. It would look well as a wall hanging or table covering, or in a collection of quilts.

This is an interesting example of an antique traditional Central Asian Uzbek banner in very fine cross stitch in silk, usually called Lakai embroidery. These were sometimes used to cover bread baskets, or in this case as a small wall banner. It is surrounded with I think silk fringing of several colours with a substantial tassel on each bottom corner. The design is mainly geometric, with several sets of curled rams’ horns, which in this culture are symbols of power. The colours are predominantly maroon and old gold. The tassels have a decorative knot and are hung on a cord which has been bound stiffly with cords of several colours. The banner is lined on the back with dark red cotton fabric with black binding and there is a slot for the bamboo stick from which it hangs. The banner measures 74 x 39 cms. (29 x 15.5 inches) including the fringing. There is some damage to the fringe at the bottom edge, where a small portion is missing. There are also some areas of fading, particularly in the second and third triangles from the top on the right. The lining shows signs of wear and fraying at the bottom. This is an unusual item of very fine ethnic needlework and a welcome addition to a collection

This is a good example of an antique crinoline silk day dress of the late 1860s. It is lilac in colour and is trimmed on the yoke and cuffs with bobbin lace of a Bedfordshire type. The bodice is fitted, with a narrow stand up collar and is lined in white cotton sateen. The yoke is trimmed with narrow dark lilac velvet ribbon in a folded line next to the lace. A row of decorative fabric buttons have been attached to the centre front. The bodice is not boned The sleeves are cut in a curved and tapered shape and also lined in cotton. The skirt seems to have been separate and attached in pleats to a waistband which is now missing, but the skirt has been lightly sewn to a modern band for photographic purposes. There are traces of former darts which have been unpicked. It is shown worn over a crinoline which is not included in the sale. The skirt is very full and is lined throughout in a stiff cotton fabric and the bottom hem is strengthened with a band of cotton sateen. There is a pocket in the side seam and the position seems to indicate that the skirt fastened at the front but not centrally. There is some damage. The stand up collar is a a little frayed at the edge and there is an area of weakness in one place in the skirt where there are some small holes. This can be seen in the fourth photograph. There is some staining under the arms and some areas of fading down one panel of the skirt and on the right hand side of the bodice and right sleeve. Some small brown spots can also be seen in the photo of the bodice and there are some on the skirt also. However, the general appearance of the dress is good for display, but I would not consider it robust enough for wear.

This is an elegant hatpin of the Edwardian era. The head is made in silver, in the form of a loose knot and marked 0.925 with a triangle and a letter K. The pin is just over 11 inches long (29 cms.)and there are a few slight rust patches on the steel pin, but otherwise the pin is in very good condition. It would be great to wear with a period costume or for a collection.

This is a lovely Chinese cloth in silk embroidered all over in traditional Chinese symbols in gold and coloured silk thread. It is edged with twisted cord and has a gold silk tassel at each corner. In the centre of the piece is a peacock with its wings outstretched and it is surrounded by sprays of roses and other flowers executed in very fine couched work with the gold thread being held down invisibly. There are also two butterflies which can indicate a wish for a long life. The cloth is backed with pink silk fabric which has been attached by hand. It measures 58 x 62 cms. or 23.5 x 24.5 inches. This textile is in very good unfaded condition and the colours are bright and fresh.