Vintage Fashion & Textiles

Relic belonging to French military hero sells in Versailles, with one of Napoleon’s bicorn hats still to come

Prices for embroidered samplers can vary hugely depending on what specific features are involved as well as factors such as condition and provenance.

Annual west London extravaganza heads a look at some of the specialist fairs coming up

Specialist Bleasdale says his sewing antiques and Tunbridgeware timed online sales are working out well

By the mid-18th century, as the fashion for the pannier dress reached its peak, some women wore dresses measuring 7ft (2.13m) wide.

Well known for pottery, Sally Tuffin (b.1938) is also renowned for pioneering 1960s fashion as part of the Foale and Tuffin firm.

A usually quiet August was dramatically awakened by a series of sleepers that emerged at three UK regional auction houses.

Luxury fashion discovered in a charity shop is heading to upmarket London retailer Fortnum & Mason.

Do embroidery and cut-paper pictures count as art? Bidders certainly appreciate their expertise

A previously lost tapestry, commissioned by Henry VIII for Hampton Court during the turmoil of the English Reformation, is a step closer to returning to the UK for public display.

The Harrison semi-automatic pedestal knitting machine was designed c.1900 for producing rib socks.

Underwear soars above estimate at a Richard Winterton auction

Forty dealers spread across four venues in Nottingham a few minutes walk from each other is the enticing prospect for Mid-century buyers.

This Qing dynasty imperial court robe embroidered with roundels of five clawed dragons on a dark blue ground will feature at Sarasota Estate Auction.

The best needlework samplers continue to bring prices far above more routine examples.

A section of period costume and textiles that featured in a general sale at Thierry de Maigret (24% buyer’s premium) on March 24 produced some notable results for several well-preserved examples of 18th century costume.

A group of signed drawings by royal fashion designer Norman Hartnell (1901-79) was offered at Richard Winterton (22% buyer’s premium) on February 15.

The oshi-e technique, meaning ‘pressed picture’, involves folding and pressing scraps of fabric, such as kimono cloth, and washi paper to create an image.