Vintage Fashion & Textiles

Massachusetts sale includes elaborate examples of early needlework from across the Atlantic

Mainland Chinese buyers bidding on jade, porcelain, wooden and textile offerings dominated the leader board at an Asian & Islamic sale at Cheltenham.

Just as the title reads, this album offered by Mellors & Kirk in Nottingham contains Specimens of Needle-Work Executed in the Female Model School, Kildare-Place, Dublin.

Eighteen works by the Birmingham School artist Mary Ireland (1891-1980) were offered at a recent Lyon & Turnbull’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) sale.

Stand-out lots on offer in upcoming summer auctions and from dealers.

Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) Design sale on May 18 included a record for a wall-hanging by the weaver Peter Collingwood (1922-2008).

This pair of Mickey and Minnie Mouse toys has been on quite an adventure.

The numerous coronations offer a chance to buy more esoteric objects at auction.

Recently my son Phil Swift (Antique Laces – stall 1 Portobello Road) sold a piece of antique lace via the internet to a lady who lived in Kyiv (Ukraine).

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Maxine Stonehill of Pop Up Vintage Fairs popped up in March at the Grade II-listed St John’s Church in Hackney, which has had a £6m restoration and is now a busy music and events venue as well as remaining a working church.

Knowledgeable bidders spot a design by Owen Jones on offer in North Yorkshire

Rebecca Scott runs Witney Antiques, which is one of the businesses taking part in this week’s 'Cotswolds Curated' event.

Dealer offers vintage and new design art after more than 30 years in family weaving company

Carol Walker of Carol Walker Antiques/Frocks and Fripperys specialises in vintage clothes.

Qing period embroidered satin throne-back cushion covers can be seen still in situ in a number of the buildings in the Forbidden City including the Hall of Supreme Principle and the Palace of Eternal Spring. Others are held by institutions and collectors throughout the world.

Indian talismanic shirts or Qur’an jama were believed to carry protective powers.