Kerry Taylor Auctions have a bumper bundle of interesting lots for their next scheduled auction, which will be held on the 3rd December 2013. The first lot that is of note is a set of 18th century wig bellows, Lot 41.
©Kerry Taylor Auctions
They bear, as you can plainly see, the cypher of King George III, and date from circa 1775.
©Kerry Taylor Auctions
They are made of mahogany with leather sides and have an ivory tip. They are painted in gold with a crown and the cypher “GR III, 16cm” and measure 6 1/4in long. They would have been used by the king’s valet, as Kerry Taylor tells us:
to administer tinted, scented powder to the wig before it was placed on the Royal head. Wig bellows are rare and Royal ones especially so.
Quite so. The estimate is between £1000-1500. Fascinating.
The next lot to be of interest to us is Lot 46,
©Kerry Taylor Auctions
a fine broderie anglaise summer gown, circa 1815-20. It has an empire-line bodice,
©KerryTaylor Auctions
a skirt hem and sleeve sides trimmed and inset with cutwork lace, cotton tassels and tufts.
©Kerry Taylor Auctions
The lot also includes a whitework sprigged cotton empire line skirt.
©Kerry Taylor Auctions
The estimate for this lot is between £800-1200
And finally some garters, dating from the 1820s.
Made of printed and painted satin, they are embellished with scenes which include that of boys and girls at play with dogs, and a girl feeding chickens.
©Kerry Taylor Auctinos
The estimate for this lot, Lot 40 , is between £500-900. I confess…I’d love them ;)
15 comments
November 6, 2013 at 2:33 pm
Tina
Love the dress!!!
November 7, 2013 at 1:56 pm
jfwakefield
It looks very beautiful, with all that broderie anglaise, I agree, Tina
November 6, 2013 at 3:27 pm
karen talley
That dress is so beautiful. But, it makes my heart ache to think of some poor seamstress sitting by weak candlelight stitching away so that another young lady can wear this fabulous dress.
November 7, 2013 at 1:56 pm
jfwakefield
Agreed,but then, the same could be said for many garments produced today in poor conditions. Plus ça change……
November 6, 2013 at 4:18 pm
David Bennett
A wig bellows… what a thing. It surely ought to be put into a time capsule to show what life on Earth was like (crazy).
Whenever I see a dress now I think of the one belonging to Charlotte Bronte that is in a glass case at the Parsonage at Haworth, and that Charlotte Bronte was 4’9″ tall.
November 7, 2013 at 1:58 pm
jfwakefield
I’ve seen the tiny clothes at Haworth too, David. Mind you, I stand at 5′ 1/2″, though I post tall :)
November 6, 2013 at 9:03 pm
cathyallen
George III’s Wig Bellows is fascinating. I wonder HOW it survived? I picture Mr. Bennet “…giving as much trouble as possible…” in his wig and powdering gown, in his LIBRARY! (I hope my “quote” is even close to JA’s) One can see from the bellows that it would make a major mess, especially in a library! I’ve wondered how wigs were powdered.
The dress is exquisite. I’ve been doing a little hand-sewing lately, and can only imagine how long it would take to construct and embellish such a beautiful gown, all by hand, of course! The mind boggles!
Thank you, Julie, you haven’t lost your touch!
November 7, 2013 at 2:03 pm
jfwakefield
I confess I too thought of selfish Mr Bennet making that remark in Chapter 48:
“This is a parade,” cried he, “which does one good; it gives such an elegance to misfortune! Another day I will do the same: I will sit in my library, in my nightcap and powdering gown, and give as much trouble as I can; — or, perhaps, I may defer it, till Kitty runs away.”
Dreadful man, I like him less and less the older I get…..
November 6, 2013 at 9:57 pm
Caitlin
Those garters are absolutely charming. The gown – I must confess my first thought was how did they iron that thing without a steam iron?
November 7, 2013 at 2:03 pm
jfwakefield
With a lot of starch and patience, I should think:)
November 7, 2013 at 10:36 pm
Hazel Mills
Absolutely beautiful dress. Why don’t I have lots of money?
November 8, 2013 at 10:20 am
jfwakefield
Ah Hazel, the eternal refrain ;)
November 8, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Joan R
Julie, I have just discovered you are back at Austenonly and so have “already lost three days of happiness”. Wonderful posts as usual and I shall so look forward to brightening the long days of winter with all your interesting intelligence on all things Austen.
November 12, 2013 at 3:52 am
SassyCountess
I think that someone needs to buy me the bellows! Everyone knows that I love that man… and his wigs! Whit woooooo. ;)
November 12, 2013 at 9:25 am
jfwakefield
Indeed….does the Queen know of your affection for His Majesty? ;)