The strongest and most exciting section this time was textiles. We included the estate of the late Roderick Taylor (or Roddy to his friends) – collector, academic and connoisseur whose passion for Ottoman textiles in particular was celebrated in this sale. Most of the top ten prices were for textiles listed below.
On the fashion side – YSL Rive Gauche and Ossie Clark were much in demand as were novelty handbags. An Ossie Clark ‘Bridget’ dress (lot 202) made £2,800, and purses in the form of a beaded poodle, by Walborg in the 1950s, and a French 1940s black suede lute, each sold for £1,600 as did a multi-coloured floral Rive Gauche coat and matching trousers, late 1970s-early 80s (lot 153). The Dior exhibition in London spiked interest in the House, the highest Dior price was £2000 for an altered but still very beautiful chiné taffeta Dior London evening gown of 1957 (lot 313).
Lot 377, Ottoman embroidered quilt facing, (Yorgan Yuzu) Turkey, circa 1600, £15,000
Lot 409, Caucasian embroidered panel, late 18th century, £10,000
Lot 375, an embroidered linen bolster panel, Ottoman, late 17th century, £5,500
Lot 182, Ede & Ravenscroft coronation robes and coronets worn by the Earl and Countess of Ranfurly, 1910, £4,000
Above left: Lot 381, Ottoman embroidered quilt facing, 18th century, £3,000
Above right: Lot 202, Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell ‘Bridget’ dress, early 1970s, £2,800
Lot 429, dark pink damask silk dragon robe, jifu, Chinese, early 20th century, £2,400
Lot 376, an embroidered linen bocha, Ottoman, 17th century, £2,200
Lot 382, embroidered brown satinised wool table or sofa cover, Ottoman, probably 18th century, £2,000
Lot 313, a Christian Dior London chiné taffeta evening gown, circa 1957, £2,000
