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Family Treasures - Edition 7
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Family Treasures Jill Churchill, who writes on antiques and
collectables for YOURS magazine, continues her series
Heirloom underwear Your
Victorian great-great grandmother probably called them her drawers.
Nowadays we might label them heirloom knickers, calf-length cotton jobs to
protect a girl’s modesty. And with vintage clothing now regarded as a
collectable, they might fetch a pretty penny. |
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If it seems to be handmade, it could be pre-1850 (when the sewing machine revolutionised fashion). A boned linen corset c1770 has fetched £2,400 before now, and an embroidered waist-cincher from 1820 can go for £330. In good condition, a lace-trimmed later model, say mid-19th century, attracts £80 at auction. Frills and padding Victorian petticoats are also sought after: layer upon layer were worn, but it’s the over-petticoat, often with frills or lace made to peep out at the ankle, that can be worth £20-£80. First introduced in the 1600s, bustles made a big come-back in the 1880s, when you flattened the front to accentuate the rear. (Some became so large it was said you could balance a tea tray on your behind!). A Victorian tie-on bustle made of cotton-covered padded horsehair could be £200 today. Back to drawers. Why drawers? They began as effectively two separate trouser-legs that had to be ‘drawn on’ to tie around the waist with tape. Re-named knickers after 1882, the Edwardian ones (c1905) could be worth something. Made of cotton lawn, and by now one-piece, a pristine example might reach £18-20. And did gt-gt-grandma keep her stockings up with a garter? Let’s hope it was a saucy French one. A couple of years ago, a particular example fetched £140. It was dated around 1850, embroidered with a guard-dog and its kennel, bearing the words On ne passe pas. As with
any collectable, a link with fame will cause
prices to rocket. A single silk stocking belonging to Queen Victoria has
sold for £200 - but that’s not a patch on Madonna’s black satin bustier
which recently sold at Christie’s for £4,200!
For subsequent editions - see the laterlife interest index
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