October 2008 Vintage Clothing & Textile Auction

  • October 24 & 25, 2008
  • New Hope, PA

Institutional collections and deaccessions offered included those from The Cleveland Museum of Art (OH), a NYC costume study collection, garments from The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (CA), a major New York City museum collection and selections from other university and historical society collections.

In addition, we included choice additions from several American and European estates and personal collections, including 17th-19th C. textiles from a long-time Manhattan collector and extremely rare Bolivian textiles from a mountaintop trading post, amassed by a diplomat’s wife more than three decades ago. Also highlighted are more than 150 catalogued lots of rare and exquisite Asian textiles, including 19th-  early 20th C embroidered wall hangings, 18th-19th C metallic and silk brocades, kesi screen panels as well as two full hanging racks of exceptional Chinese, Japanese and Korean embroidered robes, jackets and other garments. An Edo period Samurai Jinbaori is a featured lot from this collection.

Actress Mia Farrow consigned three important dresses she wore in her first feature film, A Dandy in Aspic (1968). These outfits were designed for Ms Farrow by Pierre Cardin. Included with each dress is a letter of authenticity signed by Ms. Farrow. There are also photographs of Ms. Farrow with co-star Lawrence Harvey and acclaimed fashion icon Pierre Cardin. Her proceeds from the sale of these three garments were donated to benefit children’s causes around the globe.

From a NYC museum come more than fifty purses, shoes, gloves and other fashion accessories from the 1950’s and 1960’s, formerly the property of actress Joan Crawford.  The sale also includes items from Henry L. Collins Jr. and the late Henry L. Collins of Pittsburgh and Blackburn Farm Berwyn, PA. Also featured are the First Nation and Native American collection of the late Dr. Bruce Ruddick: founding member of Canadian Psychoanalytic Society who set up clinics throughout Canada from 1952-1957. Also to be sold is a collection of approx 1200 photographs from the Charles E. Mullin Collection, mostly dealing with textile arts of Asia from the early 1930’s.

This sale features western wear and cowboy artifacts from a four decade private collection of Merv and Hollie Bendewald and the inventory from their premier Manhattan western store Whiskey Dust.  The first offerings from the collection & the store’s inventory go on the block October 25, 2008.

The Native American/First Nation/Western/Equestrian portion of the sale will include:

Western Wear: Makers to include: Vaquero, Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors, Turk, Viola Grae,  Fay-Ward, Gross, Miller, H Bar C, Rockamount, Caravan, Jack Frost, Circle A, Delmonico, Ely Bighorn, Levi, Wrangler, etc

Denim: Mint never worn/washed Wrangler Blue Bell Jacket (zipper front 1960 24MJZ), other denim including novelty oversized jeans with WRANGLER embroidered across the rear. (Possible rodeo clown pants or a dealer/advertising sample).

Boots: Western about 200 pair in every conceivable style and exotic\ skin imaginable in all sizes-both men’s and women’s. Great collection of English riding and hunt boots from Blackburn Farm

Saddles: Buck Steiner tooled leather saddle, western, English, and racing, sidesaddle, tack, stirrups, bridles, crops, fox hunting flasks, sandwich boxes and cases, saddle bags, etc.

Misc. Gear and Collectables: Vintage hats, belts, buckles(over 200), Gun leather and other tooled leather,  Chaps including Otto Ernst of Gillette Wyo, King’s Saddlery, and others, branding irons, folk art, paintings and sculpture, large collection of cap guns, china, furniture, lamps and other assorted western theme objects, zinc horse head livery sign, steer horns, falconers equipment, bull whips, etc.

Native American/First Nation: Jewelry, beadwork, Acoma and San Ildefonso pottery, painted and carved wooden Northwest coast items, carved walrus ivory objects, pewter inlaid pipes, carved figures, fishing and hunting artifacts, etc.