Specialist valuer Bethan Thorsby talks us through some of the vintage and retro textiles auction highlights.
“These vintage and antique objects offer intriguing glimpses into the past, raising questions about the lives of their owners.
“Lot 531 brings together a collection of Scottish country dancing paraphernalia, including a kilt, sporran, tooled belt, both men’s and women’s leather slippers, and three copies of Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams 5th Edition. Each copy contains an invitation to a wedding dance hosted by a local couple in Staveley Village Hall at the end of the 80s, followed by two more anniversary events held in rather grander Grange-over-Sands hotels during the early 90s. These discovered documents prompt us to wonder who the dancers were and what social circles they moved in. What did local invitees think of the Scotophile activity they were required to participate in? And what stories could have been told in the wake of attending such lively and exciting events?
“Next, Lot 548, a hand-made patchwork blanket completed with signature (in the style of a cross stitch ‘performance’) by Ann Bigland of Burneside, in 1886. The work evokes an understanding of a time when keeping one’s hands busy was the only way to get safely through a long, dark winter or perhaps a nasty bout of illness. With nearly 6000 pieces of cloth, it’s hard for modern minds to comprehend the dedication, planning and time involved. Who was Ann Bigland, and what motivated her to create such an intricate piece of folk craft?
“Two velvet-covered chests make up Lot 563. A red box contains somebody’s preferred sewing materials toolkit. The other, a vibrant orange wardrobe-style chest, opens up to reveal drawers and compartments labelled in silver foil; a piece from a time when people had little and most things in the home held a purpose, no matter how luxurious the container.
“Finally, Lot 584, the antique top hat carry case and perhaps the most mysterious item here. Another luxurious box, designed to keep expensive possessions safe and tidy, with plush, quilted, red silk lining. A sturdy brass lock set in meticulously tooled leather proclaims Secure Lever London, and a piece of newspaper cutting is pasted on the lid, now cracked and creased, revealing only the clue: “Liverpool”. What connection does this case hold to the history it has since left behind? These objects provoke a longing to understand the lives and stories of those who once cherished them.”