Coco Chanel's Personal Wardrobe Auction in 1978

On December 2, 1978, Christie's in London auctioned the personal wardrobe of Coco Chanel which had been bequeathed to Lilian Grumbach (center above) upon Chanel's death in 1971.  At the time, auctioning of "used clothing" or "personal wardrobes" was not the norm, in fact far from it.  There was a lot of speculation prior to the auction about who would want to buy the "out-of-date" clothing and jewelry from an auction house that normally specialized in fine art and antiques.  The House of Chanel itself was floundering in the late 70s and would not become a sensation again until 1983, when Karl Lagerfeld was hired.

Lilian Grumbach was press representative and closest personal associate to Chanel during the last 14 years of her life.  She was also heir to Chanel's personal effects.  The auction consisted of about 40 suits and dresses, either worn personally by Chanel herself or designed by her and kept as part of her personal collection.  There were also 44 pieces of jewelry and 36 other accessories (presumably handbags and such.) 

The auction was attended by museums, department stores, private collectors and women who were wise enough to realize the value of a piece of couture designed by Chanel.  A beige tweed suit with bright pink silk braid brought the highest price of the evening, about $4,800 (about $17,200 today.)  The total proceeds for the evening were $138,000 (about $494,000 today.)

Think about that.  Less than $500,000 for 120 items owned and designed by Coco Chanel herself.  If the same auction were held today, I am sure there would have been single items that sold for that price.  What a difference 35 years makes!

This link will take you to a French news report about the auction on Youtube.  In it, you can see some of the clothing and jewelry that was auctioned being worn by models.  You'll also see some of the bidders.  Enjoy!

The Constantiner Collection of Photographs at Christie's

As I mentioned yesterday, Christie's New York will be auctioning an important collection of original photographs on December 16 & 17. The 320 photographs were collected by Leon and Michaela Constantiner and includes works from Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Horst P. Horst, Herb Ritts, Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe and Peter Lindbergh. There are many high fashion images in the collection. If you live in New York, go see the preview December 12-16.

Mainbocher Corset - This photograph by Horst P. Horst was taken in Paris on August 11, 1939. Horst said of this photo, "It was created by emotion.... It was the last photo I took in Paris before the war. I left the studio at 4.00 a.m., went back to the house, picked up my bags and caught the 7.00 a.m. train to Le Havre to board the Normandie.... The photograph is peculiar -- for me. While I was taking it, I was thinking of all that I was leaving behind." The photo is signed on the back and numbered 43/50. Pre-auction estimate is $40,000-60,000.

Black and White Vogue Cover - This photo was taken by Irving Penn in 1950. Jean Patchett models a dress by Larry Aldrich and hat by Lilly Daché. It is numbered 31/34 of a limited production printed in 1976 by Conde-Nast. Pre-auction estimate is $200,000 - 300,000.

Twelve of the Most Photographed Models of the Period - Irving Penn took this photo in 1947. It is incribed, "'Affectionate souvenir of our friends among these lovely ladies, and of pleasant evenings, for Dot Simpson, I.P., New York" Models left to right: Meg Mundy, Marilyn Ambrose, Helen Bennett, Dana Jenney, Betty McLauchlen (on ladder), Lisa Fonssagrives, Lily Carlson, Dorian Leigh (on floor), Andrea Johnson (seated), Elisabeth Gibbons, Muriel Maxwell (in black) and Kay Hernan. Signed and dated by Penn. Pre-auction estimate $15,000 - 20,000.

First Bikini, Harper's Bazaar, Montego Bay, Jamaica - Toni Frissell took this photo in 1945. Frissell says of this photo, "Model Dovima was dressed in the first bikini to be seen away from France. Next to the Casablanca was a tall white diving platform up fifty feet. I called to the fisherman and asked if he would let my model pose below the diving board. The effect was remarkable. The picture won an art award the next year." Pre-auction estimate $2,000-3,000.

Smoke + Veil, Paris, for Vogue - William Klein took this photo of Evelyn Tripp in 1958. Signed and dated on the back. Pre-auction estimate is $8,000-12,000.

Christie's London 20th Century Fashion Auction

Christie's London will present an auction of 20th Century fashion from a private collector on Thursday, October 30. Even if you can't bid, you should try to attend the preview currently open and ending on the 29th. This will be an opportunity to see fashions from such important designers as Pierre Cardin, Paco Rabanne, Andre Courreges, Rudi Gernreich, Ossie Clark, Vivienne Westwood, Azzedine Alaia, Gianni Versace, and others. You can see the entire auction catalog at Christie's website.

1960's Paco Rabanne leather and aluminum wedding dress:

1960's Yves St. Laurent evening gown:



1960's Pierre Cardin "Satellite" Cape:


1988 Stephen Sprouse dress after Keith Haring:


1987 Jean Paul Gaultier evening gown:



1970's Ossie Clark dress with Celia Birtwell print:

Anyone up for a quick trip to London?