Hello hiupkeeptrophy5~
There are two collectors who truly are legendary, although some might
consider them a bit before our time. Yet without them, most people
would not collect antique and historical fashions today.
The first is the King of fashion collecting, C.W. Cunnington--a
British doctor who began collecting fashions in the late 1930s. His
first acquisition was, as he put it, ?a gorgeous-looking old silk
dress for sale? that he thought might be made into a pretty cloak for
his wife. But when he brought it home to her, they both hesitated to
cut it up; they the gown to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see if
it was worth anything. The museum knew next to nothing about it--the
study of clothing not thought important at that time. And so a
life-long study of fashion began for the Cunningtons. The collection
quickly became the largest anyone had ever known; C.W. gave lectures
on the fashions, and wrote a number of important books on the topic.
(Among them are ?Englishwomen?s Clothing in the 19th Century,? ?The
History of Underclothes,? and ?Fashion and Women?s Attitudes in the
19th Century.?) Because Cunnington was collecting ?old dresses? before
anyone else did, most of his collection came from either antique shops
or?-more commonly?-as donations from people who found the clothing in
their attics.
Another name that must be mentioned is Doris Langley Moore. Moore
followed Cunningham?s tradition, collecting fashions from friends and
family (and the occasional rummage sale or antique store) and wrote
several impressive books, among them ?The Woman in Fashion? and ?The
Child in Fashion,? published in the late 1940s and 1950s. Her
collection is now housed in The Museum of Costume, Bath, England.
Today, there are so many ?great? fashion collectors, it?s difficult to
pinpoint the ?greatest? among them. In the 1970s and 1980s, historic
fashions were still affordable to most people, and many amassed large
and impressive collections. Today, the oldest and most attractive
examples are out of reach to most collectors, and the ?most expensive,
flashy, old, expensive? costumes are snatched up by museums. In
addition, the most expensive dresses or outfits are almost always sold
at auction (as this is where they will fetch the highest prices).
Most great collectors are very private; those that are not, typically
exhibit their collections in books and in museums. Setting aside
museums and collectors who desire privacy, here are some collectors
who certainly rank high on the list of "great" collectors:
? Laree Johnson Burton, whose collection has been featured in
magazines, exhibits, and books, including her own ?Ladies Vintage
Accessories.?
? Susan Langley, whose collection has also been seen in exhibits,
magazines, and books. Her extraordinary hat collection is featured in
part in ?Vintage Hats and Bonnets.?
? Joanna Haug, who also sells those impressive clothes and accessories
to collectors and museums. (Her website is Reflections of the Past:
www.victoriana.com )
In fact, many of today?s great collectors are also dealers.
In addition to Reflections of the Past, here are some dealers that
sell to the ?best? collectors and museums:
* Karen Augusta, Antique Lace & Fashion: http://www.antique-fashion.com/
* The Frock: http://www.thefrock.com/
* Trousseau: http://www.trousseau.net/
* Meg Andrews: http://www.meg-andrews.com/
Have fun drooling!
Regards,
Kriswrite
RESEARCH STRATEGY:
Researcher?s personal knowledge
Searches of costume sites mentioned above, as well as:
www.costumes.org
www.geocities.com/vintageconnection |
