Earlier last week, I took my class to see the preview of Augusta Auctions latest sale. Twice a year, this auction house comes to New York, offering gorgeous fashion, textiles, and accessories that are de-accessioned from museum collections or consigned from private estates.
Pursuing the selections was so much fun. There were gorgeous dresses from every era spread out on racks and tables. I loved this day dress from the 1930s. The top stitching on the collar and sleeves was such an elegant touch.
Every object could be handled, as long as you wore a white glove. Auction previews are a great way to examine objects before they hit the block. You can determine the condition and your budget. If you are unable to attend when the lot is up for bidding, you can submit a phone bid. No more wasting the entire day waiting for the lot of your dreams. (New to auctions? Keep in mind that every auction house has a buyer’s premium. This means an extra percentage is added to your final bid. These premiums range from 20% to 35% depending on the auction house.)
There were also some fantastic dresses from the 1920s. Their condition was really impeccable. These dresses were carefully housed in a blue board box, and cushioned with tissue paper to preserve the shape.
I just loved the hemline on this dress.
This was another favorite! The auction estimates were very reasonable. I was really tempted to bid on a few things. Who wouldn’t love a dress with beading like this?
There were bins of ethnographic embroideries and textiles from around the world. Seeing the quality and craftsmanship of historical textiles makes it so difficult to shop the contemporary market. Just look at these hand embroidered flowers on this velvet cloth.
The best part? I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in ages! Giselle from Fashioning the Past was also at the fashion preview. If you haven’t seen her blog, you should really check it out.
