Coronation of Queen Elizabeth is remembered as rare, ‘exquisite’ cutting from dress goes up for auction
As the coronation of King Charles III the third approaches soon, a piece of floral embroidery originally created for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation dress from 1953 will be put up for auction in May as well.
The fabric sample from Her Majesty’s iconic gown, a collaboration with royal designer Norman Hartnell, may sell for thousands of dollars, reported SWNS, a British news service.
The 70-year-old embroidery sample is one of many that was created during the design process for the Queen’s gown.
Also up for sale at the auction will be hand-drawn “detailed watercolor clothing designs” dating back to 1952, and earlier, for then-Princess Elizabeth and the Queen Mother.
A Hanson’s textile consultant, Notty Hornblower, called the floral embroidery swatch “a stunning find,” SWNS reported.
The fabric swatch depicts a “detailed floral beaded pattern” similar to the one worn by Queen Elizabeth on the day of her coronation.
The intricate designs showcased on the embroidered fabric swatch are “emblems of the four home nations and the Commonwealth, in silver and gold thread, diamante, silver bullion and mother-of-pearl,” noted SWNS.
The experts at Hanson’s Auctioneers expect the historical fabric sample to sell for as much as $2,500 when it hits the auction block on May 16, SWNS also reported.
“This embroidery is exquisite and a stunning auction find,” Notty Hornblower, owner of Derbyshhire’s Hope House Costume Museum, told SWNS.
“It was made during months of painstaking work to make a dress [that] became an historic masterpiece,” she added.
“It demonstrates the remarkable care and attention to detail that went into creating a gown worthy of the Queen for the first televised coronation, a milestone for the monarchy.”
King Charles’ coronation is set to take place on May 6, only a few days before Queen Elizabeth II’s floral cutting from her coronation gown goes up for auction.
The other watercolor drawings from around 1952 may sell for upwards of $300 when they hit auction in May, wrote SWNS.
Queen Elizabeth II was 25 years old when she was crowned Queen on June 2, 1953, at London’s Westminster Abbey.
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning female monarch in history, ruling for 70 years and 214 days.