A collapsible silk top hat - perfect for a Victorian night at the opera, or a 20th century magic trick - comes for sale on July 20.
Our Homes & Interiors sale on Tuesday 20 July includes the novelty hat, made by Gibus of 10 Chandles Street, Trafalgar Square alongside a presentation wand given to a member of the Magic Circle with a guide of £80-120.
Antoine Gibus was a Parisian hatmaker who, during the early 19th century, had solved a problem with which wearers of the top hat were well acquainted. Rather than seek a place to hang one’s silk topper, he created a hat, using a system of steel springs, that could be collapsed flat!
The wand, with silver mounts and a presentation inscription to John Holt, Esq M.M.C. 1963 has a terminal enamelled with the signs of the zodiac. It comes in a silk lined case for John Finches, London.
With principles of locally sourced materials and clean lines resonating as strongly as when Pierre Jeanneret’s furniture was initially produced in the mid-20th century, there has been a recent fervour for this furniture on the art market.
20 December 2024
Our next Design sale offers a Chanel bottle with a romantic backstory and a life filled with memories. From its first creation in 1921, the evolution of the iconic Chanel bottle design has maintained a timeless appearance and is synonymous with romanticism.
20 December 2024
Join us as we recap some of the most notable highlights from our 2024 sales and celebrate another successful year.
19 December 2024