In 1951, British Pathé filmed models wearing four dresses from the wardrobe of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (1844-1925) at a vintage shop called Baroque, located on Margaret Street in London’s West End. The news feature, titled “Look Back for Inspiration,” offers no information as to how the shop acquired these dresses. Three of the gowns are now part of museum collections on three different continents; the whereabouts of the remaining dress are unknown.
Figure 1.1. Still from archive footage (0:06).
The opening sequence of the Pathé newsreel shows a couple of seated models, each attired in a gown that once belonged to Queen Alexandra (figures 1.1 and 1.2). The model on the right is wearing a black silk and velvet gown liberally embellished with beads and sequins, a creation by Barolet of Knightsbridge that dates from around 1908 to 1910. It now resides at the Fashion Museum, Bath (see figure 1.3).
Figure 1.2. Still from archive footage (0:08).
Francesca Counsell Risius donated the dress to the Fashion Museum in 2018; she had received it in the late 1960s from her great-aunt, Mrs. Counsell, who in turn had bought it in the 1950s. It is entirely plausible that Mrs. Counsell had purchased the dress from Baroque sometime after the filming of the Pathé newsreel. Of all the dresses shown in the film, this is the only one that is known to have remained in the United Kingdom.
The model on the left in figure 1.1 wears a shimmering evening gown of net and lace embroidered with gold sequins, according to the narrator. This rather ethereal-looking gown has gossamer-like sleeves that dangle at the back of the shoulders and have points that end in tassels. The bodice, which is draped in the front, also has undersleeves, as figure 1.4 shows:
Figure 1.4. Still from archive footage (0:14).
The gown is now part of the collection at Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum in Tokyo (see figure 1.5).
Figure 1.5. Maker unknown, Evening gown, c. 1908, Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum, Tokyo, 03850, source: Pinterest.
Later in the footage, one sees yet another gown, described in the voice-over as a garden party dress in cream and fawn, embroidered with gold spots and having insertions of Valenciennes lace and a gold tissue collar and cuffs (see figures 1.6 and 1.7).
Figure 1.6. Still from archive footage (0:49).
The ruffle running down the centre of the bodice places an emphasis on the chest, creating a “pouter pigeon” effect; the straight-front corset that Queen Alexandra would have worn underneath would have further thrust the chest forward and the hips backward in a so-called “S” curve silhouette, when viewed from the side. These features, along with the high collar and the bell-shaped skirt that lies flat on the hips, permit a dating of late 1890s to early 1900s for this day dress.
Unfortunately, Queen Alexandra’s garden party dress has not been seen since the 1951 Pathé footage.
Figure 1.7. Still from archive footage (0:55).
The last of Queen Alexandra’s gowns in the film is an evening ensemble of black satin overlaid with Chantilly lace embroidered with silver metal sequins, glass beads, jet and rhinestones (figures 1.8 and 1.9).
Figure 1.8. Still from archive footage (1:10).
The dress is actually a three-piece ensemble, consisting of two bodices—one for balls (worn by the model), the other for receptions—and a trained skirt. Astonishingly, it resurfaced in 2020 at an Australian auction, where the FIDM Museum in Los Angeles purchased it for its growing collection of royal clothing.
The gown, made by Henriette Favre of Paris, one of Queen Alexandra’s favourite designers, is thought to date from the early 1900s. Although it appears to be in mint condition in the 1951 film, it is now worse for wear and in need of conservation before it can be exhibited again. Evidently, the models in the footage had no idea they were damaging the royal garments just by wearing them.
Figure 1.9. Still from archive footage (1:17).
Since the ensemble is too fragile at present to display on a mannequin, the museum’s photographs show each of its three components laid out flat (figure 1.10):
Figure 1.10. Henriette Favre (French), Queen Alexandra ensemble, c. 1902-06, FIDM Museum & Galleries, Los Angeles, 2020.5.21A-C, source: FIDM Museum
After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, much of her wardrobe was scattered all over the world, with many items ending up in an important 1937 auction that took place in New York and other garments finding their way to local boutiques like Baroque. In fact, it appears that Baroque had offered for sale not just four, but eight of Queen Alexandra’s dresses, out of which two were donated to Bath’s Fashion Museum in the 1960s. These do not feature in the Pathé film.
One of these two, a circa 1870 tartan silk dress by English dressmaker Madame Elise, was sold in the 1930s (figure 1.11). The other is a Doeuillet creation dating to 1910 of heavily embroidered purple silk chiffon (figure 1.12); Queen Alexandra most likely never wore it as her husband, Edward VII, died that year and she was forced to relinquish such festive clothes for mourning-wear. It is possible that this and other discarded apparel items ended up in Baroque or some other shop during her lifetime.
Picking up from where Part I left off, this segment covers lots 31 to 70 of the 1937 auction of the clothing of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (1844-1925). As before, I have highlighted items I have not been able to find in any collection, in yellow:
31. EMBROIDERED YELLOW SATIN AND HELIOTROPE STATE GOWN Pale amber yellow satin embroidered with silver sequins and design of iris in appliqué silks painted heliotrope and pale green, outlined with crystal bugles; taffeta lining with chiffon flounce at hem. Bell-shaped separate skirt with train; pointed bodice with V-neck and tulle scarf sleeves. Worn during the Coronation year, 1902.
This veritable beauty of a gown is now part of the Royal Ontario Museum’s collection (figure 1.7):
Figure 1.7. Morin Blossier (French), Queen Alexandra’s state dress, c. 1903, silk satin with applied design, inserts of chiffon, sequins, diamanté and beads, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 942.12.3A-B, source: Pinterest.
32. SHELL PINK WOOL DRIVING COAT Heavy shell pink woolen coat, trimmed with pink braid, the edges trimmed with lappets. Part of H. M. Queen Alexandra’s trousseau.
Queen Alexandra would have worn such a coat to keep her warm and snug while riding in her carriage; unfortunately, its current whereabouts are unknown.
33. EMBROIDERED GOLD TULLE STATE GOWN WITH TISSUE FLOWERS In one piece, with train and scarf sleeves; of pale yellow tulle appliqué embroidered with gold tissue flowers, tissue bands under tulle, and gold sequins and bugles; pale yellow satin and chiffon foundations. Worn at Buckingham Palace in 1907, on the occasion of the State visit of royalty, during the Kaiser’s visit in November, 1907, on the King’s birthday; among the guests were the Princess Royal, Duke of Connaught, Queen of Norway, the German Emperor, Prince of Wales, Princess of Wales, Princess Patricia, Princess Victoria, Prince Johann of Saxony, Prince Olaf, Grand Duchess Vladimir, and the Queen of Portugal.
33. Embroidered gold tulle state gown with tissue flowers [catalogue photo].
The dress now resides at the Met, as golden-looking and glorious as ever (figure 1.8):
Figure 1.8. Maker unknown (European), Evening dress, 1907, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 37.94, source: The Met.
34. ROYAL BLUE SEQUIN AND TULLE GOWN Embroidered with blue sequins and bugles on navy blue tulle with floral design; blue chiffon and black taffeta underdress. Separate skirt with train, and low-cut bodice overlapping in the front, with long scarf sleeves. Worn during the Coronation year; a favorite gown of Her Majesty’s, worn on many fashionable occasions, also for H. M. the King’s birthday.
Unfortunately, this is a gown that has yet to resurface since the 1937 auction.
35. BLACK AND GOLD SILK COAT Black and gold silk woven in stripes with a plain gold panel in back; cut with high neck and bell sleeves; trimmed with gold frogs and claw buttons, and fringe. Yellow taffeta lining. Part of H. M. Queen Alexandra’s trousseau.
This is yet another of the coats from Queen Alexandra’s trousseau that awaits discovery.
36. EMBROIDERED WHITE SATIN STATE GOWN Of white satin, back and front panels with appliqué borders of rose tissue covered with embroidered tulle bearing floral rinceaux in gold cordonnets and bugles. In one piece, with short rose tissue sleeves and square -cut neck. Worn by H. M. the Queen in Portugal (1904) on a visit to the King and Queen of Portugal; also worn for State visits and at the Grand Opera, Lisbon.
Yet another gown that is missing.
37. MAUVE SEQUIN AND TULLE GOWN Of solid sequin embroidery with ribbon and bowknot motives in deeper mauve; chiffon and taffeta underskirts, with pleated flounces at hem; bodice with square-cut neck and puffed sleeves with lace flounce. Worn by H. M. the Queen during the Coronation year. 1902.
This sparkling princess-line gown in the Met’s online database corresponds with the description in the catalogue (see figure 1.9):
Figure 1.9. Henriette Favre (French), Evening dress, 1902, silk, sequins, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, C.I.37.44.1, source: Google Arts & Culture.
38. SILVER AND GOLD-EMBROIDERED BLACK TULLE STATE GOWN Black tulle appliqué-embroidered with an allover design of curling silver floral branches, the blossoms heightened with gold; black satin foundation. Separate bell-form skirt with train, hem with tulle flounces; two printed bodices with puffed sleeves of tulle pique with sequins. Together with long detachable state train with similar embroidered border and tulle ruching. The gown and train were embroidered especially for H. M. Queen Alexandra by the wives of all the ruling princes of India, made up in Paris, and presented to her on her becoming Queen of England; worn for one of the Courts held after the Coronation, April 25, 1904. The Orders worn were the Order of the Garter, the Victoria and Albert, the Crown of India, St. John of Jerusalem, and the Danish Family Order.
38. Silver and gold-embroidered black tulle state gown [catalogue photo].
The Met’s photographs of the black four-piece court gown in lot 38 of the auction show it both with and without its detachable train, as well as the two bodices (see figure 1.10):
Figure 1.10. Maker unknown (French), Dress, 1904, silk, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, C.I.37.44.9a–d, source: The Met.
40. SILVER-EMBROIDERED WHITE SATIN STATE GOWN Richly embroidered with silver sequins and bugles, paste, and metal thread, with bands of flowers; separate bell-form skirt with train, printed bodice with white tulle scarf sleeves and décolletage. Worn by H. M. Queen during the Court held at Dublin Castle, July, 1903.
Yet another beautiful gown, if the above description is anything to go by, but unfortunately one that has been lost to the general public since 1937.
41. ROSE-PINK VELVET ROBE Cut with full skirt and train, and long cape; trimmed with silver buttons and narrow galloon of silver sequins. Worn by H. M. the Queen at the wedding of the Grand Duchess Xenia, daughter of Czar Alexander III, to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, at Peterhof Palace.
This is a rather puzzling entry, considering that her brother-in-law Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (1844-1900), married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (1853-1920), daughter of Tsar Alexander II, in 1874, not Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna (1875-1960), who was Queen Alexandra’s own niece and did not marry until 1894! Nonetheless, one can safely assume that Queen Alexandra wore the dress in question to the 1874 wedding (which did take place in Russia), based on the fact that she wore the gown in lot 16 to Xenia’s nuptials (see Part I).
Although the “rose-pink velvet robe” currently remains unaccounted for, one can imagine what it would have looked like, thanks to Nicholas Chevalier’s (1828-1902) detailed study of the dress (figure 1.11), as well as his painting of the 1874 wedding ceremony (see figure 1.12). In the handwritten notes accompanying the study, Chevalier draws the viewer’s attention to the silver brocade silk of the skirt and the rose velvet of the overskirt (which would have lengthened itself into a court train), embellished with silver-embroidered roses, shamrocks and thistles.
Figure 1.11. Nicholas Chevalier, A Study of the Dress Worn by the Princess of Wales for the Marriage of the Grand Duchess Maria to Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, January 23, 1874, pencil, watercolour, bodycolour and silver paint with scraping out, 25 x 19 cm, Royal Collection Trust, RCIN 926235, source: RCT.
Figure 1.12. Detail showing Princess Alexandra of Wales (centre, flanked by Crown Princess Victoria of Prussia and Grand Duchess Maria Fyodorovna of Russia) at the Duke of Edinburgh’s wedding. Nicholas Chevalier, The Marriage of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 23 January 1874, 1874-75, oil on canvas, 168.4 x 138.5 cm, Royal Collection Trust, RCIN 404476, source: RCT.
42. SILVER-EMBROIDERED LIGHT GRAY WOOL CAPE Of pale gray cloth with upstanding collar, with Turkish embroidery in silver; blue sateen lining. Part of H. M. Queen Alexandra’s trousseau.
Another item from Queen Alexandra’s trousseau that has not been seen since the 1937 sale.
43. GOLD AND SILVER EMBROIDERED WHITE TULLE STATE GOWN White tulle embroidered in gold and silver sequins and bugles and with festoons of delicate opalescent gold flowers; fastening in front with a narrow plain panel of white chiffon; short sleeves, square-cut neck. With train. Worn at Buckingham Palace for State visits.
The whereabouts of this gown are also unknown.
44. BLACK CHIFFON AND BLUE AND SILVER SEQUIN GOWN Of black chiffon overlaying light blue chiffon on a black satin foundation; embroidered in blue and silver sequins with a large shaded floral design. Separate bell-shaped skirt with train; two bodices, one with short sleeves trimmed with black lace, the other décolleté with short black tulle sleeves. Worn at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
This three-piece gown is missing as well.
45. DANISH WHITE WOOL AND LAMB DRIVING COAT With wide borders and deep collar of white lamb; trimmed with gold braid and frogs, lined in light yellow taffeta. Part of H. M. Queen Alexandra’s trousseau.
Pictures of this driving coat, now part of the Met’s costume collection, can be seen in figure 1.13:
Figure 1.13. Maker unknown (British), Coat, c. 1863, wool, fur, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, C.I.37.44.10, source: The Met.
46. EMBROIDERED BLACK TULLE GOWN With heavy chain-stitch and appliqué velvet embroidery in black; satin underskirt. In one piece, with train, square-cut bodice and puffed sleeves. Said to have been H. M. the Queen’s favorite dinner gown, worn at Christmas and Easter at Sandringham.
Lot 46 was the last of Queen Alexandra’s gowns on offer and like so many of the others in this auction, there has been no sign of it since it was sold.
54. CORAL SATIN AND LACE APRON Composed of satin lappets with ruching and écru lace borders. Part of H. M. Queen Alexandra’s trousseau.
In November 2020, this so-called apron featured in an auction of Hollywood memorabilia. Even more unbelievably, the auctioneer, Profiles in History, referred to the item as a collar and even presented it as such on a mannequin (see figure 1.14). Nevertheless, the lot description provides a fuller picture of the object’s provenance by supplying the inscription on the internal bias label: “1902 P-A-I. Worn by H. M. Queen Alexandra. Part of her trousseau. Purchased through Samuel Wilson Soden – May 5 – 1937 Traphagen School.”1 In all likelihood, an inventory of Queen Alexandra’s former wardrobe as Princess of Wales was carried out in 1902, the year of her coronation, and so it is plausible that “P-A-I” stands for “Princess Alexandra Inventory.” New York’s Traphagen School of Fashion, which existed between 1923 and 1991 and trained well-known American designers,2 bought the “collar” at the 1937 auction, as indicated by the garment’s label, and most likely added it to its study collection.
Costume historian Kate Strasdin has pointed out that the garment, which is now in a private collection, is not a collar, cape or apron, but rather a peplum that would have been worn over an 1860s skirt.3
Figure 1.14. Profiles in History, “The Icons and Legends of Hollywood (Day 1): November 13, 2020,” lot 1, source: LiveAuctioneers.
It is disappointing that even now, decades later, with fashion researchers, historians and collectors on the hunt for Queen Alexandra’s clothing, so many pieces from the 1937 sale have yet to turn up. Feel free to write back if you know where any of them may be located.
3. Kate Strasdin, December 28, 2023, comment on Faiza Mahmud, “A 1937 Auction of Queen Alexandra’s Clothing (Part I),” Lost and Found (blog), January 29, 2022, https://dressingroyalty.wordpress.com/2022/01/29/a-1937-auction-of-queen-alexandras-clothing-part-i/; Dr Kate Strasdin (@kateStrasdin), “This is a curiosity. Selling at auction @pihauctions next month & belonging to Alexandra, #PrincessofWales, it was originally sold at a famous auction,” Twitter, October 29, 2020, 2:29 p.m., https://twitter.com/kateStrasdin/status/1321745851459522560. Pointing out that the word “peplum” first came into use in 1866, the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as, “The part of a woman’s jacket or tunic which hangs below the waist; a jacket or tunic having such a design,” before going on to describe it as “†a kind of overskirt resembling the ancient peplos (obsolete).” This latter, now defunct, definition seems to apply in this context.
Bibliography
American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, Inc. Royal Robes and State Gowns, Including Toilettes Worn at the Coronation and from the Trousseau of H. M. Queen Alexandra, Comprising Coats, Kashmir Shawls, Bags, Gloves and Embroidered Slippers, with Other Examples of the Richest Fashions of the Period from 1863 to 1907: Auction in New York, May 5, 1937. New York: American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, 1937. https://archive.org/details/royalrobesstateg00amer/page/n3/mode/2up.
A selection of my comics, poetry comics, and other illustration work - All images copyright Julian Peters - contact: info@jpeterscomics.com - Follow me on instagram @julianpeterscomics
Her-storic Royal Dress 