Loft and found as costumes are sold

VINTAGE COLLECTION SET TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER

LOFTS are usually laden with all manner of stored-away items.

But Didi Chapman, who lives in Corbridge in Northumberland, is leading the way in the loft stakes, with the contents being auctioned tomorrow.

Didi ran her Theatrical Lofts business for more than 30 years, making historical costumes, for opera, amateur and professional drama organisations.

She turned out costumes spanning the historical spectrum from medieval times to the 20th century and from monks’ robes and Shakespearian outfits to animal costumes.

Now, hundreds of the costumes will be will be sold by Newcastle auctioneers Anderson and Garland in what is believed to be the biggest textile, vintage and costume sale to be held in the North East, with more than 500 lots on offer.

Didi began by making costumes for a school’s productions while she was a member of its parent teachers association.

“I lost count after the first hundred costumes and I ended up with a barnful,” she said.

“I worked from historical costume books and also visited museums to study costumes.” Other customers included drivers who wanted to look the part in vintage motoring rallies.

Also in the sale is a flavour of the 1920s, with a shop’s counter hat display models with the head of a flapper girl, and a pink ruffle pyjama case featuring the centrepiece of a painted fabric 1920s face.

An original cotton Votes For Women sash, which belonged to a Morpeth suffragette and was inherited by the Northumberland vendor, is estimated to fetch in the region of £200 to £400.

There are also four First World War uniforms of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, which was formed in 1907 to provide a link between field hospitals and the front lines.

It was given the yeomanry title

because its members were originally all on horseback.

The original members were trained in cavalry work, signalling and camping out.

But when the First World War broke out, Army top brass were dismissive of the nursing yeomanry and so the women served instead with the French and Belgian forces and later in Poland.

Some of the uniforms in the sale include French and Belgian ribbon medals and a Polish white eagle cap badge.

Phoebe Hoare, auctioneer at Anderson and Garland, with the historical theatre costumes, made by Didi Chapman of Corbridge, which form part of the textile collection that will be auctioned tomorrow Phoebe Hoare with the 1920s pink ruffle pyjama case,...

Phoebe Hoare, auctioneer at Anderson and Garland, with the suffragette Votes for Women sash which is part of the textile Collection that will be auctioned tomorrow

Phoebe Hoare with the 1920s hat display flapper girl faces