A 1960s Cresta Couture black lace dress owned by the celebrated 20th century ballet dancer Dame Margot Fonteyn (1919-1991), which she gave to Sarah Hamilton, her interior designer between 1962 and 1965, is to be offered at Bonhams, Knowle, as part of its Costume and Textiles sale on 20 April 2010.
The dress is accompanied by a letter from Dame Margot to the vendor, Sarah Hamilton, reading: ‘Dear Sarah, On the bed in my downstairs room are some dresses which I do not want to keep. Would you like to try them on if you are coming over? Love Margot.’
Dame Margot is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time, spending her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet, and enjoying a legendary dance partnership with Rudolf Nureyev, with whom she starred in works such as Marguerite and Armand, Giselle and Romeo and Juliet.
Sale highlights also include a beautiful mid 17th century needlework picture depicting Adam and Eve (estimate £2,000 – 3,000), an early 17th century embroidered cap (£3,000 – 4,000) and a late 18th century open robe (£2,000 – 3,000).
www.bonhams.com/textiles
