WINDSOR. Sale catalogues of Sotheby’s 1997 New York disposal of the possessions of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor.

£40.00

The Duke & Duchess of Windsor. The Public Collections & The Private Collections. September 11-19, 1997. Sotheby’s [New York] 1997 2 volumes 4to [10¾ x 9 ins] with original slipcase.

The Public Collections 549pp, profusely illustrated, overwhelmingly in colour, lots 1 to 1782.

The Private Collections 540pp, as above, lots 1790 to 3311. The two volumes in unused condition and retaining the original slipcase.

One of the most revealing catalogues of recent decades casting light into the corners of the duke and duchess’s lives, obsessions, style. I vividly remember viewing the sale and attending a few sessions that particularly interested me. Striking displays of the duke’s clothes, many on dummies, showed his ground breaking style, especially in smart casual dress and his golfing wear, in some ways were more flamboyant than his wife’s wardrobe. There are marvellous souvenirs of the duke’s military life and of royal tours such as that to India in 1921/22. These volumes bring to life the many biographies of the troubled and notorious couple. The volumes are very heavy making them very expensive to abroad although standard postage within the UK will be in the region of £10-12.   apr5/4

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