Auction round-up: November's fashionable finds
There's a dazzling selection of vintage and pre-owned accessories going under the hammer this month
A trip to one of the UK's many specialist auction houses in November could net you a covetable designer handbag or a vintage cocktail dress, while collectors of fine jewellery and watches will find some sought-after pieces from top luxury brands. Here's our pick of the best fashion and accessories auctions taking place this month.
On 21 November, Chiswick Auctions is holding a Jewellery auction, which follows its successful September Jewellery sale, in which a 6.51ct Burmese ruby and diamond cluster ring sold for £147,600. Notable lots in this month's sale include a 6.36ct Colombian emerald and diamond ring, with a guide price of £20,000-30,000. A week later, the auction house has a Designer Handbags & Fashion sale, which includes a rare Hermes orange porosus crocodile Birkin 35 with palladium hardware from circa 2004 (£16,000-20,000).
Vintage fashion specialist Kerry Taylor Auctions also has a Birkin among the line-up at its biannual Passion for Fashion auction on 20 November. In cyclamen pink Togo leather and from circa 2007, it comes with an estimate of £6,000-10,000. Other highlights at the sale include a 1990s Chanel black quilted leather 2.55 handbag (£800-1,200), a 1958 Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior couture embroidered cocktail dress (£3,000-5,000) and an Ossie Clark/Celia Birtwell 'Acapulco Gold' chiffon dress from 1970 (£1,200-1,800).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On 20 November, Birmingham-based Fellows is holding a Designer Collection sale, which also includes some Birkin handbags, such as this 2009 taupe Fjord Birkin 35 (£4,500-5,500). Another notable lot is a Louis Vuitton burgundy Neverfull MM shoulder bag (£400-600).
It's a busy month for Fellows, with an Antique & Modern Jewellery Sale on 9 November that will feature one of the most valuable rings Fellows has had up for auction this year – a 5ct diamond single-stone ring with flawless D colour and VVS2 clarity (£150,000-200,000). It also has a Watch Sale on 28 November, where highlights include an Omega Speedmaster 'Ed White' chronograph (£5,500-7,500) – named after the American astronaut who wore the model on his historic spacewalk – and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss bracelet watch (£40,000-60,000).
Lyon & Turnbull also has a number of Rolex watches (pictured top) for sale at its Select Jewellery & Watches auction on 15 November, taking place at its Connaught Street saleroom. The auction will feature timepieces from top marques such as IWC, Blancpain and Jaeger-LeCoultre, but particularly eye-catching are these three Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watches; one with a polished ruby and diamond dial (£7,000-9,000), one in 18ct gold and diamond (£3,000-5,000) and one in 18ct white gold and diamond (£3,000-5,000).

Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.