Hot for Monday!: A lifetime collection of vintage clothing — the majority never worn, still with tags — from the 1950s through the 1970s — uncovered in Rochester, New York. The sale starts Sept. 23. I talked to the seller for more info — read on for planned pricing, sizes, and a bit more information about this fashionable lady who collected all these treasures. Read on for additional, important DETAILS!
I spoke at length a few minutes ago to the professional organizer of this magnificent sale this morning. What a joyful story. The collector was a local professional woman whose career required more conservative attire. But, she loved colorful clothing and avidly collected it from the 1950s well into the 1970s. She shopped local department stores in Rochester including Sibleys, McCurdys, B. Foreman. She was not looking for haute couture — but every day pretty clothing items.
Note: She did wear some pieces to parties and the like, but even these are in pristine condition and most still have the tags with them.
She has now passed, and the organizer told me that her husband didn’t quite know what to do with it. At one point he talked to a company who was going to haul it all away and throw it out and charge him several thousand dollars to do it!
Then the loving husband discovered this professional estate handler, who pretty quickly recognized the value and began working to organize the collection for this sale. Note: On pricing, the seller did some testing of the waters on ebay earlier this year to determine values. The prices set for this sale are great deals for individual collectors, but also would allow a dealer to make some money.
Also, the seller says there will be more photos posted later this week — of some of the even more spectacular pieces.
What a labor of love this all has been!
Key details on the vintage clothing for sale:
- The majority of all the pieces were unworn and still contain original tags. As stated on the website: “Most are New Old Stock (NOS) New With Tags (NWT) some with saved tags on the hangers and some with no tags but in Excellent Condition!”
- Sizes for the dresses are vintage 8 through 14 … maybe some 16s.
- There is no dressing room.
- Prices for dresses on first day will be $30.
- Sweaters: $10
- Blouses: $10
- Two-piece separate sets: $30
- Shoes — sized 9 narrow and 9.5 narrow — $10 a pair
- Some prices may be negotiable on day two
Location, date and times:
- Friday & Saturday 9/23 & 9/24 9am-4pm. Cash or Credit Card. All items sold AS IS! All Sales Final. Not responsible for accidents. Permanent numbers given out at 8am Friday. Must stay on premises with temporary numbers until permanent numbers are handed out.
- The address for this sale in Rochester, NY 14616 will be available after 9:00 AM on Friday, September 16th, 2016.
Info from the estatesales.net page:
WOW! HOLY COW! UNBELIEVABLE! KIND OF HARD TO TRULY FATHOM! A PICTURE TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS OR 4000! Literally this sale will consist of approx. 3000-4000 Articles of Vintage Clothing. Approx. 1000+ True Vintage Dresses, 1000+ Separates Top & Bottom Dress Outfits, 1500+ Blouses, Shirts, 100 Skirts, 500+ Sweaters, Jackets, etc mainly ranging from the 1950s to the 1970s. NONE ARE CONTEMPORARY REPRODUCTIONS! Most are New Old Stock (NOS) New With Tags (NWT) some with saved tags on the hangers and some with no tags but in Excellent Condition! This Archive if you will was purchased by one Woman (Yes One Woman) over a span of decades who due to her conservative career could not actually wear them to work but only enjoy them twirling around in front of her 3 way mirror in her home holding them in front of her then hanging them back up. She lived here in Rochester and shopped at Sibleys, McCurdys, B. Foreman many of which have the Original Tags and Price Tags still attached or Present on the Hanger. There is no Haute Couture like YSL Dior Pucci etc. but is still all Great Quality and name brands of the day. We are affectionately dubbing this collection ….The Dress Horde! True Vintage Clothing is a SMOKING HOT Market these days both for collectors and people who appreciate wearing true vintage. The quality is unlike todays modern clothing. The high percentage of Vintage Clothing found in the general marketplace of Vintage Clothing Stores, Etsy, Ebay and the like have been heavily worn, hemmed, faded and just downright USED! THIS COLLECTION HAS NOT BEEN! Again she pretty much bought them and never actually wore them. They were all pretty much properly stored in all of her closets and the home had rooms full of them on racks. To find True Vintage Clothing in this NOS, NWT Excellent Condition and lightly Worn Excellent Condition is practically unheard of and increases its value and desirability. It is now time for them to belong to someone else to cherish and love them for who knows maybe decades more to come. Included in this sale will also be her Vintage Purses and Unworn Shoes. Payment will be Cash or Credit Card.
View full details at EstateSales.NET: https://www.EstateSales.NET/NY/Rochester/14616/1304703
DJ says
You know how you read the obit of a stranger and think, “Wow, I wish I would have known this person?” I can tell just by her clothes that I would have LOVED this woman! And the shoes are my size exactly! Wonder if I could just call with my CC# and have them all shipped directly to me? ;
“Honey Bunny, I need to fly to New York to buy (more) clothes.” Yeah, that’ll go over well!
pam kueber says
Worth giving it a try! It may be a hard sell to sell all those narrow shoes!
Scott says
You absolutely should go, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will haunt you for years if you don’t. Seriously. OMG.
Jocelan K. Tracey says
OMG I could kill myself being out here in Vancouver Canada. You are so lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yellow says
Wow! This is similar to the man who sold 55,000 vintage flouncy dresses that he bought for his wife, in the LA area a few years back. I imagine it was featured here, but just in case, here is a good longform article about the couple and their dresses: http://www.laweekly.com/news/how-did-paul-brockmann-end-up-with-55-000-dresses-one-purchase-at-a-time-2614601
I’m an LA native, but now live out of state… so though rare, these things DO happen from time to time. Here’s to hoping it will happen in mine, and all of your areas : )
pam kueber says
Wow, for some reason that one got by me! Them be a lot of hangers required!
Karen in Philly says
Like Sandy said in her comments, I hope people will respect this wonderful collection. I too would find it overwhelming to go. BUT I LOVE A GOOD PRINT and this woman has literally thousands of items with prints!! I hope anyone who goes will cherish what she buys and maybe anything unsold can be put on ebay for all of those young ladies out there who wear vintage but who are too far away from Rochester. I too am happy for the husband. It is great they shared this info with you, Pam and Kate,
it shows how you really are the “IT” girls when it comes to anything retro. Thanks for the heads up and Pam, enjoy all of your new ornaments. Hope Kate is doing well. Karen
Patti says
Another vintage lover/reseller here too, and oh how I wish this sale was being done online as an auction! Wider audience could buy and enjoy, and more $$ would result for the organizer and that dear collector’s hubby who is allowing these pieces to be saved. So drat, I say; disappointed on that end, but so happy to see these in photos. Here’s an idea- the collection would sure make a great ‘mini-book’! If someone could photo all of it (at least in small groups, to be able to see each piece)- how great would it be to preserve this as an intact collection to remember?? Would be a wonderful ‘archive’ for many to enjoy. To Tim H…maybe someone can do this? I’d buy it! Last, I see a note about the ‘ozone generator’/scent remover and my 2cents (as a vintage clothing/textile collector and reseller)- it’s NOT effective. Just better to hand-launder with a chemical-free product…then you’ve got a truly fresh, clean garment that’s ready to wear or display. That said, pieces stored in smoking environments are sometimes beyond bringing back to vibrant life; smell may eventually come out, but often the coloring is altered/damaged. I know;
time-consuming but SO worth it. Most everything has some kind of dust at the very least, and oddly enough I enjoy the washing and seeing brightness and colors come back to life :0)
pam kueber says
I hear ya, but re selling online vs in an on-site sale: Time is money. I am guessing the seller did not want to spend the rest of his life listing dresses for sale online! I also think that selling vintage clothes online can be a hassle, give that measurements are required etc., and everyone I hear from these days tells me online selling fees just keep going up and up. So I understand!
denise says
You are so right, Pam. The time it takes to list an article of clothing, and then it sells for little money or no money, times 4,000, someone would be at the computer forever. It’s daunting…I know. Then dealing with customers that aren’t happy and the fees involved. This is really the wisest choice, then hubby can move on. Thankfully I do not live near there, or stand in line for such things, I have about 150 pieces to sell already (although I do love to wear vintage) and am exhausted just thinking about it. LOL Those colors and patterns, though!! makes my heart skip a beat. For those that can make it there, I’m excited for them and I would love to hear their stories.
Carolyn says
I think too many people would see some of these dresses and just say “EW!” because of the “outdated” prints and trims and not think to maybe remove those long hanks of lace and add a belt.
From the pics, there sure are a lot you could wear to work/function and garner compliments “Ooh, where did you get that?!” thinking it was current or cutting edge.
OK, the blue one next to the yellow one and the black with white dots and long sleeves 2 pics after – I, personally, can not imagine. But someone may have been looking forever to find just those two!
Chris says
Ozium in a spray is less than $10 and works great for all odors, musty smells, smoke from cigars/cigarettes/fireplace etc. A cheaper alternative to buying the ozone machine referenced above.
mary says
Her story must be as interesting as her clothing. Quite a sum of money was needed to buy this collection. Not to mention time.
She was probably quite a character.
Sandy says
This is so wonderful for her husband. I keep thinking what a huge job this would be for him and stress involved. He will know others will love them as much as his wife did. A circle of life in a way.
I want the vest shown on the end of one of the racks. You are going to have to get there early, probably only a number of people at a time being let in. I’d be a mess with a jammed up crowd. Hope those that do go will respect all and handle them with the care given for so many years.
Have great fun to all going. I’d love a video of this sale.