WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest was beaming from ear to ear when he discovered just how much his wife’s dress was really worth.
In true Antiques Roadshow fashion, whether it’s the BBC original or the US version, collectors from all walks of life bring forth intriguing items, eager to unearth their history and potentially hefty price tags.
This excitement unfolded anew at Denver Botanic Gardens, where appraiser Deborah Miller got tasked with scrutinising a piece of vintage fashion.
The current owner narrated the backstory: “It was given to us by a good friend of my wife’s mother and it was from her family and we think it was from the 1800s, the dress was made.
“My wife was a home ec teacher so she was very interested in all the work that went into making the dress. It was given to my wife in about the 1960s.”
Miller hit him with a surprise, stating: “It’s earlier than you think. It is a very rare example of an indigo printed cotton dress that dates to 1798 or thereabouts.”
To which the owner could only muster a stunned: “Oh my goodness”, prompting Miller to delve deeper into the garment’s intricate past.
She elaborated: “This type of printing was very complicated and so we as Americans, just a few decades after the Revolutionary War, we didn’t have that skill and that infrastructure to make this type of multi-process printing.
“So there is a very good possibility the fabric, at least, comes from England.
“It’s in wonderful condition. It’s a glazed cotton and I can see around certain areas it’s a little shiny.
“It is lined, the bodice is lined with a very heavy linen to kind of keep body sweats away.
“It has a pull drawstring tie at the top and one on right at the bodice.
“And inside, there’s just a little opening. You can see there is sort of a flap closure inside, just for modesty’s sake.
“The aspect that really helps us zero in on the date is all in the back.”
Miller then highlighted a “tight triangle piece” of fabric on the back of the dress, noting the small pleats.
She further discussed the pleating which contributed “a lot of fullness”.
“Later on, even 10 years later, five years later, we slowly start to see this more of a column.
“But this sort of nice sweep and fullness at the back is helping to date it to the very late 1790s.”
When asked if they had considered its value, the owner replied: “No, we’ve never really worried about it.
“My wife just said it’s just a museum piece and we need to keep it, because it’s a very valuable dress.”
It was at this juncture that Miller prepared to reveal the true worth of the dress: “She is absolutely right, that’s the kind of level this dress is.
“It is a very elevated, up-to-date day dress in great condition. For insurance purposes, you would have an insurance value of $15,000.”
The guest’s reaction was one of astonishment as he exclaimed: “Oh my goodness. That’s amazing.
“It’s very rare” Miller said with a chuckle, “Unsuspected.”
The expert couldn’t hide her excitement about the discovery: “My heart stopped when we saw it! The colour alone and then looking at it and dating it to that early, there was a lot of excitement on the table. So thank you so much for bringing it in.”
In return for the insight, he expressed his thanks: “Well we appreciate all your help and telling us more about it.”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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