Rare book on Victorian fashion

A Staffordshire auctioneer has discovered a rare Victorian book which details ladies fashions from that period.

Charles Hanson, auctioneer and regular on the BBC's Bargain Hunt, found the album, which includes colour plates showing pictures of how a lady would look 140 years ago, in Burton upon Trent and offers an insight into fashions for women in those days.

The bound copy of The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine was printed more than 140 years ago.

Mr Hanson, Hansons Auctioneers manager, said the book was a "fantastic find." He said: "It was found in a house when we were taking part in a normal clearance and finding something like this is brilliant, it's really stunning to look at."

He added: "The book with its remarkable colour plates of the latest female fashions for the autumn and winter of 1863 reveals what our leading industrial wives of a great Victorian empire age were investing in when it came to fashion. At this time of the empire, wives of leading industrialists and diplomats were setting the standard for fashions around Europe."

One sesction says: "With low dresses in winter season a necklace is de rigeur.

"Pink coral is prettiest and simple for a young girl. Bonnets are of great variety and in great favour just now."

Details of what a lady would wear includes how many times to change footwear in a day – with a bad choice seeing reputation and class diminished.

On hairstyles it adds: "For an evening dinner in the cooler season hair ought to be dressed in four rolls either side and finished off behind with a Marie Antoinette chignon, frizzed very much."

Hansons will sell the book in a fine art auction at the Mackworth Hotel, near Derby on Thursday November 29. Call 01283 733 988 or email service@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk