Charles A. Whitaker Auction Company
The Helen Larson Private Collection
Saturday, April 28 at 10 AM
Preview: Thurs April 26th (by appointment),
Fri. April 27th 10-6 PM and Sat. April 28 8–10AM
Location: New Hope Eagle Fire Co.
New Hope, PA 18938

Additional information, catalogs and 100’s of additional photos:
www.whitakerauction.com • Phone: 215-817-4600
This season The Charles A. Whitaker Auction Co. is extremely honored to have been selected to bring to market the Private Collection of Helen Larson. Many in the historic fashion world are familiar with Helen Larson and the massive collections she has put together both as a fashion historian and as a businesswoman through her creation of Western Costume in Los Angeles. It is her own private and personal collection we will offer this spring in New Hope, PA.
Helen Larson was a passionate collector of both fashion and history. She, with the assistance of her close friend Doris Langley Moore-founder of The Costume Museum, Bath, England-assembled a massive collection over a 50 year career beginning in the 1940’s. There are several lots offered that were illustrated in Moore’s The Woman in Fashion and The Child in Fashion. For the past several years The Helen Larson Private Collection has been housed at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising). Much of the research extracted by the staff at FIDM and others will be included with the upcoming lots offered for sale. The HLPC spans several centuries and offers collectors, historians, and institutions a unique opportunity to acquire historical, royal and haute couture with a secure chain of provenance. Many lots include copies of correspondence between Larson and Moore, copies of invoices and auction records. European Royalty represented in the collection includes Queens Victoria, Alexandra and Mary of England, Louise of Denmark, Marina of Greece and others. American figures of note range from presidential first ladies and Gilded Age industrialists, to Hollywood celebrities including Mrs. Ulysses S Grant, First Lady Ellen Wilson, Gilded age industrialists Mrs Jay Gould (Duchess of Tallyrand), Consuelo Vanderbilt (Duchess of Marlborough) and Katherine Hepburn from “The African Queen”. The HLPC also houses some of the best of the best in haute couture with important examples from Worth, Poiret, Paquin, Pingat, Molyneux, Vionnet, Chanel and others. There are hundreds accessories including hats, shoes, corsets plus good lace veils, shawls, trim and garments.
Attributed to Balenciaga
Mrs Jay Gould Duchess of Tallyrand
Attributed to Schiaparelli
First Lady Ellen Wilson
Callot Soeurs
First Lady Julia Gardiner Tyler, 1835
Poiret Beaded & Sequinned Dress, 1928
Chanel, 1928
Great Hats
Queen Victoria and other Royalty Consuelo Vanderbilt
Irish Crochet and Great Lace Rare Fortuny Kimono Coat
Cut Velvet Bustle Gown, 1883
Large Quantity of 18th & 19th C Men’s
Rare Mother Daughter with Greek Embroidery English Wool &
Lace Afternoon Gown, 1901
Sheer Cotton Embroidered, 1815 Man’s Velvet Coat
Several Lots of Important Fortuny
Silk Pelisse, 1815
Several lots 18th Century Shoes
Spitalfields, 1780
Paquin Silver Lame Yvette Guilbert
Sacque Gown 1755,
John Hancock Estate
Felix 1880