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Lot 01
Lot 1
1960s - Douglas Darnell |
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A glistening stage gown by Douglas Darnell, the black silk faille ground densely
embroidered overall with vertical rows of black bugle beads, the skirt slit to
the hip at one side, the flowing train and slit trimmed with deep layers of
black ostrich feathers, lined in gold silk tissue
Weight: approx. 3.5kg
This gown has been adapted by Darnell since he first made it in 1960 from the
original form of a simple column gown to which he added the ostrich feather to
the hem, and later the side slit with further ostrich trim.
The photograph illustrated on the front cover of this catalogue shows Dame
Shirley wearing this gown on stage at the Royal Command Performance, London
Palladium, November, 1965. Other photographs show her wearing this gown
previously during performances at the Pigalle Club, London, September, 1960.
Subsequently it has been worn at various venues including the Royal Albert Hall
in 1973, and during her Spring Tour, 1988. It also features on various 1960s
album covers including: The Best of Bassey; Shirley Bassey As Long As He Needs
Me; and Shirley Bassey Live At The Pigalle.
Dame Shirley recalls wearing this gown on stage at a key moment in Chile at a
music festival in the 1970s. She told us:
"I wore this in Chile at a two day song festival. The first day they put me on
at 2 o'clock in the morning. Those kids [in the audience] had been going since
7pm and were ready to rock. Then this woman comes on and starts singing
'Goldfinger'...they weren't interested at that hour. By the time I came to do my
third song...it was in Spanish...because I could hear them ..it wasn't boo boo
[she laughs] but the Spanish equivalent ...I forgot my words and I was saying
mumbo jumbo words...I was distracted and my showbusiness voice in my head was
saying "Get off before you get lynched" I came off and I cried...there was no
consoling me and everyone thought "Oh tomorrow's off" ...But before I went to
bed I said "Now this is how it goes. You want me to sing tomorrow. I want to go
on first and I only want to sing three songs...this is how it's going to be".
And I chose this dress...and they put me on first and I marched on ...and they
saw this leg .. [in defiant voice] and I did 'Goldfinger', I did the Spanish
Song then I ended up with 'This Is My Life'...there was huge applause...also
because of what had happened the night before. The audience were cheering ...the
audience awarded the gong...I won...I would have got two if they'd put me on
first the night before [laughs]. I would have been the only singer ever to have
got two...so that's the significance of this gown..."
£6,400
Images displayed with kind permission of Christies Images Ltd. © 2002
)