This shawl, ‘a pivot’, was created in response to changing fashions of the 1860s when the voluminous skirts of the decade started to wane. This eventually led to smaller, square shawls in 1865-7. This shawl is designed to be worn folded to show both ends of the shawl. Sometimes the ends would be of different colours so that the shawl would accessorise with several different outfits. The best-known shawls of this type were produced for various Expositions Universelles, particularly by Anthony Berrus, the leading designer of the 1850s and 1860s.
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This lot has been imported from outside the EU for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on the invoice. Please see Conditions of Sale for further information.