I wonder how often autographed Chanel items come up for auction? I do know, from visiting Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon, that the House of Chanel likes to buy up any links to the past and keep them for their archives. In particular, there was a beautiful white chair in the apartment that had been there originally in the 1920’s but was sold off – circumstances unknown – and Chanel researchers found it listed in an auction. They bought it back and it’s now back in its rightful place in Paris. Chanel never slept in the apartment (she kept a suite at the Ritz) but she held gatherings and meetings there. It’s carefully decorated – not cluttered – and has been kept more or less as it was when she died.
I’ve done the obligatory search for Chanel autographs and it’s a desert out there – nothing significant turns up – making this piece, found in a Japanese home in the late 1980’s – something of a find, perhaps. I don’t know very much about it other than that at the time of sale, it came with an authentication certificate that is now lost. I’m not sure how much credence can be given to the authentication certificate in the first place, but the current owners are in the process of having it authenticated at a reputable auction house.
On the face of it, the signature predates WW2 – Chanel flourished during WW1 by using simple, elegant and practical designs, and took the opportunity to close her shop during WW2 – pity the poor workforce – and focus on regaining her fragrance business (she’d made a terrible deal, effectively giving away 90% of the fragrance business). This is a huge simplification of matters but Chanel’s war years were messy and complicated. Nonetheless, if this signature is authenticated, it’s from a significant period of her life and I really can’t speculate on its value but would suspect that the house of Chanel would very much want it for their archives.
Looking at bit further at the date of the signature – bearing in mind we don’t know what country this was signed in – the USA and UK write their dates differently, so 1-12-39 is first of December, or 12.1.39 which is 12th January – the latter being before the war (1st September 1939) and the former being pre-war. It’s impossible to guess where the signature came from – I like to think perhaps a guest book or a letter, but I suppose it could be anything that’s informal in circumstance. Tantalisingly, there is evidence of writing underneath the signature. As part of the framed ensemble there is picture of Chanel, an engraved plaque (modern), a genuine Chanel silk handkerchief and a bottle of Chanel No. 5. The Chanel sign, by the way, is an original from the Rue Cambon store in 1967 (with 1960’s wiring to match!).
The signature is currently residing at Vintage By Misty HERE in Scottsdale, Arizona (click through – it’s an absolute treasure trove that’s something of a celebrity haunt) waiting for authentication and depending upon that outcome, will eventually come to market. I love a mystery and we absolutely have one here!
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