An Antiques Roadshow expert was left stunned when a never-before-seen Elizabethan textiles collection dating back 500 years appeared during filming.
The items - which included a bedspread and pillowcases sewn by Elizabeth I and her ladies in waiting - were led by an “extremely rare” ivory silk satin sleeve and sleeve support. They appeared during filming at Grade I listed Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. Until their discovery, no examples of sleeve supports were known to exist. The BBC show said the “unique” sleeve support - known as a farthingale sleeve - had remained in an almost perfect condition along with the satin sleeve it originally supported.
The items - thought to be worth a “minimum” of £100,000 - belonged to the Willoughby family at Wollaton Hall, which was built in 1588 by wealthy coal baron Sir Francis Willoughby.
Author and lecturer Hilary Kay said: “It may not look very exciting, but… the hair on the back of my neck is rising. It doesn’t get much better than this. Exceptional. It is such an exciting moment to be faced with something from the 16th Century which is in such incredible condition.”
A replica of the sleeve was made for academics to study as it is too rare to be modelled and was placed into secure storage.
The farthingale sleeve is made from a thick cotton material called fustian, stitched with 14 casings of linen each containing a hoop of baleen, also known as whalebone.
It was used to support the very large gown sleeves, worn by Queen Elizabeth I in The Ditchley Portrait at the National Gallery.
An incredible discovery … 