The contents of a haberdashery shop which closed 30 years ago is going under the hammer in a two-day auction.
Walkers General Store, established in 1924, was known as a ‘go to’ shop for groceries, sweets and china ornaments and was reminiscent of Grace Brothers department store in long-running BBC sitcom Are You Being Served.
Bought for young art student Hilda Walker by her father Arthur – a furniture upholsterer – the business was then passed on to her younger sister Dorothy.
Walkers General Store, established in 1924, was known as a go to shop for groceries, sweets, china ornaments. The store and its entire contents are now being put up for sale
From left, cast members from Are You Being Served? Wendy Richard, Mollie Sugden, Arthur Brough, Nicholas Smith, Trevor Bannister, John Inman and Frank Thornton
Among the items going under the hammer is this cce maiden tutu worn by Dame Margot Fonteyn, a famous British dancer
The store was bought for young art student Hilda Walker by her father Arthur – a furniture upholsterer . The business was then passed on to her younger sister Dorothy (pictured) but closed in 1989 when she died and has remained untouched ever since
A display counter top dated around 1930 is one of the items up for sale. The collection is to be sold by Moore Allen and Innocent in the Cotswolds
It closed following Dorothy’s death in 1989 and was demolished two years later.
Every item from the store, which was in Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire, is now being put up for sale.
The auction will see all soft furnishings, rolls of quality cloth, curtains, blankets and cushions, ballgowns, fur coats, and hunting jackets, go under the hammer.
Buttons, cotton reels, patterns, lace, ribbons, samples of thread from the Walker’s Store will also be up for grabs.
The collection is to be sold by Moore Allen and Innocent’s, in Cotswolds for a two-day auction starting this Thursday.
Sale room manager at Moore Allen and Innocent, Lucie Rowe, said: ‘There’s a healthy collectors’ market for vintage haberdashery supplies. We’re expecting a great deal of interest.’
Patterns and fabric swatches from the 1930s to 1960s and hundreds of card-mounted sets of buttons include fasteners made of ivory will also be available for buyers.
Left, Dorothy and Hilda Walker with parents Hilda and Arthur. Right, a Patons colour ranges book from 1968 which is being put up for sale
A Pearsall’s silk thread sample card (left) and an Ardern’s Star Sylko thread sample book
Patterns and fabric swatches from the 1930s to 1960s and hundreds of card-mounted sets of buttons include fasteners made of ivory will also be available for buyers.
A1930 Clark’s Anchor counter-top oak cantilever display box for embroidery thread, which will be hoping to go for £150 to £200.
Part of the massive collection, which will be sold over multiple lots, is a tutu worn by greatest British dancer, Dame Margot Fonteyn famous for dancing in Sleeping Beauty 1946.
The contents of the shop is set to sell at a estimate price of £800 to £1,200.
Are You Being Served was broadcast between 8 November 1972 and 1 April 1985.
Set in London it followed the comical adventures of the staff at Grace Brothers department store.