The iconic red wool sweater with sheep renamed “Balck Sheep” will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York from 31 August to 14 September worn by Diana Spencer in 1981 following her engagement to Prince Charles. The auction house announced it, explaining that the garment has an estimated value of between 52,300 and 91,600 dollars and has been included in the lots dedicated to fashion icons. Renamed “Black sheep”, with all white sheep and one black, the sweater was designed by designers Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, who had founded the “Warm and Wonderful” brand three years earlier.
In March the discovery: from the boxes to Sotheby’s
But how did it end up at auction? A few weeks after the future princess of Wales was photographed in that garment, the two designers received a letter from Buckingham Palace. The sweater, loved by Lady Diana, was damaged and they asked to be able to replace or fix it. And so they did, also receiving a second letter of thanks from Diana’s private secretary. They decided to get him a new one of hers, with the black sheep in a different position. She thanked her and the original sweater worn by the princess ended up in the boxes. By now they thought it had been lost in one of the many moves, but when the designer Joanna Osborne decided to tidy up the attic, she found a box with the sweater inside without the cuff. That was precisely the fault that Diana asked to be fixed.
So he called Sotheby’s and brought him the sweater and Buckingham Palace letters. After a rigorous authentication process, the verdict: It’s the original sweater. And the contract was immediately signed.