How long have you been in business?
Specialist Auctions Vintage section opened in June of 2006 but the site itself opened late in 2005.
What motivated you to go into the vintage and pattern auction business? We had a request from Margaret Bolger of Artizania to open a vintage and antique clothing section. In December of 2006 our current moderator, Margaret Leyden, joined us as a seller and co-moderator of the Vintage and Antique Clothing Section and is the moderator at this time and a member of the Vintage Fashion Guild.
Where are you based? Specialist Auctions is based in the UK but we are truly an international site with more than 50% of our sellers based in the U.S. We have vintage clothing, vintage textiles and vintage pattern sellers from Lapland, the UK, Peru and the US.
what's the weirdest/best/craziest/most beautiful thing you've ever found?
There are so many beautiful things at Specialist Auctions Vintage it would be a sin to pick just one so I'll give you four:
this zebra hostess gown from Wyoming Vintage
this 1936 home sewing magazine from Memories Past
this champagne satin party dress from Alley Cats Vintage
this popover duster dress pattern from Henrietta's Pearl Button
and, from our newest vintage pattern store, this adorable vintage jacket pattern from RetroMonde Vintage Patterns
What do you wish someone would ask you about your site?
How did we have the nerve to set the site up in the first place ?
It's a good day at work when …
We have new sellers come on board and watch them have success with selling their items. It's also great to see buyers come on board and be pleased with their purchases and the service they receive.
The pattern at the top of this post is also from RetroMonde …
If this wasn't enough Specialist Auction Action for you, check out Marge's blog, where she's been profiling SA sellers all week, in slideshows.
A Dress A Day 
Marge’s blog is nice…I especially like that hibiscus maxi dress….so anti-autumn!
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I want that dress pattern and the jacket pattern (that style is purrfect) but in bust 34! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!oh – any tips on navigating the site? Vintage patterns are not on pull down search list…
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On the left hand of the site click on clothing-sewing vintage and antique, then click on vintage sewing and then click on vintage patterns. There you will see the types of patterns available. Or if you read the front page of the stores when you click in you will see in the descriptions if the seller has patterns. There are actually two stores with the name “patterns” in them. Hope this helps.By the way, The Vintage Bulletin is a collaborative blog of which I am only one of many posters. You can see what we have available on my blog:http://alwaysplayingdressup.blogspot.com/
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really nice ideas!
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The way the sleeves are done in that McCall’s pattern is really interesting. Wish it were my size.
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Thank you so much for the interview, Erin dahling! Specialist Auctions is truly THE site to buy vintage nowadays, and Marge does a truly fantastic job as moderator. What other site has live moderators to make sure no fakes or reproductions sneak into their various categories?
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