Colin Firth’s white shirt from Pride and Prejudice goes up for public sale
The white shirt worn by Colin Firth‘s Mr Darcy as he emerged dripping from a lake was central to some of the well-known scenes in tv historical past.
Now, practically three a long time because the second within the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that left legions of feminine viewers swooning, the well-known garment could possibly be yours.
Cosprop, a fancy dress home based by Oscar and Bafta-winning designer John Bright in 1965, and Kerry Taylor Auctions, final evening introduced the shirt goes beneath the hammer with an estimate of £7,000 to £10,000 in a charity public sale.
The Mail has learnt it’s certainly one of seven such shirts made for Firth for the filming of his smouldering post-swim encounter with Jennifer Ehle’s Elizabeth Bennet within the hit collection. It is believed that he wore every of them sooner or later throughout filming.
Cosprop’s basic supervisor Chris Garlick stated a number of variations of the shirt have been made because it was worn in moist and dry scenes, and in case of re-takes.
The white shirt worn by Colin Firth ‘s Mr Darcy as he emerged dripping from a lake was central to some of the well-known scenes in tv historical past
Now, practically three a long time because the second within the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that left legions of feminine viewers swooning, the well-known garment could possibly be yours
The whereabouts of three totally verified shirts are identified, in accordance with Kerry Taylor. As properly because the one within the upcoming public sale, held dwell in London and on-line, one was auctioned for the BBC’S Children In Need in 1995 and made £500 and the opposite stays with Cosprop of their museum.
The one supplied on the market by Cosprop within the Kerry Taylor public sale on March 5 is available in a single lot together with different Mr Darcy costume objects together with a muslin cravat, moleskin breeches, a velvet waistcoat, a tailcoat and a signed {photograph} of Firth in Pride and Prejudice.
The well-known ‘moist shirt’ was designed by famend costume designer Dinah Collin after which made by Cosprop.
Ms Collin stated: ‘Mr Darcy’s ‘moist shirt second’ was by no means scripted. It took place in discussions between myself and the late Christopher Prins who was then head of menswear at Cosprop.
‘In the scene Mr Darcy is spied rising from a lake having taken a cooling swim on a scorching summer season’s day. Because on display male nudity was not permitted, taking into consideration the BBC watershed and US broadcasts, the thought of the ‘moist shirt’ was born.
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy within the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice
Mr Darcy sitting on the financial institution earlier than he takes a plunge. Costume designer Dinah Collin stated the second took place in discussions she had with the late Christopher Prins who was then head of menswear at Cosprop
‘Our approach spherical this was for Colin Firth to be filmed three-quarter size carrying simply the Irish linen shirt – copied from an vintage authentic – which clung to the physique.
‘The scene brought on one thing of a sensation on the time and remodeled Colin Firth from a revered classical actor to one thing of a intercourse image in a single day.’
In whole, greater than 60 costumes from movie and TV characteristic within the public sale, together with a classic Nineteen Fifties’ Christian Dior taffeta ball robe, worn by Madonna in 1996’s Evita, which might fetch between £40,000 and £60,000, and Johnny Depp’s Sleepy Hollow costume that might fetch between £20,000 and £30,000.
The proceeds of the public sale will go to The Bright Foundation, an arts-based schooling charity which gives free entry to inventive actions, visible and efficiency arts for youngsters and younger individuals dealing with drawback.
