Bonhams FLASHBACK: 24th January 1992 The BBC Costume Dept sale

Exactly 24 years ago TODAY there was an unusual auction at Bonhams to sell off a vast amount of ex-BBC costume department items.

Due to the volume of items on offer, the sale was held at the BBC Costume Warehouse, which at the time was on the Royal London Industrial Estate in North Acton.

Most of the sale was non-descript items, broken down into sections such as PERIOD COSTUMES - GREEK/ROMAN, MEDIAEVAL, TUDOR, ELIZABETHAN, STUART, GEORGIAN and REGENCY, VICTORIAN and EDWARDIAN etc.

It then moved on to SPORTSWEAR and MISCELLANEOUS before CHILDRENS and LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. There was even a section for FANCY DRESS and ARMOUR, CHAINMAIL ETC.

Then things got more interesting with NARNIA prior to the big draw the sale - the SCIENCE FICTION section.

This was broken down into DR WHO, BLAKE’S 7, THE FLIP SIDE OF DOMINICK HYDE, STAR COPS, and OTHER SCIENCE FICTION COSTUMES.

The sale closed with a section of late additions, which included an extra Doctor Who lot.

I recently picked up a copy of the sales catalogue on aBay - such as it is. Back in 1992 this consisted of a pocket folder with a stapled loose sheet listing of the items for sale. There are no photographs or illustrations, and the descriptions are scant to say the least.

I have transcribed all the Doctor Who items.

As usual I have separated the items by Doctor era, and you can see the rest of the items here:

Lots 281 - 282
3rd Doctor (1970-1974)

Lots 283 - 288 & 372
4th Doctor (1975-1981)

Lots 302 - 310
6th Doctor (1984-1986)

Lots 311 - 313
7th Doctor (1987-1989)

Here are just the lots relating to the Fifth Doctor era

Bonhams Sale 25395
(24th January 1992)
BBC Television Costume Sale

Click the link above to download a copy of the full catalogue

Lot 289 Kinda, 1982, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Long black dress with slits worn by Mary Morris as Panna (1)
Sold for £60

Lot 290 Black Orchid, 1982.
Dress belonging to Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) plus a copy for her double (2)
Sold for £90

Lot 291 Enlightenment, 1983, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Spacesuit backpack with matching helmet (2)
Sold for £90

Lot 292 A similar lot (2)
Sold for £320

Lot 293 A similar lot (2)
Unsold

Lot 294 A similar lot (2)
Sold for £160

Lot 295 A similar lot
Sold for £170

Lot 296 Spacesuit backpacks without helmets (3)
Sold for £50

Lot 297 Terminus, 1983, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Vanir helmets (2)
Sold for £600

Lot 298 Caves of Androzani, 1984, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Silver material suits with black detailing and coloured shoulders worn by Robert Glenister as Salateen, Van Staples, Harry Payne, Allen Talburt and Pat Gorman (7)
Sold for £200

Lot 299 Warriors of the Deep, 1984, Peter Davison as Dr Who.
Undergarments worn by Crewmember T Steedman of Sea Base 4 Marine (1)
Sold for £30

Lot 300 Terminus, 1984, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Olvirs bubble helmet, cloak and body armour, plus assorted pieces (a lot)
Sold for £200

Lot 301 Planet of Fire, 1984, Peter Davison as Dr Who. 
Elders headdress and bracelets (3)
Sold for £65