WALLIS SIMPSON'S SHOES TO BE AUCTIONED OFF

A PAIR OF DESIGNER SHOES ONCE WORN BY WALLIS SIMPSON WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF THIS WEEK. SIMPSON, THE AMERICAN WHO MARRIED KING EDWARD VIII AFTER HIS ABDICATION, BOUGHT THE VINTAGE ANDREW GELLER HIGH HEELS AT HARVEY NICHOLS IN LONDON'S KNIGHTSBRIDGE IN THE 1950s. THE DUKE OF WINDSOR LATER GAVE THE SIZE 5 SHOES, WITH INTRICATE FLORAL EMBROIDERY AND GOLD CROSS STRAPS, TO HIS VALET DAVID CAMPBELL FOR A YOUNG NIECE 'TO PLAY DRESSING UP WITH'. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO SPARK WORLDWIDE INTEREST WHE THEY GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT AUCTIONEERS GARDINER HOULGATE'S SALESROOM IN CORSHAM, WILTSHIRE, WITH AN ESTIMATE OF £150 TO £250. THE SALE ALSO INCLUDES FOUR ITEMS WHICH FETCHED MORE THAN £112,000 WHEN SIMPSON'S LEGENDARY GLITTERING JEWELRY COLLECTION WAS AUCTIONED BY SOTHEBY'S IN A LANDMARK SALE WHICH RAISED MORE THAN £31 MILLION FOR CHARITY IN GENEVA IN 1987. JAMIE BELL, AN AUCTIONEER AT GARDINER HOULGATE, SAID: 'WE AREA VERY EXCITED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE SELLING THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR ITEMS. WHAT IS ESPECIALLY INTERESTING IS THAT WHENEVER ANY OF THE DUCHESS OF WINDSOR ITEMS HAVE COME BACK ON THE MARKET, THEY HAVE INVARIABLY MADE MORE MONEY THAN THEY DID IN THE 1987 SALE.' DAVID HARE, GARDINER HOULGATE DIRECTOR, SAID: 'ALL THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR LOTS ARE WONDERFUL, HISTORIC ITEMS WITH ESTABLISHED PROVENANCE FROM THE ORIGINAL SALE.'