IT was discovered in a box of fabric at a Glasgow market and instantly stood out for its quality.


What was buried underneath other items turned out to be a rare collar designed and made by embroiderer Ann Macbeth, known as one of the Glasgow Girls for her part in the Glasgow Movement.
And when it comes up at auction next week, it is expected to fetch between £3,000 to £5,000.

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However, the much sought-after piece is expected to generate interest among collectors and admirers of her work and could well go for more.

Macbeth, who was once pictured wearing the collar, had an incredible life. Not only was she an inspiring artist, she was also a teacher and women’s rights activist, which led to her being imprisoned for her militant action.
As a suffragette, she designed the banner for the 1908 Edinburgh march of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies.
The following year, the Glasgow branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union, the militant wing of the campaign for women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom, was presented with an embroidered banner designed by Macbeth.
Aside from working as a suffrage banner maker Macbeth was also a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union and she engaged in militant action. 
It led to her being imprisoned, although, as she did not appear in court or newspaper reports, she appears to have done so under a false name; the nature of her action is unknown. 

The Herald: The collar could sell for up to £5000The collar could sell for up to £5000 (Image: Lyon and Turnbull)
In a letter to the Secretary of the Glasgow School of Arts from May 1912 Macbeth thanked him for his “kind letters” and wrote “I am still very much less vigorous than I anticipated... after a fortnight’s solitary imprisonment with forcible feedings”. 
After the 1912 prison stay she needed several months care as a “semi-invalid.”
However, it is her work as an embroiderer that is generating much interest today, with her pieces continuing to charm and captivate those who come across them.
It will be a rare opportunity to capture one of her pieces at the auction on Wednesday, October 12, as part of the Design Since 1860 auction at Lyon and Turnbull in Edinburgh.
Her work features figures encased within an array of stylised roundels and openwork banding. 
As a teacher at the School of Art, she continued to uphold her tutor Jessie Newbery’s views and encouraged students to explore women’s fashion and artistic dress. 

The Herald: Ann Macbeth wearing collar. Picture credit: CSG CIC Glasgow Museums and Collection Ann Macbeth wearing collar. Picture credit: CSG CIC Glasgow Museums and Collection (Image: CSG CIC Glasgow Museums and Collection)
This rare surviving example of a collar, very likely worn by her for a portrait taken in 1900, is said to capture the “organic essence and vibrancy of the Glasgow style”.
Whilst the School of Art’s main focus was to foster fresh young designers to strengthen city’s key trades, the director Fra Newbery, Jessie’s husband, equally believed in the importance of nurturing individuality amongst his students.
Macbeth enrolled at the art school in 1897 and immersed herself in the stimulating and progressive environment; a space in which women could actively pursue an artistic career and financial independence.
Macbeth’s striking embroideries were a regular feature in The Studio publication and the present lot was no exception. 
Well-received and much admired, it was illustrated in the Magazine’s 1908 edition on page 291. 
The design of the collar illustrates both Newbery and Macbeth’s interest in producing non-restrictive womenswear of an artistic aesthetic. 
Far removed from the tight-corseted dresses which shaped bodies into the desired aesthetic under a male gaze, Macbeth advocated designs for free-flowing garments that gave way to a natural waistline.
Belts, collars and cuffs were a particular focus for the pair, since they offered women several options to accessorise a variety of outfits; a highly economical approach to emerging fashions of the day.
Experts with auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull said that while the design of the collar may appear simple to the eye it is deceptively so, as it demands a remarkable level of skill and creativity from the embroiderer.
John Mackie, of Lyon and Turnbull auctioneers, said: “While the discovery might have come as a surprise buried under other fabric, the vendors recognised it was a piece of quality and found out its origin. 
“It stands out as a high quality piece and I think there will be a great deal of interest from institutions and private collectors.
“It is very rare and seems to have been one of those things that gets lost over the years. 
“It is very fragile and is made of a fine silk, but is a work of art that requires to be handled very carefully. 
“The stitching is immaculate,
 which reflects the great skill that
she had.”