Wallis Simpson's silky style fails to hit the mark at auction

The pale lemon chiffon negligee and capelet worn by the American socialite during the late 1930s to mid 1940s featured at a bumper Christmas auction at Halls' Welsh Bridge showroom in Shrewsbury.

But the nightgown – valued between £700 and £900 – remained unsold after failing to attract any bids which met its reserve.

And three further high profile lots – including a 1960s Cresta Couture black lace cocktail dress that was first owned by English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn and two 1960s dresses from the collection of ballerina and film star Maureen Swanson, the Countess of Dudley – also failed to sell at yesterday's sale.

Hundreds of collectors took part in the auction, which was also filmed by camera crews from BBC One daytime antiques show Bargain Hunt.

Presenter Tim Wonnacott said the Bargain Hunt crew had enjoyed a successful day of filming. And he said he was full of admiration for the negligee and the history behind it.

He said: "Our teams have had the most fantastic day, we have filmed four programmes today and three quarters of the teams have made profits, it shows the market is very strong in Shropshire."

"What I think is so wonderful about this night gown is that is it a survivor.

"This is the woman for whom a throne and an empire were given up. This could be the garment she was wearing when she seduced Edward."

Mr Wonnacott added that he was looking forward to returning to Halls' new multi-million pound auction centre in Battlefield in the new year.

And Jeremy Lamond, Halls' fine art director Jeremy Lamond said the TV crew had added 'a bit of electricity to the atmosphere'.

Among the items the Bargain Hunt teams had collected for the auction included a Chinese cradle, a pair of binoculars, an ink well and a doll's high chair.

The Wallis Simpson nightgown was entered into the auction by an anonymous Shropshire collector.

Keeley Connor, Halls' specialist, said the negligee had probably been picked up from a large auction of Mrs Simpson's clothes held in London in 2010.

The garment is thought to date back to the late 1930s to mid 1940s. It features a plunging front and back bodice with sleeves decorated with bows.

It also has a lace panel decorated with floral motifs and is tied at the back. It also comes with a matching shaped capelet and satin lemon slip.

Keeley said: "The label has been cut out so we don't know for sure who made it, but it is probably Dior. It is a beautiful item.

"People are fascinated by Wallis Simpson because she is such a well documented person."

The 1960s Cresta Couture black lace cocktail dress which once belonged to English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn had been estimated to be worth £400 and £500 ahead of the auction.

The dancer, who died in 1991, is considered as one of the greatest classical ballerinas of all time. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet, eventually being appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the company by the Queen.

Meanwhile, the dresses from the collection of Maureen Swanson included Marc Bohan for Dior couture white organza gown and Christian Dior blue gazar cocktail dress with matching slip.

The Marc Bohan dress had been valued between £600 and £700 and the Christian Dior garment at between £400 and £500 – but neither attracted bids above their reserve prices.

During the 1950s, Maureen Swanson became a familiar face to cinemagoers, appearing in films such as Moulin Rouge, Knights of the Round Table and A Town Like Alice for the Rank Organisation. She died last year aged 78.