Bristol - An original prototype of the Queen Mother's wedding dress brought five times what was expected, selling at auction for £3,500 ($5,634). Dreweatts auction house had listed the guide price for the dress, which was sold in Bristol on Tuesday, at £500-£700 ($805-$1,127). BBC News reported that it had been made in 1923 by the Queen Mother's dressmaker, Madame Handley Seymour.

Dreweatts described the garment as being "in Medieval style of ivory crepe de chine applied with cloth of silver and pearl studded bands A silver and tulle train, a bobbin lace veil, scraps of silk and satin, a wreath of orange blossom and an unrelated petticoat.

It was sold at the Vintage Fashion and Textile Sale with related printed publications. Samaya Ling, who brought together the items for the auction, told SouthWest Business that the dress was "beautiful with all these tiny real pearls stitched on to it."

It is too small to be worn by most modern women but she said that designers and stylists often purchase the items and use them as inspiration. An article in Fashion-Era stated that: "The dress followed the essential fashions of the day, but has never been considered memorable for its beauty."