Fortuny Labels: History and How to Date Them

Last reviewed 2026-10-04 by the AntiqueCostume editorial team · Sources · How we research

Mariano Fortuny (1871 to 1949) was a Venice-based designer whose finely pleated silk Delphos gown, devised in 1907, is one of the most valuable garments in the vintage market. Delphos gowns were made for decades, so details of cut and finish matter more than a single date.

Company history

The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Fortuny, son of a Spanish painter, moved to Venice around the turn of the century. His first fashion design was a printed silk scarf called the Knossos. In 1907 he devised the Delphos, a simple column gown of richly coloured silk with tiny pleats, and he patented the design in 1909; our 1910s hub notes the pleating process was patented in his name. Early gowns had batwing sleeves; later versions might be sleeveless, have a scarf at the shoulders, or be trimmed with Venetian glass beads. In 1919 he opened a fabric printing factory in Venice and developed printing on velvet and cotton.

Label timeline

Label or clue	Approximate dates	What it tells you
Knossos printed silk scarf	Before 1907	His first fashion design
Delphos pleated silk gown	From 1907 (patented 1909)	Made over a long period
Batwing sleeves	Early gowns	Points to the earlier years
Sleeveless, scarf at the shoulders, glass beads	Later versions	Later production
Printed velvets and cottons	From 1919	His Venice printing factory

The VFG shows Fortuny labels from early 1900s Delphos gowns and stencilled velvet coats, and from a 1930s Delphos gown with matching belt.

What it helps date

The Delphos appears in our 1910s and 1930s hubs; our Edwardian hub lists Fortuny among the great houses.
Auction descriptions often note Murano glass beads along the edges and seams. Rare pieces belong with specialist sellers: auction houses for costume.

Values

Our vintage dress values guide puts the middle half of 20 Delphos results at about $1,810 to $7,570 (median about $3,000, top $11,000) (Barnebys), and cites an Antiques Roadshow appraisal of $15,000 to $18,000 retail (2018). The 1910s and 1930s hubs record Augusta Auctions results from $6,250 to $18,750. Prices are estimates as of 2026.

check sold prices for fortuny delphos vintage gown on eBay

Sources

Guides that mention Fortuny

1910s Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate 1910s clothing by Empire waists, hobble skirts, tunics and wartime hemlines, check fibres and fasteners, and see realistic 2026 auction values.

1930s Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate 1930s clothing by bias cut, natural waist, shoulders, zippers and NRA labels, tell it from later copies, and see realistic 2026 auction values.

Edwardian Clothing (1901-1910): How to Date and Value ItDate Edwardian clothing by the S-bend silhouette, lingerie dresses, lace, tailor-mades and construction, with realistic 2026 auction values.

Auction Houses That Sell Vintage Costume and TextilesWhich auction houses sell antique costume, couture and vintage fashion, what each accepts, how consigning works, and when auction beats selling online.

Vintage Dress Values: Prices by Era, Label and ConditionRealistic 2026 price ranges for vintage and antique dresses, Victorian to 1990s, by era and label, with auction results and what moves the price.

What Is My Vintage Dress Worth? A 5-Step MethodWork out what your vintage dress is worth in five steps: date it, check it is genuine, grade condition, find sold comparables and choose where to sell.

ACWA Union Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate men's suits, coats and shirts by the ACWA union label: the first label of 1916, the 1949 design with and without the registered mark, and ACTWU.

Adrian Labels: History and How to Date ThemAdrian Original and Adrian Custom labels explained: Gilbert Adrian's move from MGM costume design to his own Beverly Hills house, and suit values.