Vintage Chanel pieces go under the hammer in Paris

Costing up to 10,000 euros, vintage Chanel dresses go on the block in Paris.

Shotlist PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 24, 2010) REUTERS - Everyone wants to buy a Chanel dress. But rarely does one get the chance to buy an original item created in 1920 by the fabled designer whose name was synonymous with French fashion.
But at a unique sale to take place on Thursday (February 25) buyers will have a chance to acquire one of 820 items made by Coco Chanel and her successors from the 1920s onwards.

Top items, which include a black dress made just after World War I, could fetch as much as 10,000 euros (14,000 USD dollars) when they go under the hammer.

"There are (items) for every pocket, for the collectors, but also for people who dream to wear Chanel but do not have money, because normally it is rather expensive," said auction organiser Francoise Sternbach.

The clothes -- often treasured family heirlooms -- were collected by the auctioneers from private clients from France, the U.S., Italy and other countries. But even though they were old and potentially valuable, not everybody surrendered them willingly.

"We have some clients who were ready to give us the clothes, but at the moment when they had to do it, they called us saying, actually, my grand daughter wants to keep this clothes, I can't give it to you, I will give it to her," said auctioneer Dominique Chombert.

As for the buyers, they are drawn by the image and the dream.

"Her fashion has been been in existence for more than 100 years, it's was her very being that liberated womens' bodies, which emphasised women and all their assets by making them wear very fine, beautiful and light clothes," said 15-year-old Thais Drucker, who spoke with her father's permission. "It's really the peak of success and Chanel's beauty."

In addition to evening dresses that last saw action between the wars, there are shoes, purses, belts, ear rings