The Priestley Centre for the Arts is selling its historic costume collection - which includes antiques and designer labels - to help safeguard its future.

The board of directors has decided to put the theatre's large wardrobe up for auction - selling off costumes which have been there for nearly a century.

The move means the Priestley will no longer have its treasured stock of hundreds of varied costumes dating back centuries - from 1920s party dresses to military wear from the Battle of Trafalgar. The historic wardrobe, including the 19th century dress modelled here by Charlotte Wood, has been used in productions since the early 1900s.

Costumes for any future productions are likely to be made by theatre members.

As the Telegraph & Argus has revealed, the Little Germany theatre needs to sell out this week's production of The Cherry Orchard, or raise £10,000 by other means, by the end of October to avoid voluntary liquidation.

Priestley director Christiaan Hohenzollern said a reluctant decision had been made to sell the costumes, which include outfits and accessories made by names like Christian Dior and Chanel.

"We don't want to see this collection go - it is part of the Priestley and part of Bradford's history," he said.

"But we have to do what we can to keep this place going.

"There is 100 years of Bradford's history in this building. We want it to stay here, but the simple fact is we don't have any money.

"The collection includes some fantastic costumes. They have been donated to us over the years and many have been here since the theatre was founded in 1929. I was looking through the wardrobe department recently and couldn't believe the amount of things we had."

The costumes will be sold at auction on a date yet to be set this month. It is not yet known how much the sale is expected to make.

Christiaan said the costumes were not part of the Priestley's £800,000 archive, which includes an original Priestley script, his diaries and letters. The board of directors is considering selling the archive to safeguard the theatre's future but, because it is classed by the Government as an archive of national importance, a sale could take up to a year to organise.

The Priestley has rooms filled with endless racks and chests of costumes, and boxes stacked high are filled with shoes, hats, scarves and bags, including a pair of antique Japanese silk purses with ivory clasps and a gold Cartier clutch bag.

There are Victorian corsets, a hand-beaded, Victorian widow's ensemble, Edwardian silk lace dresses and pre-war silk stockings.

Pre-war airforce and Highland Guards military uniforms will also be sold.

This week's production of The Cherry Orchard features beautiful early 1900s costumes including an antique fan, still intact, with huge feathers, which actually originated from the period of Queen Anne.

Wardrobe mistress Angela Curtis said: "It is a large collection with some wonderful costumes.

"The sale will include retro outfits, period pieces and collectables.

"We also have some beautiful wedding dresses which have been donated to us.

"I will have to think about how to manage the wardrobe department for any future productions. It will probably mean that we have to make costumes as we need them."