'Playtime' At Alderfer's Antique Doll Auction

HATFIELD, PENN.

:It was playtime at the Alderfer Auction Company on August 10 and 11 during the semiannual antique doll catalog auction, "Strawberry Tea."

Approximately 300 registered bidders from 12 states actively participated in the two-day sale. Always popular are the body parts and supplies, followed by doll books, discovery lots, Steiff animals and, for this auction, more than 80 modern Madame Alexander dolls.

The 90-degree-plus weather did not discourage people from attending the sale and enthusiastically bidding. French dolls, as always, brought great interest. A 36-inch J. Steiner with a perfect bisque head, blue paperweight eyes and two rows of teeth brought $5,610. A very early 19-inch (incised) EJ7 with a hairline crack sold for $3,410 and a 25-inch (red stamp) Despose Tete Jumeau, also with a hairline crack, went for $2,750. An unmarked portrait fashion, with original mohair wig and gusseted white leather body with individual wired fingers, sold for $3,080.

German bisque closed mouth dolls, such as a 17-inch Kammer & Rhinehardt Simon Halbig with a picture perfect face sold for $4,510; a 191/2-inch doll brought $1,100. A 22-inch model with an open mouth and replaced wig and clothing sold for $1,760.

What probably brought the most interest during the auction were two cloth doll categories. One category included three Kathe Kruse dolls. A 13-inch Doll II "Schlenkerchen" Smiling Baby made from 1922 to 1936 with nearly all original clothing brought $7,700. Doll I made from 1910 to 1929, 16-inch with damage to both hands, went for $1,430. The third doll, a 141/2-inch Doll X 1930, sold for $1,760.

The Alderfer Auction Company works with many estates and every so often something rare shows up from the original owner. For example, from one estate, a pair of 14-inch Mollye's "Raggedy Babies" in very good to excellent condition went for $4,510.

Several novelty items were sold. A three-face bisque doll (smiling, sleeping and crying) sold for $1,320; a 10-inch French celluloid head, wooden body windup swimming doll "Au Nain Blue 406-U-412 Rue P Honore Paris," brought $385.

The name of the catalog, "Strawberry Tea," honors "Strawberry Mansion" one of Philadelphia's restored mansions in Fairmount Park. More than 60 tea sets were sold, ranging in price from below $100 to more than $300 (a 37-piece service set with a hand painted floral design and rust band pattern).

Although the majority of items in the catalog were antique, many 1950s-1960s hard plastic and vinyl dolls were represented. A 20-inch Madame Alexander Cissy with a full wardrobe of mostly tagged clothing brought $770, and another "fashion" doll, a No. 3 Barbie in her Gay Parisian box (ponytail combed), sold for $440. To share the spotlight were two male dolls, a black GI Joe #7900 that went home for $825 and a GI Joe #7500, sold for $302.

Clothing, specifically for Mary Hoyer dolls that were tagged, brought strong prices. Evening gowns averaged $100 for each dress and multiple clothing groups brought $220 to $357. All of the prices include the 10 percent buyer's premium.

The next catalog doll auction will be held in April. Consignments are being accepted at this time. For information, 215-393-3000 or www.alderferauction.com.