Carol and Priscilla's Toys,
Floral Park, N.Y.
Dolls...and
more Dolls
By Tom O'Hara
WEST SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - The first weekend in April was one of
the largest gatherings of small, inanimate people, even in West
Springfield. Well people, not exactly. It was a gathering of more
than 200 collector-dealers of dolls.
People dolls, baby dolls, animal dolls, cartoon dolls, stuffed
dolls, china, porcelain and bisque dolls, you name it, it was
probably there. Officially the 36th semiannual Eastern State
Doll, Toy and Teddy Bear Show and Sale was produced at the
Eastern States Exposition Better Living Center.
Founded by Dick Robbins about 23 years ago and now owned and
operated by Newman Chittenden and Martin Fasack, the event is the
largest doll, toy and teddy bear show in the East. Its emphasis
is clearly dolls with about 75 percent of the collector-dealers
exhibiting all kinds, from modern Barbie and Ken and GI Joe to
some early homemade rag dolls about 200 years old. Doll
paraphernalia was also exhibited and for sale. Toys for dolls,
dollhouse furniture and exotic dresses and gowns, most from
earlier periods, were available.
Some specifics. Nancy Stronczek is an antiques and dolls dealer
from nearby Greenfield, Mass. At this show her offerings included
some Barbies and Cabbage Patch dolls and a collection of three
Nineteenth Century Black Heritage rag dolls. Rag dolls were made
usually as a gift to a child out of remnants of fabrics and
stuffed for form. Not usually of large size, Nancy's were each
about 15 inches tall, depicted black Americans and were in
excellent condition aside from some foxing, showing on some of
the fabric. Each was priced from about $950. A manufactured
Horsman babyland rag doll with a painted face was $875 in her
booth.
Eagle Trading Co., Berkley, Mass.
Beth Snyder, Bethany, Conn., is a doll and toy dealer and also
shows some Christmas items. To this show she brought some of
everything but among the most notable items were a chanticleer
doll, circa 1912, in the original court jester outfit ($625) and
two Steiff items, a parrot for $625 and frog at $85, both from
the 1950s.
Puss-n-Boots came to the show in Deborah Fratino's booth. Made
about 1900, his condition was so good it seemed he never played
much, but that is part of why he was worth $850. Accompanying him
to the show was a black beauty sunbather in an African hairstyle,
made of ebony-like material and priced at $8,500. Fratino
believed she was from the early Twentieth Century.
Details in dollhouse furniture can be very fine indeed. Fratino
had quite a few pieces, all no bigger than a matchbook but the
beds had patterned coverlets and rope strung frames and commodes
with laurel wreaths and knobs on the doors, all in excellent
condition.
Unique Gallery is something of a specialist in the doll field,
dealing in vintage dolls clothing. The outfits were originally
made for baby-sized dolls and smaller, of linen, silk and lace
and now are worth from about $100 to $300 each.
A different kind of toy was the barn and barnyard complete with
accessories offered by Patricia Vaillancourt from
Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. She also offered some of the most valuable
dolls at the show including a Toddler at $5,800; a 1907 Jumeau
for $2,800 and a French type Belton for $3,300.
The Doll Shop, Seekonk, Mass., brought an Effanbee Patsy with
steamer trunk. Golliwogs, a type of black American doll, came
with Shelley Smith from Bethlehem, Conn. Raggedy Ann came with
many escorts, but Eagle Trading Co., Berkley, Mass., brought many
of her in different outfits. A teddy bear came in a vintage
wedding dress, courtesy of China Cupboard, Marion, Ohio. Dolls
from around the world were shown by several collector-dealers
including Moira Hatton of Stafford Springs, Conn., and Carol at
Priscilla's Toys, Floral Park, N.Y.
Patricia Vaillancourt, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Susan Walter, Montpelier, Vt., had a Steiff bulldog named
"Bully." At about 15 inches tall, he was in excellent condition
and had a collar with ten Steiff buttons on it. Usually a Steiff
piece will only have two such buttons, in the ears, reinforcing
them to the head. Walter said she has received offers for the
collar alone, but it will remain with "Bully," for $4,000.
Walter's collection included a child's riding stuffed donkey,
circa 1948, and other toys included a Nancy McGlamer store, circa
1910, either French on German. Suzie's Dolls, Willoughby, Ohio,
had a case full of infant's toys from about 1920 through the 60s.
The show gets great support from collectors. It is not strictly a
local affair. An ice storm on Saturday morning adversely affected
the number of visitors, but the diehards still came. Newman
Chittenden said after the show that most dealers had done enough
business to satisfy their needs.
The event is at the same place twice each year with the next
event on November 1-2. For more information, contact the Maven
Co. Inc, 914-248-4646.
