Theriault’s May 31 antique doll auction here was titled “A Fine Pretending Tea,” a phrase from a poem about dolls’ tea parties. This auction was no pretender, and offered an abundant selection of fine dolls, evidenced by the soaring prices.
Buyers flocked to the auction and bid in person or via absentee bids, phone or live online throughout the day.
Theriault’s live online bidding offers an actual video/audio feed from the auction and as one collector who stayed home, fixed to her computer screen, said later, “This was so much fun. I wanted to go to that auction so badly but just couldn’t get away. I watched the entire auction, won my doll, and I will have the memory of ‘almost’ being there.”
Prices for French dolls continued very strong. The cover doll, a 13-inch bebe by Thuillier, soared to $52,000. An early portrait bebe by Jumeau doubled its presale estimate at $18,000, while a 26-inch Triste bebe topped at $19,500.
Two Bru bebes, each 20 inches, reached $34,000 and $25,000, respectively. Leading a fine small collection of French poupees was a wooden-bodied fashion lady by Adelaide Huret that reached $20,000.
German bisque dolls were very popular. From the early period were a fine group of bisque ladies with sculpted hair whose prices ranged from $1,000 to $2,700. Dolls by Simon and Halbig included a rare smiling 1019 model at $5,200 and a petite 12-inch 908 model at $2,700. Kammer and Reinhardt offered examples from its art character series that resonated with bidders, including a 22-inch model 114 Hans that topped at $5,800, a 20-inch model 101 Marie that sold at $4,800, and a 15-inch model 131 googlie that rushed to $8,400.
Dolls by Kestner continued their popularity trend. Two petite all-bisque models with swivel head sold for $4,100 and $4,000. A 12-inch brown-complexioned doll known as the “A.T. Kestner” went for $6,200, and another black doll, Kestner’s 143 model, at only 11 inches, reached $1,900. A collection of character dolls by Gebruder Heubach included model 7843, which collectors variously described as yawning or crying, that sold at $4,200.
The auction featured a fine group of dolls from the archives of the Cleveland Museum of Art, being sold to benefit its education fund. These included rare early Nineteenth Century dolls of Japan, including a rare large Mitsuore or “triple-jointed” doll that sold at $8,000, and an early 27-inch Palace that went for $10,000. Other dolls from the museum holdings included a folk art lady and gentleman that sold for $1,800 and a pair of Schoenhut dolls, models 30 and 312, that topped at $1,700 each.
Based in Annapolis, Md., Theriault’s next catalog doll auction is July 27 at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, N.V.
For information, 800-638-0422 or www.theriaults.com .
