The highlight of this German terracotta Santa figure seated on wooden sleigh, 22 inches high, was the superb detail and realism on the strands of beard hair. It sold for $66,000, the highest price of the sale ($5/10,000).
VINELAND, N.J. — Bertoia Auctions’ Holiday Antiques Auction, conducted January 29-30, was a massive affair, one that totaled $1.2 million. It contained over 1,500 lots, including exquisite European Santas; belsnickels and nodders; tree ornaments, including 100 sought-after Dresdens; candy containers; 60 European dolls; Steiff teddy bears; and other sought-after toys.
The selection also included other types of early holiday collectibles, from whimsical Halloween characters to Easter-themed and patriotic pieces, as well as three dozen German and American dollhouses and stables, papier-mâché and lithographed paper-on-wood toys and coveted French and German automata.
The sale was headlined by five outstanding, high-profile collections from members of the Golden Glow of Christmas Past and/or the Antique Toy Collectors of America (ATCA). These included the collections of Ed and Brenda DeGarbolewski, longtime holiday aficionados; Jerry and Darla Arnold, who can trace their interest in Christmas antiques back to Darla’s college days; Bob and Maurine Young, members of both Golden Glow and Keystone Kringles; Linda Morrow, who has been collecting Christmas and Halloween for more than 40 years; and Richard Mueller, whose aspects of his high-profile toy collection have been offered in previous auctions conducted by Bertoia.
Standing 24½ inches tall, this papier-mâché Santa figure from the late 1800s was in excellent condition and had provenance to the Ed & Brenda DeGarbolewski collection; it realized $26,400 ($4/7,000).
A 22-inch-tall terracotta Santa figure seated on a sleigh from the DeGarbolewski collection was the overall top lot of the auction. The $66,000 selling price was more than six times its $10,000 high estimate. Terracotta figures of this type are rarely seen, and this one exhibited superb detail and realism of the strands of beard hair.
A 24½-inch-tall papier-mâché Santa figure from the late 1800s — also from the DeGarbolewski collection — was a sensational example, with a wonderful styling, plus great form and impression. It was in excellent condition, with just a few spots of flaking and some in-painting. The final selling price of $26,400 was nearly four times its $7,000 high estimate.
A 16-inch-tall 1904 Steiff “rod bear” featured rare apricot mohair, a gutta percha nose, elongated muzzle, top of head ear-to-ear stitching, shoe button eyes, an elephant ear button and an X-ray of its interior torso. The bear was in very good condition, with some early restoration to the gutta percha nose, and paw pads that were refurbished or replaced. The high estimate was $8,000 but bidders drove the final price to $20,400.
For most vintage button-in-ear collectors, Steiff’s turn-of-last-century “rod bears” are unquestionably the ultimate in Steiff productions. These rarities, made with an internal rod-style skeleton for jointing, only appeared in the line from around 1904 to 1905. This jointing system appears prominently in an X-ray, the best way to confirm a bear’s internal connectors. “Rod bears” tended to vary quite a bit in their actual looks and presentation, given they were so early and made by hand, with patterns that were rapidly evolving.
Sitting tall for $20,400, this 16-inch-tall 1904 Steiff “rod bear” featured rare apricot mohair, gutta percha nose, an elongated muzzle, top of head ear-to-ear stitching, shoe button eyes, elephant ear button and X-ray of interior torso ($5/8,000).
A circa 1880-1915 Franklin Fire Company ceremonial papier-mâché parade hat, commemorating the founding of the Benjamin Franklin Fire Company No. 4 in 1802, blew past its $10,000 estimate to ring up $16,800. Inside the 14-inch-long hat it was marked, “1802-B.F. Fire Co.” The founding date was most likely associated with towns in Pennsylvania and Maryland, where a number of early Franklin-named companies formed.
A colorful, German-made skittles set of whimsical pin figures depicting musicians and singing frogs, another offering from the DeGarbolewski collection, doubled its $5,000 high estimate to bring $10,200. The fabulous large frog container, 19½ inches long and made from painted composition on wood, showed outstanding paint and colors. The set was in excellent to pristine condition and displayed wonderfully.
A Dresden woman-in-sleigh ornament, 5 inches long and one of the finest Dresden ornaments ever produced, changed hands for $9,600, more than tripling its $3,000 high estimate. From the Linda Morrow collection, the ornament depicted a woman and exhibited beautiful detailing on all of the horse harnesses and sleigh. An incredible collectible, it was in excellent condition.
This Dresden Christmas ornament from the Linda Morrow collection, 5 inches long, depicted a woman in a sleigh and coasted to $9,600 ($1,5/3,000).
A German pickle-nose chauffeur candy container, 5½ inches tall, breezed to $7,800, against a high estimate of $2,500. The figure, depicted as a vegetable man with a pickle for a nose, was in excellent condition except for a small crack on the left shoulder.
A large-size poster depicting Santa Claus behind the wheel of a car with his sackful of presents plopped on the back seat, impressive at 61 inches tall by 40 inches wide, coasted to $6,600. Mounted on linen backing, the poster was well-preserved, aside from some very minor wrinkling. The high estimate was $3,500.
A hard-to-find, early 1900s yellow glass ornament in the shape of a child with extended legs went for $5,100, easily besting its $1,600 high estimate. Measuring 5 inches in height, the ornament was in pristine condition.
A German Gottschalk blue roof house with elevator, 23 inches tall and made for the French market, found a new home for $4,800. The high estimate was $1,800. The blue roof was what made the item especially desirable, and it didn’t hurt that it was in all-original, excellent to pristine condition.
Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.bertoiaauctions.com or 856-692-1881.
