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Faith Atkinson and Jane Anderson lived not far apart, one in Short Hills, New Jersey, the other in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. It is unlikely they ever met although it is certain they shared a common love of antique childhood objects. For Faith Atkinson, it was mostly a love of fashion and art and beautiful dolls. For Jane Anderson, it was nostalgia. Yet today these two collections are merged beautifully into a single auction named “A Long Walk Home” in reference to the two rare wooden multi-pede dolls shown on the cover of the catalogue, dolls that symbolize both of these collections as well as the indefatigable trek of the collector in search of treasure  
 
Faith Emerson Armm Atkinson spent her childhood in the home of her mother’s doll collection that later became her own. A young harpist, she was also a talented pastel artist, and in her early college years studied to become a medical missionary. Later she returned to this cause, organizing medical services in her own hometown for the sick and indigent, and leaving that valuable legacy behind her when she passed away in February of this year. She also left her beloved doll collection, established in the 1920’s by her mother, and continued and developed throughout her own lifetime. It was her wish that her collection would be cared for and loved by individuals who respected their craftsmanship, beauty and value. 
 
 
Jane Anderson’s country home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania and beach home at the Jersey shore were filled with the magic of yesteryear’s childhood, symbolized by her Christmas tree that she kept up all year long. Dolls and toys that could be found in the American household from the early 20th century were her particular joy, and—lucky for today’s collector—she coupled that love with a zeal for quality and preservation. “Mother never met something she didn’t like” her children reminisce, “and then one thing just led to another.” Yet she was never satisfied with less than the finest. Her collection may best be symbolized by the rare Zinner and Sohne hand-wind presentation room “Christmas Morning”, offered as #257 in the auction catalogue, a perfect representation of the “home” mentioned in the auction title.  
 
 
 
  
 
More than 500 dolls and toys are presented in the 180-page, full-color $39 catalogue for the Saturday and Sunday auctions, titled “A Long Walk Home” with full-color photographs, descriptions and pre-sale estimates for each lot. An additional 300 lots of rare early 20th century glass candy containers will be sold in a separate auction on Friday evening. The Friday evening auction “Antique Glass Candy Containers” is presented in a 72-page full-color catalogue, available for $29. If collectors cannot attend the auctions, their absentee bids are welcomed or arrangements for telephone bidding can be scheduled. |
