28" (71 cm.) One-piece wooden head and torso, oval-shaped face with elongated throat, shapely front torso, flat back, with black enamel inset eyes, dot-outlined lashes, single-stroke brows with dot accents, well-shaped nose, closed mouth with firmly-set small lips, cheeks blush, hand-tied hemp fiber wig, twill upper arms, wooden lower arms with spatula-shaped hands, separated fingers, dowel jointing at hips and knees, shapely ankles. Condition: generally excellent, original finish is well preserved. Comments: England, mid-1700s. Value Points: the grand size and superb state of preservation indicate its original commission for aristocratic family, wearing fine silk gown with interwoven floral pattern and overlay of arranged ribbons and metallic trim, neck ruffle, undergarments, leather slippers, and with early silk coin purse and elaborately-fitted chatelaine.
Presale Estimate:
25,000/35,000
7" (18 cm.) All-carved wood, solid domed with one-piece head and torso, oval face, elongated throat, painted brown heavily-lidded eyes, red upper eyeliner, single-stroke brows, closed mouth, dowel-jointing at elbows, separately-carved fingers, wooden cage skirt. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: late 1700s, French. Value Points: beautiful doll, in rare petite size, with original painted finish, wearing original velvet gown, outlined muslin cap, jewelry, cape.
Presale Estimate:
1000/1300
8" (20 cm.) Posed on a spring on a three-wheeled tin platform with painted surface is a paper mache trotting horse with painted tack and eyes upon which is seated a general in full regalia uniform and helmet. When wound, the toy propels forward and in circles. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: attributed to Theroude of Paris, circa 1850. Value Points: rare early toy with excellent detail of costume including epaulets, medals, plumed helmet.
Presale Estimate:
600/900
3 1/4" (8 cm.) All carved bone with sculpted facial features, sculpted brown hair with defined ringlet curls and shaped ponytail at nape, peg-jointing at shoulders and hips. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: 18th century. Value Points: very rare tiny doll has very fine detail of hair and facial feature carving.
Presale Estimate:
500/700
3" (8 cm.) h. painting. An oval oil painting on copper depicting a young lady with side-glancing expression and painted ringlet curls at her forehead edge, her painted costume with elegant details such as pearl necklace, decorative brooch, is secured in an embossed leather case. Along with the doll are 30 mica overlays with painted details of various costumes which, when placed over the oil painting, transform the young girl into various people, viz. a gentleman, a king, a queen, or a fashionable lady, thus creating an early "paper doll" to playful and amusing effect. Oil painting is in excellent condition; mica overlays are worn. France, mid-1700s, known as "metamorphoses", the overlay paintings became a popular fad for the aristocracy during this time, with various sets believed to represent important historical events or intrigues; they are extremely rare to find.
Presale Estimate:
3500/4500
The loose-leaf binder contains various catalogs (some original, some reprints) of early Schoenhut production, along with various advertisements and article. Excellent reference materials albeit well-thumbed and worn condition. 1905-1930.
Presale Estimate:
300/400
34" (86 cm.) l. (including horses). 21" wagon. Two wooden horses on wheeled wooden platform are pulling a grand wooden bandwagon with original painted red and green finish heavily overlaid with rich gilt accents which emphasizes the elaborately embossed designs including chariot, man on horse and other figural motifs. The carriage interior is arranged with graduated-height seats designs to accommodate the seven musicians. Each all-wooden magician has two-part head with painted hair and facial features, jointing at shoulders and hips and is designed to sit on wooden pegs in each bench. Variations in facial painting include two men with moustaches, one clean-shaven man, one with sideburns and moustache, one man with beard, and two men with goatees; each is wearing original red felt parade costume and wooden helmet, the band leader with variation of jacket. And each is holding a different instrument (bass drum, cymbals, bass horn, baton, cornet, helicon, snare drum and trombone); each drum is labeled "Humpty Dumpty Circus Band". Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Schoenhut, the pivotal centerpiece of their 1905 Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus. Value Points: few of the extraordinary wagon are known to exist, this example being in exceptionally fine original condition.
Presale Estimate:
17,000/24,000
19" (48 cm.) All wooden doll with socket head, carved hair combmarked from face into loose braids that are captured at the back of head by a carved pink bow, intaglio blue painted eyes with white eyedots, black upper eyeliner, accented nostrils, closed mouth with very full lips and center accent line, wooden spring-jointed body, antique costume. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Schoenhut Doll Pat. Jan.17, 11' USA. Comments: Schoenhut, circa 1915. Value Points: especially fine detail of sculpted hair, defined cheek dimples, original Schoenhut shoes.
Presale Estimate:
900/1200
17" (43 cm.) overall. 7 1/2" mule. Pressed paper board sides of the wooden-floored chariot have original red painted and embossed gilt designs including lion's head, with wooden gilt wheels edged in silver. The chariot is pulled by a wooden burro with brown glass eyes, rope tail, leather ears, original red leather harness, and with wheeled spindle at lower torso. Riding in the chariot is a wooden clown with two-part head, original costume and hat. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Schoenhut, circa 1910, from the Humpty Dumpty Circus of that firm. Value Points: the clown, the glass-eyed burro and the chariot are each extremely rare, and are all original.
Presale Estimate:
1200/1600
20" (51 cm.) overall l. Standing upon a wheeled wooden platform are two dappled wooden horses with glass eyes that are pulling a wooden show wagon with flat-top upon which are displayed three side-show persons. The wagon, with original red painted and gilt decorations, is embossed Humpty Dumpty on the side and has raised designs of a chariot and man on horse. The detachable figures include Foxy Grandpa, Jockey and Baby, each with distinctively-modeled face, hand-painted facial features and hair or cap. Condition: generally excellent, original finish overall is well-preserved with few paint rubs on cap of Jockey. Comments: Schoenhut, the Show Wagon from Humpty Dumpty's Circus, circa 1909. Value Points: the extremely rare show wagon is well-preserved and includes the three original character figures with original costumes. Few complete examples are known to exist of this rare piece.
Presale Estimate:
10,000/15,000