Paper Dolls, 1790-1940 - The Collection of Shirley Fischer
From early historical rarities, to popular culture icons, the paper doll collection of Shirley Fischer reflects the ardent pursuit of a passionate and intelligent collector. This collection spans 150 years, from 1790 through the 1940s. It is likely that few collections exist today with the extent of early historical rarities as the Fischer collection. The collection includes early dolls from Germany, France, and England and virtually all of the early American paper dolls. 9" x 9". Hardbound. 170 full-color pages.
$49.00
Catalog Lot List details
Including 3.4" x 6" booklet with six pages of uncut dolls and costumes,along with advice on hair
care. And 13" x 6" uncut four-panel fold-out sheet with two stick-body dolls and their uncut
costumes. Excellent condition,booklet unbound. Circa 1915.
Presale Estimate:
200/300
Realized Price:
$150
A pasteboard box with engraving of familiar French theatrical figures such as Harlequin,along
with fashionably dressed ladies are riding in an open topped carriage being driven by
Polichinelle. The box is labeled "Le Petit Costumier,A Paris". Inside is contained one paper
doll,designed to be costumed as man or woman,three costumes for man (harlequin,Polichinelle
and Bon Vivant),and three costumes for women including Pierrette and a fashionable lady's gown
whose arms are holding two early puppet theatre dolls. Excellent condition,box lid a bit age
darkened. France,1840's.
Presale Estimate:
1500/2500
Realized Price:
$2,000
A heavy pasteboard box whose lid depicts an early engraved scene of five French soldiers in
regimental uniforms has embossed gilt edging,and contains within a 7" stick body double-sided
paper doll man,along with six uniforms and an extravagant array of military accessories
including rifles,drums,sabers,helmets and other head wear. Excellent condition. France,1840's.
Presale Estimate:
2000/3000
Realized Price:
$2,400
A heavy pasteboard box with lid engraving depicting six fashionable women admiring fabrics and
millinery in a well-appointed salon,is edged in richly embossed gilded papers and lettered
"L'Ecole des Modes". The box contains one paper doll arranged in modest pose,along with eight
hand-colored double-sided fashionable gowns and 3 bonnets. Excellent condition,slight edge
wear on box. France,1850's.
Presale Estimate:
1200/1800
Realized Price:
$2,100
Featuring a demurely posed young lady "in romantic Costume of the Middle Ages with 8
magnificent dresses and grand vistas" according to description on the box lid. The set includes
eight Medieval style double-sided (blank back) elaborate gowns (most incorporating an accessory
such as scepter,mandolin,or such) and four hats or head-dresses. Also included is a three-part
folding screen with richly draped curtains centering a window with "grand vistas". Contained in
original four-language box,7" x 9",with a finely detailed engraving of Medieval-era women in a
bucolic setting. Marked "Verlag Eigenthum C.M.". Excellent condition,beautifully preserved egg-
wash lustre enhances the rich colors,box a bit worn. Germany,mid-19th century.
Presale Estimate:
3500/5000
Realized Price:
$2,500
Featuring four paper dolls (two men,two women) along with 17 theatre double-sided (back
blank) costumes and 14 different heads with variations in coiffures and head-dress. The rich
detail of the costumes is enhanced by egg wash lustre. Contained in original box,8" x 11",with
three-language titles,decorative paper sides,embossed gilt edging,and a rich lithographed
design on the lid featuring nine of the actual costumes. Marked "Bei F. Fechner in Guben". Printed
in Excellent condition with slight roughness to base of dolls and minor edge wear on box.
Germany,circa 1850.
Presale Estimate:
3500/5500
Realized Price:
$6,400
Featuring Marie Taglioni,the renowned ballerina of the European Romantic era,was born in
Sweden,rose to prominence in Italian and Parisian ballets,beginning in 1832 in La Sylphide in
which she danced the entire performance en pointe. She retired from performing in 1847 but
remained a guiding spirit of the Paris Ballet for several decades more. The paper doll set
highlights costumes from her most famous performances,and the boxed set includes the
double-sided doll,nine-double-sided costumes,nine head-dresses (including one elaborately
cut dimensional head dress in miniature box),along with maple wood stand,and original list of
the operas and costumes included. The set is contained in its original box,8" x 10.5",having
embossed rose sides,gilt edging,and delicately engraved lid portraying the dancer and the
name "Taglioni". Excellent condition with vibrant costume colors. Few examples of the very
rare luxury set are known to exist,made more remarkable by the fine state of preservation.
France,circa 1835.
Presale Estimate:
3500/5500
Realized Price:
$10,250
Featuring a handsome young man,single-sided,along with eight costumes and eight hats
depicting costumes from past centuries. The costumes are double-sided,with black back and are
enhanced with egg wash. Contained in original box,7" x 9",with four-language titles,and a rich
court scene that depicts four of the costumes inside. Marked "Verl. Eigth. G.M.". Dolls and
costumes excellent and complete,box a bit worn. Printed in Germany,mid-19th century,probably
Eigenthum.
Presale Estimate:
1500/3000
Realized Price:
$3,500
A beautifully printed marbled paper folio with applique paper scroll "Mythologie",9.5" x
6",contains a 72 page book,written in both German and French,detailing the writer's purpose: to
teach mythology to his children by means of paper dolls with changeable costumes that
represent the features of various Greek or Roman Gods. Included are 2 marble-paper envelopes
each containing a heavy cardboard paper doll representing a female or male deity,each with 7
different costumes (and 2 head-dresses for the female). The name of the god or goddess
represented in ink-script noted on the back of each costume. Excellent condition of dolls and
costumes,wrappers a bit worn. H.F. Muller,Vienna,1841.
Presale Estimate:
4500/6500
Realized Price:
$16,000
A thin wooden box,8" x 5.5",with marbleized paper cover is inside a book-shaped matching
cover with old paper label "Vier Geschwister in Costums",and contains four 6" paper dolls (2
men,2 women) with 16 hand-colored double-sided costumes and 16 hats. Marked "Wien,in der
Kunsthandlung des H.F. Muller,am Kohnmarkt,No1149". Excellent condition except outer box
has some fading,wear. Dolls and costumes excellent. H. F. Muller,Vienna,circa 1840.
Presale Estimate:
1500/2200
Realized Price:
$6,800