Landmark, The Margaret Lumia Collection
Only rarely do collections appear with such significance that they can rightfully be labeled legendary or lodestar. Or “Landmark”. Which is the auction title of the collection of Margaret Lumia. Chosen with a discerning eye, acquired with a dogged persistence, and nurtured carefully during their time in her care, her dolls offer today’s collectors a rare opportunity to see – and, perhaps win – a magnificent treasure from time past. The collection ranges from fine early wood and paper mache to superb French bébés and poupées, to the rarest of the German bisque art characters, mostly all in original costumes. There are dollhouses, early doll furniture, and more. Softbound. 10" x 10". 204 pages.
$79.00
Catalog Lot List details
18" (46 cm.) Pale bisque swivel head with regal expression, cameo-shaped face and elongated throat, attached to bisque shoulder plate with Dehors deposed neck attachment that permits the doll to nod, tilt and swivel its head in infinite poses, cobalt blue glass enamel inset eyes, dark eyeliner, painted lashes, arched feathered brows, accented eye corners and nostrils, closed mouth with slightly smiling expression on pale accented lips, ears pierced into head, brunette mohair wig over cork pate, shapely kid body with kid-over- wood dowel jointed upper arms, bisque arms from above the elbows with modeled bent right elbow, gusset-jointed hips and knees. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Auguste Alexandre Dehors, whose remarkable 1866 depose neck attachment was described as allowing the doll to "raise or lower [its head] modestly or triumphantly." A Dehors signed example of the identical facial model with this system is known. Value Points: extremely rare doll, her rarity rivaled by portrait-like beauty, superb quality of bisque and painting, perfectly preserved state, and superb original costume comprising blue linen suit with lace trim, undergarments, woven bonnet with lace streamers, turquoise earrings, leather ankle boots.
Presale Estimate:
11,000/15,000
Realized Price:
$18,000
21" (53 cm.) x 12"w. Of fine rosewood veneers, the armoire features angled corners, single lower drawer, mirrored front door with shelved interior and is accented with cast bronze details including drawer pulls, escutcheon, key, figural design of woman with flowing hair, two side figural mounts, and edging around the mirror and at top and bottom. Excellent condition. French, maitrise model of fine cabinetry, mid-1800s.
Presale Estimate:
1200/1800
Realized Price:
$1,900
19" (48 cm.) Bisque swivel head on kid-edged bisque shoulderplate with delicate pale bisque, blue glass enamel inset eyes, dark eyeliner, painted lashes, delicately-feathered brows, accented nostrils and eye corners, closed mouth with hint of smile, pierced ears, blonde mohair wig over cork pate, French kid poupee body with square-cut collarette, gusset-jointing at hips and knees, wooden arms with dowel-jointing at shoulders, elbows and wrists. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: H (head and shoulders). Comments: Leon Casimir Bru, circa 1867, his early period smiling Bru model with original Bru body from depose of 1867. Value Points: rare poupee whose gentle expression is enhanced by delicate bisque and painting, original wig, rare body, and wearing superb antique dress with pagoda sleeves and extended train, undergarments, shoes, and velvet and crepe de chene cap.
Presale Estimate:
5500/7500
Realized Price:
$5,500
28" (71 cm.) All-carved wood doll with ovoid-shaped face and well-defined chin, elongated throat, distinctive nose, fully-carved pixie-like ears, heavy modeled eyelids, painted light brown eyes, red eyeliner with delicately painted upper lashes, fringed brows, closed mouth with slightly upturned lip corners, painted hair with wisps of curls extending daintily onto the forehead, shapely bosom with painted costume detail below, defined high waist, dowel-jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, flat feet with painted coral slippers with dark edging. Condition: generally excellent, original finish throughout, some minor typical rubs on face. Comments: Grodnertal, circa 1820. Value Points: superb early doll with very expressive features and expression, its rarity features include grand size, wonderfully-detailed hair, artistic original painting, and fine original costume of the Directoire era.
Presale Estimate:
8000/11,000
Realized Price:
$13,000
28" (71 cm.) All-carved wood doll with dramatically-shaped head which features a heart-shaped face and very full rounded back of head, elongated throat, distinctive nose, fully-carved pixie-like ears, heavy modeled eyelids, blue downcast eyes, red eyeliner with delicately painted upper lashes, tinted brows, closed mouth, painted hair with exuberant tendrils of curls around the forehead, sculpted collar with painted ruffled details, slender torso with defined waist, dowel-jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, flat feet with painted brown slippers, original kid-over-wooden upper arms, hips and upper legs. Condition: generally excellent, original finish throughout, some minor typical rubs on face. Comments: Grodnertal, circa 1820, the doll is shown in Doll Collectors Manual, 1964, in an article by Ruth and E.C. Mathes, indicating that at the time the doll was in the collection of Lucille Grimes of Encinitas, California. Value Points: outstanding example of luxury quality wooden doll from the Grodnertal, its rarity features include grand size, unusual kid-over-wood body parts, exuberant painting of hair, unusual shape of face, sculpted collar, and wearing early fine early costume.
Presale Estimate:
8000/11,000
Realized Price:
$14,000
22" (56 cm.) Bisque socket head portraying a young boy with highly characterized angular features on oval shaped face, deeply sculpted blonde hair in boyish fashion with tousled forehead bangs, large sculpted ears, painted light blue eyes, black upper eyeliner, feathered brows, strong nose with accented nostrils, full lips of closed mouth, shaded and outlined lips, sculpted philtrum and chin dimples, strong definition of chin and cheek bones, composition and wooden ball-jointed body, well costumed in antique black woolen suit, red woolen vest, cotton shirt, wool leggings, leather saddle shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: K*R 102. Comments: Kammer and Reinhardt, circa 1910. An identical sculpture, Knabenbuste, was modeled by the illustrious German artist Arthur Lewin-Funcke in 1898 and then, in 1910, was transformed by Lewin-Funcke into this rare model for Kammer and Reinhardt's art character reform series. The intriguing story of Lewin-Funcke's connection with the K*R doll firm is told in Cieslik's important work, German Doll Studies, page 231. Value Points: extraordinarily rare model in superb size, with artistic provenance, and outstanding quality of sculpting, bisque and painting. Few examples are known to exist, and the doll is one of the world's rarest. Ex-Lucy Morgan Collection.
Presale Estimate:
40,000/60,000
Realized Price:
$65,000
17" (43 cm.) Solid domed pink-tinted bisque socket head depicting young girl with sculpted brown hair having loose curls at the forehead, drawn into two narrow coiled braids at nape and decorated with a blue glazed ribbon, sculpted facial features, intaglio dark blue eyes with large black pupils and white beaded eye dots, short feathered brows, rounded nose with accented nostrils, closed mouth modeled as though open with two rows of teeth, accented lips, sculpted ears, composition and wooden fully-jointed body, antique school girl costume with multi-layered cotton and flannel petticoats, pantalets, skirt, shawl, apron, shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Heubach (in square) 8050 Germany 1. Comments: Gebruder Heubach, circa 1910. Value Points: the rarity of this model is delightfully enhanced by the wonderful laughing expression, unusual sculpted hair, deeply impressed eye crinkles and impressed cheek dimples, finest quality of bisque. Ex-Lucy Morgan Collection.
Presale Estimate:
5000/7500
Realized Price:
$6,500
19" (48 cm.) Sculpted composition head depicting a highly characterized young girl, having rosy complexion, small painted blue eyes with accented eye corners, shaded nostrils, closed mouth with modeled space between the lips, well defined chin and cheek bones, original brunette mohair wig, composition fully-jointed body, wearing original plaid woolen dress, undergarments, leather shoes, knit cap. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Marion Kaulitz from her Munich art studio from which she was instrumental in promoting the art character doll reform movement of the early 20th century. This doll, according to a note attached to her undergarments, was purchased by its original owner, an American child, who was attending school in Munich in 1910. Value Points: outstanding original and unplayed with condition of the flawlessly preserved and artistically rendered doll, original studio body, costume and painting. The doll appeared on the cover of Theriault's 2001 catalog If Wishes were Horses. Ex-Lucy Morgan Collection.
Presale Estimate:
9000/12,000
Realized Price:
$38,000
8" (20 cm.) An elaborately woven basket with loop handle and silk ribbons hinges open at the center to reveal a well-fitted interior featuring two all-bisque black babies with painted features, jointed arms and legs and red silk sashes. The dolls are tucked in with folded ribbon lines, tin wash rubs, and three cardboards with gilt paper edging, each with an arrangement of accessories including combs, soaps, mirror, beads, and even two tiny, tiny black dolls. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: for the French market, circa 1890. Value Points: a fabulous presentation is preserved in fine unplayed with condition.
Presale Estimate:
1200/1600
Realized Price:
$750
5" (13 cm.) grandma. 8" x 5" box. Arranged within a heavy card stock box with lithographed image on the cover of Little Red Riding Hood are characters and accessories from that classic story, including all-bisque girl with knit red costume and hooded cap, bisque head Grandma with blue glass eyes, aged features, bisque limbs, wearing black silk dress and undergarments, and paper mache figure on base of brown wolf, along with basket, pot, tart, and bread. Excellent condition. Germany, circa 1890, a well-preserved toy presentation.
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$1,000