For the Love of Dolls, The Mildred Seeley Collection
The legendary doll collection of Mildred Seeley is featured in this new art-quality book. Known among doll collectors for more than a quarter-century, Mildred Seeley autographed her many books and signed her letters with the unswerving statement “for the love of dolls.” More than 250 of the world’s most beautiful dolls from the Seeley Collection, resplendent in antique costumes and finery, are featured. 8.5" x 11". Hardbound. 150 full-color pages.
$49.00
Catalog Lot List details
32" (81 cm). Bisque socket head, brown glass
sleep eyes, painted curly lashes, incised
eyeliner, mohair lashes, curvy feathered brows,
accented nostrils and eye corners, closed mouth
with shaded and outlined lips, brunette human
hair, composition and wooden ball-jointed body
with side-hip jointing, antique white cotton
dress with butterfly cutwork, undergarments,
leather shoes. Condition: generally excellent.
Marks: B.P.(crossed swords) BSW (in heart) 2072.
Comments: made by Bahr and Proschild for Bruno
Schmidt, circa 1910. Value Points: unusually
large size child has excellent detail of
sculpting, choice bisque and painting, original
body and body finish.
Presale Estimate:
3000/3800
Realized Price:
$4,600
12" (30 cm). Bisque socket head, blue glass sleep
eyes, painted lashes, brushstroked brows,
accented eye corners and nostrils, open mouth,
outlined lips, four porcelain teeth, blonde
mohair wig over plaster pate, composition and
wooden ball-jointed body, nicely costumed.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: B made in
Germany 6. Comments: Kestner, circa 1900. Value
Points: beautiful little child with choice
bisque, original wig, pate, body, body finish.
Presale Estimate:
600/800
Realized Price:
$1,700
27" (68 cm). Bisque socket head, large blue glass
sleep eyes, painted lashes, incised eyeliner,
brushstroked and feathered brows with decorative
glaze, accented eye corners and nostrils, open
mouth, shaded and outlined lips, two porcelain
upper teeth, dimpled chin, brunette mohair wig
over plaster pate, composition and wooden ball-
jointed body, woolen plaid boy's suit and cap,
black stockings, leather ankle boots. Condition:
generally excellent. Marks: L made in Germany 15
143 (head) Germany (body). Comments: Kestner,
circa 1910. Value Points: rare larger model of
143 character has very choice bisque and
painting, original body and body finish.
Presale Estimate:
1100/1400
Realized Price:
$3,800
29" (74 cm). Bisque socket head, blue glass sleep
eyes, painted lashes, brushstroked and feathered
brows, accented nostrils, open mouth, shaded and
outlined lips, three porcelain teeth, pierced
ears, brunette mohair wig, composition and wooden
ball-jointed body. Condition: generally
excellent, one tooth missing. Marks: Germany
Heinrich Handwerck Simon & Halbig 6 (head)
Heinrich Handwerck Germany (body). Comments:
Handwerck, circa 1910. Value Points: pretty child
with original body, body finish, wig, well-
detailed antique costume.
Presale Estimate:
600/800
Realized Price:
$1,350
28" (71 cm). Bisque socket head, large brown
glass sleep eyes, mohair lashes, painted lower
lashes, dark eyeshadow, brushstroked brows with
glazed highlights and feathering, accented
nostrils, open mouth, shaded and accented lips,
four porcelain teeth, pierced ears, blonde mohair
wig, composition and wooden ball-jointed body.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Heinrich
Handwerck Simon & Halbig 5 (head) Heinrich
Handwerck (body). Comments: Handwerck, circa
1900. Value Points: the pretty dolly-faced model
has original body, body finish, mohair wig,
antique multi-layered costume.
Presale Estimate:
800/1100
Realized Price:
$1,550
24" (61 cm). Pressed bisque socket head, large
blue glass paperweight inset eyes, dark eyeliner
encircles the eyecut, painted dark curly lashes,
rose blushed eyeshadow, brushstroked and multi-
feathered brows, accented eye corners, shaded
nostrils, closed mouth with defined space between
the shaded and outlined lips, pierced ears, wheat
blonde mohair wig over cork pate, French
composition and wooden fully jointed body with
straight wrist, antique white dress with cutwork
bodice, undergarments, leather shoes, ruffled
bonnet. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: A.
12 T. Comments: Andre Thuillier, circa 1885.
Value Points: rarely found large and beautiful
bebe with exceptional quality of sculpting,
bisque and painting, especially fine detail of
painting of lips and blush.
Presale Estimate:
25,000/32,000
Realized Price:
$46,000
12" (30 cm). Bisque socket head with rounded
facial modelling, blue glass sleep eyes that
operate from lever at back of head, painted
lashes, feathered brows, rose blushed eyeshadow,
accented nostrils and eye corners, closed mouth
with accented lips, pierced ears, blonde mohair
wig over Steiner pate, French composition fully
jointed body, nicely costumed in pale green silk,
undergarments, silk bonnet, kid slippers.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Sie C 2/0
(incised) J. Steiner Bte SGDG J. Bourgoin Succ.
(red ink script) (caduceus stamp on body) (eyes
signed J. Steiner). Comments: Jules Steiner,
circa 1884. Value Points: rare petite size of the
early bebe has superb bisque and painting,
original signed body and eyes.
Presale Estimate:
3000/3800
Realized Price:
$5,750
17" (43 cm). Pressed bisque socket head with
rounded facial modelling, bright blue glass
enamel inset eyes with spiral threading, mauve
blushed eyeshadow, delicately painted lashes and
brows, accented nostrils and eye corners, closed
mouth with outlined lips, pierced ears, blonde
mohair wig, French composition and wooden eight-
loose-ball-jointed body with straight wrists and
flat-cut derriere. Condition: generally
excellent. Marks: Bte SGDG 2 (head) (shield mark
on derriere). Comments: Schmitt et Fils, circa
1880. Value Points: very beautiful example of
Bebe Schmitt whose brilliant blue eyes complement
the delicately tinted bisque, original body and
body finish, antique silk twill and red velvet
dress, undergarments, shoes and socks. The doll
was a particular favorite of Mildred Seeley and
was featured in her book, Fabulous French Bebes.
Presale Estimate:
9000/13,000
Realized Price:
$13,000
20" (51 cm) overall. A bisque headed girl with
unusual character features portraying a happy
child with wide beaming smile, brown glass
paperweight inset eyes, painted lashes, widely
arched brushstroked brows with decorative glaze,
accented nostrils, closed mouth with shaded and
accented lips, defined tongue, row of sculpted
teeth, pierced ears, blonde mohair wig over cork
pate, carton torso and legs, wire upper arms,
bisque forearms and hands, is standing upon a
velvet covered base which contains clockwork and
musical mechanisms. A rod, protruding from her
torso, supports a wicker tray in which is
arranged a little kitten tucked among silk
flowers. When wound, music plays and a series of
amusing movements occur: the girl turns her head
from side to side, then nods, appears to choose a
flower, while the kitten playfully jumps toward
her hand. Condition: generally excellent. Marks:
203 (and artist checkmarks on head). LB (key).
Comments: Leopold Lambert, utilizing rare
character portrait head designed by Jumeau for
Lambert's automata, circa 1890. Value Points:
very rare character model with wonderfully
defined features, amusing automaton action,
original peach silk costume.
Presale Estimate:
8000/12,000
Realized Price:
$12,500
29" (74 cm). Pressed bisque socket head with
elongated facial modelling and very full cheeks,
large blue glass paperweight inset eyes with
luminous depth, dark eyeliner encircles the
eyecut, dark painted lashes, rose blushed
eyeshadow, brushstroked and multi-feathered
brows, accented eye corners, shaded nostrils,
closed mouth with modelled space between the
shaded and outlined lips, impressed dimples at
corners of mouth, separately applied pierced
ears, blonde mohair wig over cork pate, French
composition and wooden fully jointed body with
very plump limbs. Condition: generally excellent,
some minor body wear. Marks: 13 (incised) Bebe
Jumeau Diplome d'honneur (paper label on torso).
Comments: Emile Jumeau, circa 1885. Value Points:
outstanding quality of sculpting and finest
creamy bisque enhanced by artful painting, lovely
antique costume, signed Bebe Jumeau shoes. The
doll was featured in a full-page photograph in
Fabulous French Bebes by Mildred Seeley.
Presale Estimate:
11,000/13,000
Realized Price:
$13,500