Madame Alexander, The Rodney Waller Collection: Part One
Time has come for Beatrice Alexander, signature American dollmaker and designer, to take her rightful place among antique dolls. Nearly 90 years have passed since her dolls first appeared, and for more than a half century she stood as a symbol of excellence, ingenuity, and marketing mastery in the world of American dolls. Collector Rodney Waller noted this many years ago, and began a quest to find the rarest of the rarest of her dolls, prizing originality and excellence of condition as well as rarity. This is Session I of his two-part auction, featuring the cloth and composition dolls, 1930-1948, of Madame Alexander. Softbound. 8.5" x 11". 148 pages.
$69.00
Catalog Lot List details
14" (36 cm.) All composition with socket head, sleep eyes, real lashes, dark eyeshadow, open mouth, four teeth, dimpled cheeks, blonde human hair with original curls, jointing at shoulders and hips, swivel waist. She is wearing original ivory satin blouse with red polka dot accents, red velvet flared skirt, attached red stiffened-net petticoat, ivory taffeta panties, red velvet cap, skates. The costume is tagged "Genuine Sonja Henie Doll/Madame Alexander NY USA/All Rights Reserved". Near mint condition, few very light surface lines, left eye faded, costume vibrant and fresh. Madame Alexander, 1942, rare body style for this model, the doll is preserved in her original blue ribbon-patterned box, stamped model 1400K.
Presale Estimate:
300/500
Realized Price:
$350
18" (46 cm.) Early hard plastic with socket head, blue sleep eyes, real lashes, dark eyeshadow, closed mouth, light brown mohair wig with soft curls, jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing wedding gown with lace bodice and sleeves, sheer white nylon skirt with lace borders over taffeta underskirt, panties, stockings, white side-snap shoes with bows, and with arched coronet with soutache edging fronted by flared tulle and with long lace-edged tulle veil; she carries a bouquet of flowers which match the flowers at each side of face. The costume has original cloth label "Madame Alexander/All Rights Reserved/New York USA". Excellent condition. Madame Alexander, 1948, with original clover leaf foil tag; the bride is a rare transitional model between the composition and hard plastic models, retaining features of the composition such as delicately-painted complexion and distinctive clover leaf foil tag, and introducing the new post war material which would become the metier of the Alexander firm for the ensuring golden years.
Presale Estimate:
500/700
Realized Price:
$700
13" (33 cm.) All composition with socket head, brown sleep eyes, real lashes, closed mouth with bow-shaped red lips, blonde human hair with original arranged curls, swivel waist, jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing original pink organdy stylish dress with attached petticoat, white lace trim, panties, woven pink bonnet, socks, side-snap white shoes, and rare fingerless gloves. The dress is tagged "Wendy Ann/by Madame Alexander NY/All Rights Reserved". Near mint condition. Madame Alexander, 1938, original box label indicating model 2622M, with especially painted lower lashes, and with new style body with swivel waist and jointing system which allowed the doll to sit with legs straight forward.
Presale Estimate:
500/700
Realized Price:
$1,200
22" (56 cm.) All composition with socket head, brown sleep eyes, real lashes, dark eyeshadow, open mouth, four teeth, blonde human hair with long braids and curled bangs, jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing original pale blue dotted Swiss dress with pink rick-rack trim, tulle sleevelets, plaid taffeta vest that matches her wide-brimmed taffeta sunbonnet, and with matching taffeta plaid purse, undergarments, cream ankle boots. The dress is tagged "McGuffeyAna/Madame Alexander/New York USA". Generally excellent, some fraying of taffeta. Madame Alexander, 1938, rare costume with dainty details.
Presale Estimate:
300/500
Realized Price:
$450
24" (61 cm.) All composition with socket head, sleep eyes, mohair lashes, dark eyeshadow, open mouth, two teeth, blonde human hair in original coiffure, jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing original loosely-woven net gown over ivory taffeta undergown, red velvet cape with fox-tail tips, ivory satin reticule with red bow, ivory panties, socks, silver side-snap shoes with bows, and original silver metallic crown. Doll is near mint except clouded eyes, net of gown has small holes. The dress has original cloth tag " ŚĐărincess Elizabeth'/Madame Alexander NY/All Rights Reserved". Madame Alexander, 1938, rare large size with luxury costume.
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$300
16" (41 cm.) Light grey plush head with iridescent green eyes enhanced by green and aqua felt eyeshadow, extended-length felt lashes, red felt heart-shaped lips, whiskers, pink satin lined ears, green cloth body, grey plush paws. She is wearing original yellow organdy dress with attached aqua cotton petticoat, organdy pantalets with double ruffled cuffs, and felt bonnet with rose and cream bows. The dress has original cloth tag "Madame Alexander/All Rights Reserved/NY USA". Very good condition, some light dustiness. Madame Alexander, 1951, with original paper wrist tag "Posey Pets".
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$900
13" (33 cm.) All composition with socket head, jointing at shoulders and hips, sleep eyes, real lashes, painted freckles, open mouth, two teeth, reddish/brown hair with original curls and braid at the back of head. She is wearing original green cotton dress with green polka dot pinafore, ruffled-edge slip with attached panties, white socks, brown ankle boots, and unusual double-brimmed green woven bonnet with floral trim. The costume is tagged "Flora McFlimsey of Madison Square/Madame Alexander/All Rights Reserved". Generally excellent. Madame Alexander, 1939, rare costume with wonderful bonnet; the same bonnet was used on Flora McFlimsey, #7 of this book, in a larger size.
Presale Estimate:
200/400
Realized Price:
$750
14" (36 cm.) All composition with socket head, highly-characterized expression with wide smile and deeply-dimpled cheeks, painted blue eyes, closed mouth, upturned nose, grey human hair in side-parted style, jointing at shoulders and hips. He is wearing original white linen-like smock and hospital pants, matching cap, socks, black snap-front shoes and has original spectacles. The costume has original cloth label "Madame Alexander New York". Near mint condition. Madame Alexander, 1937.
Presale Estimate:
700/800
Realized Price:
$550
11" (28 cm.) All composition with socket head, sleep eyes, real lashes, plump rosy cheeks, closed mouth, brunette mohair wig, toddler body with jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing original green organdy dress and matching bonnet, each trimmed with white scalloped-edge piping, onesie undergarment, socks, and white side-snap shoes with bow trim. The costume is tagged "Dionne Quintuplet/Madame Alexander/New York". Near mint condition. Madame Alexander, 1936, she has original brass name tag "Cecile".
Presale Estimate:
200/400
Realized Price:
$250
7" (18 cm.) Each of five dolls is all composition with socket head, sculpted brown curly hair, painted brown side-glancing eyes, closed mouth, jointing at shoulders and hips, baby body. Each is wearing original pastel pique romper suit and matching bonnet, socks, and white snap-front shoes. Three costumes have original cloth label, and four of the dolls have original brass name tags. Very good condition, light craze lines, costumes a bit dusty. Madame Alexander, 1936, included with the dolls is an original wooden set of round table and five chairs with white painted finish, the table with decoupage of the baby's names (the round table is an extremely rare piece of Dionne furniture).
Presale Estimate:
600/900
Realized Price:
$550