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
24" (61 cm.) All-cloth doll with pressed and painted facial features and complexion, blue downcast eyes, real lashes, closed mouth, red lips, brunette wig in long ringlet curls, stitch-jointing at shoulders and hips, very elongated legs. She is wearing original tan velveteen fitted jacket, patterned scarf, brown cotton skirt, stockings and black lace shoes. The costume has original cloth label "Madame Alexander New York", and the doll has original paper label "Madame Alexander Presents Jeanette McDonald as She Appears in M.G.M.s feature "Rose Marie". Very good/excellent condition. Madame Alexander, 1936. No other examples of this doll are known to exist at this time.
Presale Estimate:
800/1000
Realized Price:
$3,200
31" (79 cm.) All cloth doll with pressed and painted facial features, blue painted side-glancing eyes, real lashes, closed mouth with full red lips, reddish/brown mohair wig, elongated slender torso and limbs, stitch-jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing long red cotton skirt, flowered yellow blouse, double-ruffled collar, black velvet laced vest, organdy slip and panties, from her role "Babbie" in the early film "The Little Minister". The costume is tagged " ŹÉĽabbie'/Adapted from Ž_Ôittle Minister'/Madame Alexander. New York". Very good condition, ding on right cheek, some loss to lashes. Madame Alexander, 1934. No other examples of this doll are known to exist at this time.
Presale Estimate:
600/900
Realized Price:
$2,600
19" (48 cm.) All composition with socket head, sleep eyes, real lashes, dark eyeshadow, open mouth, four teeth, blonde human hair with curled bangs, braids, jointing at shoulders and hips. The doll is wearing original red plaid school dress with white pinafore accented with cutwork, cotton slip and attached panties with ruffled edge, white socks, red side-snap ankle boots, and wide-brim straw bonnet trimmed with red berries. The dress is tagged" ŽĐÄcGuffey-Ana' Madame Alexander NY USA/All Rights Reserved". Unplayed with condition with beautiful complexion and perfect coiffure and costume, very light facial lines, eyes slightly faded, split down side of left leg. Madame Alexander, 1940, the doll is preserved in her original rare blue box with "bow" label.
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$900
9" (23 cm.) All composition with socket head, painted blue side-glancing eyes, closed mouth with tiny lips, blonde human hair with bangs and braids, jointing at shoulders and hips. She is wearing her original white pique dress with attached panties, striped red pinafore, socks, red side-snap shoes, and red woven straw bonnet with berries. The dress has original cloth label " ŽĐÄcGuffey-Ana' /Madame Alexander NY USA/All Rights Reserved". Near mint condition. Madame Alexander, 1942, preserved in original labeled burgundy box indicating model 051.
Presale Estimate:
200/400
Realized Price:
$300
13" (33 cm.) All composition with socket head, brown sleep eyes, real lashes, open mouth, two upper teeth, blonde human hair with curly bangs and long braids, jointing at shoulders and hips. The doll is wearing original red cotton pique dress with rick-rack trim, matching red pique bonnet with colorful flowers, blue and white striped pinafore with red rick-rack, one-piece ruffled slip with attached panties, white socks, black side-snap ankle boots. Near mint condition, very light lines on left leg. Madame Alexander, 1942, very rare original costume, presented in (worn) original box with model number 2200D.
Presale Estimate:
500/700
Realized Price:
$850
13" (33 cm.) All composition with socket head, blue sleep eyes, real lashes, dark eyeshadow, open mouth, two teeth, blonde curly bangs and long braids, jointing at shoulders and hips. The doll is wearing her original white pique dress, red and white tattersall print pinafore, original slip and panties, white socks, red side-snap ankle boots, red woven bonnet with white floral accents. The costume is tagged " ŽĐÄcGuffey-Ana'/Madame Alexander NY USA/ Reg. No.350,781". Madame Alexander, an early model, 1939, the doll and costume are preserved in pristine mint condition.
Presale Estimate:
500/700
Realized Price:
$650
21" (53 cm.) All composition with socket head, blue sleep eyes, painted blue eyelids, blue/grey eyeshadow, real lashes, three painted thick eyelashes at each outer eye, thick brows, closed mouth with very full lips, blonde mohair wig in soft curls, jointing at shoulders and hips, slender torso and limbs. She is wearing white organdy bridal gown with elaborately draped full-length skirt, heart-shaped bodice with padded bosom, sheer yoke and long sleeves, shoulder bretelles, applied skirt flounces with centered white flowers, splendid tiered veil and train, white silk rose coronet, garland bouquet of white roses and lilies"diamond" ring, three-strands of pearls, organdy undergown, petticoat and panties, hip-high stockings, ivory shoes with silk ties; the gown is fitted with original zipper back. The panties and slip are tagged "Madame Alexander New York USA". Near mint condition. Madame Alexander, an extremely rare doll from her early portrait series, the model was presented as "June Bride", 1946; this example is in extraordinary fresh and original condition.
Presale Estimate:
5000/9000
Realized Price:
$21,000
7" (18 cm.) Each is all composition with one-piece head and torso, painted blue side-glancing eyes, tiny closed mouth, jointed arms and legs. Included is the bride with blonde mohair wig, embroidered tulle gown and veil with coronet of lilies and lily bouquet, painted white slippers, and two Bridesmaids with velvet and lace trim organdy costumes, painted white socks and black shoes, one with auburn mohair wig, one with brunette mohair wig, each with wide-brimmed woven bonnet and cotton slip and panties. Each costume is tagged "Madame Alexander New York". Excellent condition. Madame Alexander, the bride was made 1937-1937, the bridesmaids were made for one year only in 1937.
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$600
7" (18 cm.) All composition with one-piece head and torso, painted large blue side-glancing eyes, brunette mohair wig, jointing at shoulders and hips, painted white shoes. She is wearing original embroidered tulle wedding gown, tulle veil with wide-brimmed coiffe, bouquet of lilies. The costume is tagged "Madame Alexander New York". Excellent condition. Madame Alexander, 1939.
Presale Estimate:
200/300
Realized Price:
$150
7" (18 cm.) All composition with one-piece head and torso, blue side-glancing painted eyes, rosebud-shaped lips, auburn mohair wig, jointing at shoulders and hips, painted white shoes. She is wearing original embroidered tulle wedding gown tulle veil with wide-brimmed coiffe, bouquet of lilies. The costume is tagged "Madame Alexander New York". Excellent condition. Madame Alexander, 1939.
Presale Estimate:
200/300
Realized Price:
$150