Many Wonderful Things
A superb collection of 19th century antique French dolls and automata, highlighted by the important automata of Candy Spelling, including works by Vichy, Theroude, Lambert, and Roullet et Decamps. A catalog of these rare works, along with the several hundred of the finest 19th and early 20th century dolls including exemplary examples from Bru, Schmidt et Fils, Steiner, and Jumeau. 8.5" x 11". Softbound. 140 full-color pages.
$49.00
Catalog Lot List details
12" x 10". First edition of the hardbound
book,with jacket,by Heinrich Weiss-Stauffacher
with the collaboration of Rudolf Bruhin. Kodansha
International. Tokyo,1976,printed in Switzerland.
244 pages,color and black and white
photographs,and original illustrations.
Presale Estimate:
100/200
Realized Price:
$40
8" (20 cm.) x 6",A firm-sided green folio with
silk tassel ties contains within 22 sepia
photographs depicting bisque poupees (appearing to
be Jumeau) each in superb costume as created by
famous couturiers of Paris at the end of the 19th
century. Each doll is costumed to designate a
particular era or historic person,and each is
identified as to era,and by the name of the
couturier. The couturiers include Worth and Paquin
among 18 others. Photographs are excellent,folio
spine is broken. A rare and wonderful historical
document of dolls and Paris fashion. 1895.
Presale Estimate:
400/600
Realized Price:
$1,700
24" (61 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden
stage is a bisque-head doll with blue glass
eyes,mohair lashes,open mouth,row of teeth,blonde
mohair wig in upswept fashion,carton torso with
adult female shape and long slender legs,wire
upper arms,bisque forearms,wearing silk and lace
country-style costume of flower seller. She
appears to be carrying a large tray of silk
flowers; the tray is actually supported by a metal
rod to her torso which connects the mechanism.
When wound,the lady turns her head side-to-side
and then nods as she lifts her right hand to offer
a nosegay of flowers; she lowers the nosegay and
turns her attention to a leaf-covered cone on her
tray,and then presents the surprise: lifting the
cone,a little dancing and twirling bisque doll is
revealed. Music plays throughout. Condition:
generally excellent,music and mechanism function
well. Marks: L.B. (key) 1159 Germany Simon &
Halbig S&H 6 (head) (illegible original tune label
on the front). Comments: Leopold Lambert,circa
1910. Value Points: beautiful automaton with
wonderfully-detailed original costume and
accessories,charming movement.
Presale Estimate:
6000/8000
Realized Price:
$4,500
22" (56 cm.) Bisque socket head,large amber-brown
glass paperweight inset eyes,dark
eyeliner,lushly-painted lashes,mauve blushed eye
shadow,brush-stroked and multi-feathered
brows,accented nostrils and eye corners,closed
mouth with shaded accented lips,separately-applied
pierced ears,brunette human hair over cork
pate,French composition and wooden fully-jointed
body with straight wrists. Condition: generally
excellent. Marks: Depose E 10 J (and artist
checkmarks,head) Jumeau Medaille d'Or Paris
(body). Comments: Emile Jumeau,circa 1884. Value
Points: beautiful brown-eyed bebe has fine antique
crepe de chine rose dress,lace bonnet with rose
satin bow,undergarments,stockings,leather shoes
signed "Bebe Jumeau Depose" and wooden-handled
parasol with flowered cotton chintz shade and
brass dog's head figural handle.
Presale Estimate:
3500/4500
Realized Price:
$4,750
24" (61 cm.) Pressed bisque socket head,blue glass
paperweight inset eyes,dark eyeliner,painted
lashes,mauve-blushed eye shadow,brush-stroked and
feathered brows,shaded nostrils,closed mouth with
defined space between the shaded and outlined
lips,separately-applied pierced ears,blonde mohair
wig over cork pate,French composition and wooden
eight-loose-ball-jointed body with straight
wrists. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: 11
(head) Jumeau Medaille d'Or Paris (body).
Comments: Emile Jumeau,circa 1882. Value Points:
gorgeous bebe with superb modeling,splendid
eyes,lovely painting,original early body and
original lace dress with Bertha
Collar,undergarments,lavish cut-work bonnet,and
shoes signed "Bebe Jumeau Depose".
Presale Estimate:
5500/7500
Realized Price:
$7,500
18" (46 cm.) Bisque socket head,brown glass sleep
eyes,mohair lashes,painted lashes,brush-stroked
and multi-feathered brows,accented nostrils,closed
mouth with accented lips,brunette mohair
wig,composition and wooden ball-joitned body.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: K*R Simon &
Halbig 117 46. Comments: Kammer and
Reinhardt,circa 1912,the beloved pensive-faced
girl marketed as "Mein Susser Liebling" (my sweet
darling). Value Points: especially fine quality of
sculpting on this example,rare mohair
lashes,original body and body finish,beautiful
antique costume.
Presale Estimate:
3000/4000
Realized Price:
$3,000
24" (63 cm.) An old woman with
highly-characterized head of papier-mache,is
seated on a wooden chair,having glass eyes,sharp
nose,open mouth with missing teeth,red age lines
on face,grey mohair wig under Charlotte cap,carton
torso with mechanism,papier-mache hands and lower
legs. She is dressed in a burgundy gown with green
cotton apron,black fringed shawl with embroidered
flowers,beads,woolen stockings,black shoes,and
holds a knitting bag on her lap and knitting work
and needles in her curled fingers. When wound,she
nods her head back and forth as though intently
watching her handiwork,and her hands move to and
fro in a realistic knitting manner,while music
plays. Condition: generally excellent,mechanism
and movement function well. Comments: Roullet et
Decamps,the automaton appeared in their catalog as
#265,"Vielle Tricoleuse" (old lady knitting),circa
1890. Value Points: well-preserved and charming
automaton with realistic movements.
Presale Estimate:
7500/9500
Realized Price:
$6,000
12" (30 cm.) Bisque socket head,amber brown glass
paperweight inset eyes,long painted
lashes,feathered brows,accented nostrils and eye
corners,closed mouth with outlined lips and
slightly-smiling expression,pierced ears,auburn
mohair wig over original Steiner pate,French
composition fully-jointed body with straight
wrists. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Sie
E 2/0 (head) (faint Steiner cadeceus stamp on
torso). Comments: Jules Steiner,circa 1884. Value
Points: among the rarest of the Steiner bebe
models,the petite bebe has captivating
expression,original signed body,and wearing
wonderful antique cashmere wool bebe dress
(possibly original),with woven
bonnet,undergarments,knit stockings,tan leather
bebe shoes.
Presale Estimate:
9000/12,000
Realized Price:
$8,500
17" (43 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and
painted facial features,brown side-glancing eyes
with grey eye shadow,curly upper lashes,accented
nostrils,closed mouth,brown curly mohair wig in
short boyish style,jointing at shoulders and hips.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Lenci
(feet). Comments: Lenci,circa 1930,from the 300
series,the boy is wearing traditional costume of
the Italian Fascist Youth Movement of that era
comprising black jacket with felt-covered buttons
and silk sleeve insignia,blue felt tie,black cap
with tassel and brass pin,grey felt shorts,grey
woolen leggings,leather laced shoes. Value Points:
rare model is wonderfully-preserved,costume
includes the rare hat pin.
Presale Estimate:
1200/1800
Realized Price:
$5,750
25" (64 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and
painted facial features,brown upper-glancing
eyes,painted curly upper lashes,high arched
brows,closed mouth,blushed cheeks,brunette mohair
wig with ringlet curls,slender lady body with
jointing at shoulders and hips,high-heel posed
feet. Condition: generally excellent,one tiny tear
in taffeta. Marks: Melanie (name on Lenci
heart-shaped parchment tag). Comments: Lenci,circa
1930,the doll is wearing her original pale pink
taffeta gown with tiers of box pleats on the
skirt,matching detachable capelet with box-pleated
edging,deep coral silk sash and bow on
bonnet,velvet bows on skirt,two organdy petticoats
(one with hoop),pantalets with ruffled
edging,black felt heels,and extravagant felt
flowers that border her bonnet,form a nosegay,and
accent her stocking garters. Value Points: rare
model with especially beautiful face,Melanie is
wearing a stunning costume that is
wonderfully-preserved.
Presale Estimate:
1500/2100
Realized Price:
$2,200