The Blacker Collection, Part I
Sunday, October 5, 2014 | 11:00 AM Pacific
Auction closed.
The Blacker Collection, Part I
Sunday, October 5, 2014 | 11:00 AM Pacific
Auction closed.
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See Special Terms for additional fees
Description
Theriault's Marquis Antique Doll Auction, October 5-6, 2014 at the Universal City Hilton in Los Angeles, California. Visit http://www.theriaults.com for more information of call 800-638-0422.
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Extremely Rare Largest Size of the Important American Cloth "Columbian Doll" 3000/4000
Lot # 1 (Sale Order: 1 of 345)
30" (76 cm.) All-cloth doll with stitched-on shoulder-plate head over muslin form, flat-dimensional face with oil-painted complexion and facial features, oil-painted short shaded brown curls, outlined blue eyes with defined pupils and white eye dots, shaded brown encircling eye shadow, short-stroke brows, outlined nose, painted mouth with shaded and outlined lips, muslin stitch-shaped body with oil-painted lower arms and legs, nice antique costume, undergarments, brooch, shoes. Condition: generally excellent, original finish with few typical rubs. Comments: Emma Adams of Oswego, New York, whose doll was entered into competition at the important 1893 Columbian International Exposition where it was the first American doll to be awarded the Gold Medal at any international exposition, an honor previously bestowed mostly on French doll firms such as Jumeau. In homage to this award the doll was thereafter named Miss Columbia, thus Columbian Doll. Value Points: extremely rare largest size of the landmark American doll, of which few examples are known, with very fine artistry of painting of features and complexion.
Early Stuffed Velvet Bunny with Shoe Button Eyes 300/500
Lot # 2 (Sale Order: 2 of 345)
7" (18 cm.) Firmly-stuffed crouching bunny with stitched-on folded ears, has black tiny shoe button eyes and original throat ribbon and bell. Excellent condition. Possibly Steiff, circa 1900.
Petite and Charming American Oil-Painted Cloth Folk Doll 1200/1500
Lot # 3 (Sale Order: 3 of 345)
14" (36 cm.) All-cloth with egg-shaped head having flat-dimensional face, circular-seam at crown of head, painted complexion with artistic soft blushing, painted short brown hair with wispy curls onto the forehead, dark blue outlined eyes, defined nostrils, brows, and lips, sturdy fabric body with oil-painted arms to above elbows and legs to mid-thigh, blue painted mitten hands and two-strap flat shoes, original blue polka dot dress, apron, undergarments, and cap. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: American, circa 1885. Value Points: rare petite size with most captivating oil-painted expression and hair, original unusual body.
German Woolen Tabby Cat on Wheels by Steiff 400/500
Lot # 4 (Sale Order: 4 of 345)
9" (23 cm.) A firmly-stuffed grey woolen cat with painted tabby stripes, stitched-on ears and tail, elaborately-stitched body, shoe button eyes. Posed upon original metal frame with four wooden wheels. Generally excellent. Germany, Steiff, circa 1900.
American Oil-Painted Artistic Cloth Doll with Original Homespun Dress 1100/1500
Lot # 5 (Sale Order: 5 of 345)
23" (58 cm.) All-cloth doll with flat-dimensional face, two front throat seams, painted long brown curly hair with shaded details, oil-painted complexion and facial features, rosy cheeks, earlobes and eye shadow, defined nostrils, cloth stitch-jointed body, mitten hands with separate thumbs, antique undergarments, and fine checkered homespun dress, hand-painted enamel brooch, black and red velvet shoes. Condition: generally excellent, some typical finish craquelure to limbs. Comments: American, anonymous folk artist, circa 1875. Value Points: especially fine quality of artistic oil painting with well-preserved original painted finish.
American Wooden "Spelling Chair" by Bliss 300/400
Lot # 6 (Sale Order: 6 of 345)
15" (38 cm.) The wooden rocking chair has lithographed paper covers on back and seat with various spelled words and colorful decorations and playful clowns. An arched crown has title "Spelling Chair". Excellent condition. American, Bliss, circa 1890.
Outstanding 19th Century Paper-Mache Doll with Long Ringlet Curls, Attributed to Greiner 1400/1800
Lot # 7 (Sale Order: 7 of 345)
33" (84 cm.) Paper-mache shoulder head with plump facial modeling, deeply-defined sculpted black hair in soft waves framing the face and long ringlet curls tucked behind her ears and tumbling onto her shoulders, deeply-defined impressed eye sockets with painted brown-edged green downcast eyes, black upper eyeliner and brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth, homemade old muslin body with double-stitch-jointing at elbows, stitch-jointing at shoulders, hips and knees, fine old calico dress, undergarments, stockings, red kidskin shoes, jewelry, and holding a handmade stockinette doll with embroidered features. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: attributed to Ludwig Greiner, circa 1865. Value Points: outstanding quality of sculpting of hair and facial features with beautiful lustrous original finish.
Early 1900s Children's Story Books by McLoughlin Bros. 200/300
Lot # 8 (Sale Order: 8 of 345)
8" (20 cm.) x 10". Six books with colorful covers include Easy Word Stories written by Josephine Pollard, Good Luck Story Book, Rolling About Stories, Girls' and Boys' Budget of Stories, Hans Tumbling, and Every Day Story Book. All published by McLoughlin, 1900-1902. Fair/good condition.
All-Original American Black "Witherspoon Rag Doll" 800/1100
Lot # 9 (Sale Order: 9 of 345)
12" (30 cm.) Black cotton sateen doll with flat-dimensional face having varnished finish with oil-painted features, large outlined brown eyes with white eye dots, defined nose, brows and lips, stitch-jointing at shoulders and hips, antique costume. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Witherspoon Rag Doll. Pat. Applied For New Orleans (paper label on back torso). Comments: Maud Witherspoon Rag Doll Manufacturing Company was founded in New Orleans about 1900; the Witherspoon family had ancestral ties to both the Confederate Army and civil rights advocates, and family ancestors were once owners of the Ellington Plantation in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Maud Witherspoon founded the doll company in order to support her widowed mother and younger sister (Cora Witherspoon, a noted American stage and film actress whose career spanned 1905-1954). Articles about Maud appeared in 1902 Troy Daily News and 1901 Indiana Weekly which described her as a "gentle fragile girl thrown on her own resources who...noting the craze for all things Southern" determined to manufacture the very cloth dolls that she had made for pleasure while "still a mere chit of a girl" growing up in the French quarter. Value Points: rare doll with original paper label, intriguing history.
American Cloth "Columbian Doll" by Emma Adams 1100/1500
Lot # 10 (Sale Order: 10 of 345)
17" (43 cm.) All-cloth doll with stitched-on shoulder plate head over muslin form, gusset crown seamline, flat-dimensional face with oil-painted complexion, facial features, and short brown curls, outlined brown eyes with short-stroke brows, outlined nose, painted bow-shaped mouth, muslin stitch-shaped body, nice antique costume, undergarments, shoes. Condition: very good, original finish with some craquelure and rubs. Comments: Emma Adams of Oswego, New York, whose doll was named the Columbian Doll after its award status gained at the Chicago 1893 International Exposition. Value Points: charming size of the signature American doll.
American Cloth Boy with Painted Features by Babyland Rag 400/600
Lot # 11 (Sale Order: 11 of 345)
14" (36 cm.) All-cloth doll with flat-dimensional sewn-on face, painted facial features, shaded blue eyes, blushed cheeks, closed mouth, blonde mohair crown ruff of curls, stitch-jointing at shoulders and hips. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1910, from the early hand-painted series. Value Points: artistic facial painting includes grey shadow detail around the eyes, nose and at lip corners, wonderful antique costume including leather boxing glove and punching bag.
German Fleece and Wooden Pull-Toy Horse 300/500
Lot # 12 (Sale Order: 12 of 345)
12" (30 cm.) A carved wooden horse with brown fleece hide cover is posed upon a wooden platform with four cast metal wheels, has brown glass inset eyes, leather ears, horsehair tail and remnants of leather saddlery and mane. Very good condition. Germany, late 19th century.
Wonderful Vintage Costumed "Automobile Bear" with Open Mouth and Tongue 500/800
Lot # 13 (Sale Order: 13 of 345)
27" (69 cm.) Of golden wool plush, the teddy has swivel head and jointing at shoulders and hips, with very extended snout, deeply-open mouth with twill lining, and a long wool plush tongue, black embroidered nose, large clear crystal eyes, twill paw pads. Condition: good/very good with some wear and sparseness to plush. Comments: circa 1935. Value Points: rare mouth modeling of the friendly bear, wearing antique woolen checkered jacket, white collar and bow tie, and laden with accessories including two fine antique pocket watches, fob, medals and silk badges, with matching cap, mittens, and automobile goggles.
Wonderful American Oil-Painted Black Cloth Folk Doll with Worsted Yarn Wig 900/1300
Lot # 14 (Sale Order: 14 of 345)
20" (51 cm.) Very chubby black cotton doll with one-piece head, torso and legs posed askance, center seam on face and continuing down the torso, stitch jointing at shoulders with separated long fingers, oil-painted facial features over lightly-varnished complexion, large outlined eyes, broad nose, smiling expression with row of painted teeth, canvas wig cap with black looped wool "hair", antique undergarments, red cotton dress, brooch, black leather boots. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: American, late 19th century. Value Points: wonderful presence of the little girl with most artistic painting, holding her own worsted stockinette doll with tiny black bead eyes and embroidered face.
American Black Cloth Folk Doll with Oil-Painted Features 900/1300
Lot # 15 (Sale Order: 15 of 345)
22" (56 cm.) All-cloth doll with separately sewn-on head having oil-painted brown complexion and facial features, half moon-shaped brown eyes with defined spiral threading, black eyeliner and brows, outlined nose with defined nostrils, closed mouth with coral-shaded lower lip, black fleecy wig, very plump softly stuffed natural finish homespun body with sewn-on black sateen hands, separate fingers and thumb, antique costume. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: American, late 19th century. Value Points: especially artistic painting of complexion and facial features. Ex-collection of Lenon Hoyte, considered a pioneer collector of black dolls, owner of Aunt Len's Doll and Toy Museum, closed since 1994.
Grey Woolen Handmade Stuffed Toy Elephant in the Steiff Manner 200/400
Lot # 16 (Sale Order: 16 of 345)
9" (23 cm.) Very firmly stuffed grey woolen elephant with stitched-on ears and white woolen tusks, has metal shoe button eyes and original red felt blanket with scalloped edge. Possibly inspired by the Margeurite Steiff pincushion elephant pattern published by Modenwelt magazine in 1879. Good condition except arthritic front legs. Late 19th century.
A Sister Pair of American Cloth Dolls by Martha Chase in Wonderful Costumes 800/1200
Lot # 17 (Sale Order: 17 of 345)
27" (69 cm.) Each of the pair of all-cloth dolls has firmly-pressed and oil-painted complexion, facial features and impasto-styled blonde hair with tendrils of curls around the forehead, painted brown or blue eyes, red and black upper eyeliner, curly black upper lashes, brown brows, closed mouth, stitched ears, sateen body cover, oil-painted lower limbs with stitch jointing. Condition: generally excellent, slight lip rubs on one. Marks: (Chase logo on leg). Comments: Martha Chase, circa 1910. Value Points: the sister dolls, identical except the color of their eyes, have fine original and artfully-painted features, and are wearing beautiful antique costumes with accessories including silver baby rattles.
Petite American Cloth Character Doll by Martha Chase 300/500
Lot # 18 (Sale Order: 18 of 345)
13" (33 cm.) All-cloth doll with firmly-pressed and oil-painted complexion, facial features and impasto-styled blonde hair with tendrils of curls around the forehead, painted dark grey/blue eyes, red and black upper eyeliner, curly black upper lashes, blonde brows, closed mouth, stitched ears, sateen body cover, oil-painted lower limbs with stitch jointing. Condition: generally excellent, hands may be repainted. Comments: Martha Chase, circa 1900. Value Points: very expressive detail of modeling and painting on the petite model, with nice antique costume that may be original.
Early German Mohair Teddy by Steiff with Blank Button in Ear 900/1400
Lot # 19 (Sale Order: 19 of 345)
12" (30 cm.) Light champagne-colored mohair teddy with swivel head, excelsior-filled body with non-working growler, jointed long arms, hip-jointed legs with large feet, long snout with brown embroidered nose tip, black shoe button eyes, stitched ears at side crown, felt paw pads, with original black silver button in ear. Generally excellent, few moth holes in paws. Germany, Steiff, circa 1908. (Shown on cover.)
American Cloth Brown-Eyed Doll with Bobbed Hair by Martha Chase 700/900
Lot # 20 (Sale Order: 20 of 345)
16" (41 cm.) All-cloth doll with pressed and oil-painted facial features, rosy complexion and impasto-painted blonde hair which has straight bangs and bobbed Dutch-style shape, large brown eyes, painted curly upper lashes, brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth, sateen torso cover, jointing at shoulder and hips, pretty antique costume. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: (Martha Chase logo stamp on leg). Comments: Martha Chase, circa 1915. Value Points: rare hair style and brown eyes on the wonderfully-preserved doll.
Rare Grand-Sized American Cloth Bobbed Hair Girl by Martha Chase 1600/2200
Lot # 21 (Sale Order: 21 of 345)
27" (69 cm.) All-cloth doll with pressed and oil-painted facial features, sculpted light brown hair in short bobbed fashion with bangs, blue upper glancing eyes, red and black upper eyeliner, upper fringed curly lashes, white eye dots, blonde brows, accented nostrils of upturned nose, closed mouth, stitch jointing of shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, wearing pretty cotton pinafore dress, undergarments, red stockings and leather shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Martha Chase, circa 1910. Value Points: rare bobbed hair model in extremely rare grand size, possibly for exhibition purposes, with perfectly-preserved fine original painting. Ex-collection Kate Hoffman.
American Black Cloth Folk Doll in Original Costume 700/900
Lot # 22 (Sale Order: 22 of 345)
30" (76 cm.) All-black cotton cloth doll with separately stitched-on head, flat-dimensional face except stitch-shaped nose with embroidered nostrils, cut-out eye sockets with embroidered outline and star-spiral embroidered detail on painted eye whites, embroidered brows, mouth and teeth, fleeced black wig, stitch jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, sewn-on black kidskin glove-shaped lower arms with separate fingers, and sewn-on black kidskin lower legs having defined boot shape with little heels. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: American, late 19th century. Value Points: very fine state of preservation with well detailed facial features and embroidery, unusual lower arms and legs, original costume including dress, collar, matching cap, and undergarments.
Rare Early American Cloth Topsy-Turvy Doll in Petite Size 400/600
Lot # 23 (Sale Order: 23 of 345)
10" (25 cm.) An alternate doll head is posed on either side of a muslin torso, and designed so that the full-length costume which accompanies each head will hide the alternate head. When the doll is flipped over, the second head and second costume appear. Each head is stuffed solid with lithograph-printed face depicting a black-complexioned child with coral-shaded lips, and a white-complexioned child with brown curly hair; each doll has factory original costume. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: American, commercially made, attribution uncertain, circa 1890. Value Points: especially nice detail of facial expressions on the rare topsy-turvy.
Early California Folk Art Doll's Chest of Drawers 500/900
Lot # 24 (Sale Order: 24 of 345)
17" (43 cm.) Handmade of found wood, the three-drawer chest has wooden knobs and two small handkerchief drawers at the top, with arch-shaped apron, and having chip-carved scenes on each labeled drawer, including "Ramona's Home" and "Overlooking San Diego Bay". On the backside is hand-lettered documentation of maker (name illegible) and San Diego, California 1905". Excellent condition. American, endearing scenes complement the exuberant details of the wooden cabinet, with maker's name and attribution.
American Black Stockinette "Missionary Rag Baby" Attributed to Julia Beecher 1100/1500
Lot # 25 (Sale Order: 25 of 345)
21" (53 cm.) Firmly-stuffed black stockinette head with well-defined stitch-shaped facial features, cut-out eye sockets with eye whites having painted lashes and black shoe button eyes, embroidered brows, nostrils and well-shaped red lips, black yarn hair cap, the head sewn onto original brown cotton sateen body with stitch jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, mitten hands with separate thumbs. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: attributed to Julia Beecher, of Elmira, New York, circa 1890, sister-in-law of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who authored Uncle Tom's Cabin, and of Henry Ward Beecher, the famed abolitionist. Stockinette dolls were made in the Congregational Church sewing circle of Elmira, New York from 1893 to 1910, with proceeds donated to missionary groups, thus earning the dolls the name of Missionary Rag Babies. Value Points: rarely found doll in especially fine condition with original body and antique costume including photographic brooch pin.
