Done
Oak Grove, MO, United States
Auction Details
ALABAMA TO ALEXANDER - AMERICAN MADE DOLLS
Presenting the largest, well-loved privately owned collection of Ella Smith’s Alabama Indestructible Dolls direct from Roanoke, Alabama. Dr. John Holmes, a long-time resident of Roanoke, grew this collection over the many decades he served as the beloved Roanoke town doctor. This is the first time many of these dolls have ever left Roanoke where Ella Smith’s historic home still stands today on Main Street along with the building behind it that served as her doll-making factory until production ended in 1925. In the height of production, this building eventually housed up to a dozen women who helped Smith hand sew and paint dolls from her patented design of molded heads from stockinette and plaster, and bodies and arms from cambric and heavy cotton sourced from local textile mills. During this time, sales catalogues showed dolls ranging from 12 to 36 inches with choice of painted hair or wig, clothes and skin tone to include black dolls, a first for a southern doll manufacturer at that time and highly sought after by collectors today. Smith is buried within walking distance of her beloved home and doll factory in the historic Roanoke Cedarwood Cemetery.
Also featured in this auction are other American made dolls by various manufacturers including Alexander, Ideal, Effanbee, American Character and others; plus American made novelty items.
Lot Number: Lowest
24
View:
24
Auction Details
Bid Increments
PriceBid Increment
$0$10
$100$25
$400$50
$1,000$100
$2,000$250
$5,000$500
$15,000$1,000
$20,000$2,000
$50,000$5,000
$100,000$10,000
TOP