Long-held private collections of two sisters star in Morphy’s Oct. 10-11 sale

Circa-1880 Thullier (France) A.T. bébé with pale pressed-bisque socket head incised A.7T., light blue paperweight eyes, finely painted brows and lashes with mauve eye shadow, closed mouth, pierced ears and long-tailed blonde mohair wig with cork pate. Straight-wrist French composition and wood body, antique pink wool dress, ivory satin and lace blouse, antique velvet hat and matching shoes. 18 inches tall. Estimate: $45,000-$55,000.
Circa-1880 Thullier (France) A.T. bébé with pale pressed-bisque socket head incised A.7T., light blue paperweight eyes, finely painted brows and lashes with mauve eye shadow, closed mouth, pierced ears and long-tailed blonde mohair wig with cork pate. Straight-wrist French composition and wood body, antique pink wool dress, ivory satin and lace blouse, antique velvet hat and matching shoes. 18 inches tall. Estimate: $45,000-$55,000.
Circa-1880 Thullier (France) A.T. bébé with pale pressed-bisque socket head incised A.7T., light blue paperweight eyes, finely painted brows and lashes with mauve eye shadow, closed mouth, pierced ears and long-tailed blonde mohair wig with cork pate. Straight-wrist French composition and wood body, antique pink wool dress, ivory satin and lace blouse, antique velvet hat and matching shoes. 18 inches tall. Estimate: $45,000-$55,000.

DENVER, Pa. – As the follow-up to a heavily attended May 17-18 debut that grossed $1.5 million, Morphy Doll Auctions has prepared an equally diverse selection of dolls, dollhouses, miniatures and teddy bears as the foundation of its Fall Fine Doll event. The 950-lot auction will take place on Oct. 10 and 11, and features dolls of excellent pedigree from select private collections, including those of noted sister collectors Eleanor Lakin and Patricia Lemkuhl.

Friday’s session includes a treasure trove of 18th, 19th and 20th-century dolls of all types, including German and French bisque dolls; exceptional Lenci dolls, German character dolls including a Kammer & Reinhardt model 112X, more than 50 coveted porcelain half dolls, mignonettes, French fashion dolls, and an impressive grouping of antique French automata.

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X-ray reveals Steiff teddy is rare rod bear

Here it is, in black and white: A-Rod’s inner workings.
Here it is, in black and white: A-Rod’s inner workings.
Here it is, in black and white: A-Rod’s inner workings.

VINELAND, N.J. – Veterinarians are accustomed to seeing animals of all shapes and sizes in the course of their daily work, but few – like Dr. Hal Blumenthal of Millville, N.J. – can say they’ve had a teddy bear for a patient.

It all started when Bertoia Auctions, antique toy specialists in Vineland, N.J., received a circa-1903 Steiff bear as a consignment to their Nov. 7-9 sale. Bertoia’s experts immediately identified it as a rare production from the early 20th century, but they knew that if they could confirm it was, as suspected, a Steiff “rod” bear, it would greatly increase its value and desirability to collectors.

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