Selection of airplanes from the GR Webster collection. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image.
SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – Stephenson’s Auctioneers of Southampton (suburban Philadelphia), Pa., will host its Spring 2012 Dolls, Toys & Trains Auction on Friday, May 25, with Internet live bidding provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.
The 295-lot sale will commence at 11 a.m. Eastern Time with a widely varied array of beautiful, fresh to the market dolls. Highlights include a 1930s Ideal Shirley Temple doll with its original trunk and additional clothing, and two other Ideal Shirley Temples of similar vintage. There will also be a grouping of six Madame Alexander dolls, five accompanied by their original boxes and all with their original tags. They include “Southern Belle,” “Polish – 780,” “Meg,” and two “Littlest Kitten” dolls.
The doll lineup continues with desirable productions by C.M. Bergmann, Mary Hoyer and Kaiser; bisque-head dolls by Simon & Halbig and Armand Marseille; and piano babies by Heubach. Also on the auction roster: mint/boxed Ginny’s Trip Mates, china-head dolls, Max Oscar bisque-head dolls, a Rose O’Neill composition Kewpie, vintage Annalees, Alexanderkins, Kiddles, Annette Himstedt, Wendy Richardson-Harris and Carolyn Neep limited-edition artist dolls. The selection is completed by cloth and composition dolls.
Where you find dolls, teddy bears often follow. At this sale, Stephenson’s will offer a fine selection of Steiff teddies of various sizes and colors, and in outfits ranging from a tuxedo to cloth lederhosen.
A highlight amongst the vintage toys is the selection of toy airplanes from the Capt. GR Webster toy airplane collection. A distinguished wartime pilot and retired businessman who divides his time between Florida and the French Riviera, Capt. Webster has had a fascination with aviation since childhood, as the son of a naval pilot. This led to his eventually amassing one of the world’s largest and finest collections of aviation toys and models. Stephenson’s will present aspects of the collection in the May 25 sale.
G.R. Webster’s collection includes a Dinky Toys Spitfire Mark II Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Air Force, Kilgore Travel Air Mystery Plane, Hubley twin-engined TAT NC-431 and a Hubley P-38 Fighter in its original box.
Also among the top pieces are a French Meccano Seaplane, a 1950s TootsieToy mint/boxed store display containing 12 die-cast dime store aircraft, two rare Tootsietoy Army Transports, a 1956 TootsieToy Sikorsky H-34 helicopter and a 1956 Hiller 23 helicopter. Webster’s collection also includes toy aircraft by Cragstan, Goodie Toy, Renwal, Midgetoy, and other manufacturers.
The auction ventures into sci-fi land with a complete set of 55 “Mars Attacks” cards by Bubbles-Topps. It comes with a checklist and an additional #5 “Washington in Flames” card.
Collectors can ride the rails on Friday, choosing from Lionel No. 2355 postwar Western Pacific diesel locomotives, a Marx Stream Line Electrical Train, Lionel ZW Transformers, a Lionel TCA Bicentennial Special set or American Flyer Electric train set. Other toys to be auctioned include Schuco automobiles, scale-model automobiles, Britains and diecast soldiers, G.I. Joes, and more.
Stephenson’s Friday, May 25 Dolls, Toys & Trains Auction will be held at the company’s gallery located at 1005 Industrial Blvd., Southampton, PA 18966. Start time: 11 a.m.
For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Cindy Stephenson at 215-322-6182 or e-mail info@stephensonsauction.com. View the fully illustrated online catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
Selection of airplanes from the GR Webster collection. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Selection of airplanes from the GR Webster collection. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Boxed dolls by Madame Alexander. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Shirley Temple doll with wardrobe and trunk. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Selection of dolls to be auctioned on May 25. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Complete set of 55 ‘Mars Attacks’ cards by Bubbles-Topps. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Large grouping of Steiff teddy bears. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image. Tinplate Zilotone toy. Stephenson’s Auctioneers image.
