Antique DOLL Collector March 2015 Vol. 18, No. 2
The Complete Guide to Antique, Vintage and Collectible Dolls
March 2015 Volume 18, Number 2
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THERIAULT’S TO PRESENT THE WORLD-CLASS DOLL COLLECTION OF BERTA HACKNEY AT AUCTION ON MARCH 28 AND 29 The grand Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas will host this important event.
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THE DOLLS EVERYONE WANTED TO FORGET
by Lois Cohorst Today considered pieces of American folk art, WPA dolls document an important period in our history.
HORSMAN, HEBEE/SHEBEE AND THE ELUSIVE CHARLES TWELVETREES by Susan Foreman Lewis A look at the artist who created these delightful dolls with their oversized bald heads.
Early German parian-types with fancy decorations, a rare “H” model, sought after Thuillier A.T.’s, paper maches, chinas, Brus, German characters and so much more will be featured in the upcoming Theriault auction to be held in Las Vegas. The collection of Berta Hackney, she has decided the time has come to part with her dolls. Berta’s tradition of “a doll a week” guarantees that this will be a memorable sale. Photo courtesy Theriault’s.
About The Cover
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IDENTIFICATION AND DATING OF KLING PARIAN SHOULDER HEADS PART TWO
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UFDC SPECIAL EXHIBITS JULY 2014
Photos taken at the 2014 UFDC National Convention
by Mary Krombholz 6
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STEIFF’S BELOVED CHILDREN FELT DOLLS
by Rebekah Kaufman Patented in 1908, Steiff’s children dolls featured realistic proportions and angelic faces.
12 Auction Gallery 12 Mystery 52 Emporium
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60 Calendar 61 News 63 Classified
TOLEDO DOLL SHOW… COMING UP APRIL 12 Photos by Rick Martinez
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1) Very Rare Signed ‘Cremer’ ca.1872 - From his famed Regent St. emporium still in the original dress w/ rooted hair, chunky poured wax limbs and owners history comes this luxurious, historic, 18” treasure… $1495 2) Rare Special Commission Rohmer delicate & pristine describes this 17” important Fashion w/ a special order kid lined flange neck design plus jointed wooden upper and mint curved bisque lower arms! Impeccable grace in seemingly original period fitted garments and boots… $4500 3) 22” Stately Parian w/ Provenance - from a private collection this documented doll in vintage original silk gown w/ matching trimmed slippers, lovely arms w/ bracelet and feathered fan, all mint w/ porcelain flowers in her cascading ringlets… $995 4) Luxurious Lined Wax - an 18” museum class beauty reflecting the richness of Victorian drama in her sensuous face, crisp fancy factory shift, jewelry and high button bootines!… $795 5) Factory Original Minis - (left to right) 6” French Provincial w sl.eyes… $250 / Crochet Sisters: 5.5” K*R w/ clo/mo and Black Stockings… $295 / 5.5” Rare Simon Halbig w/ Bisque Arms & Black Stockings… $495 5” Sweet German National… $195 6) Rare 23” Signed Pierotti - important doll signed at the neckline, initialed on the underwear, and on the torso: Pierotti/ 5 Grove St./ Hammersmith - in original pretty clothing and fine leather shoes. Significant… $1500
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(212) 787-7279 P.O. Box 1410 NY, NY 10023
7) 33” Jumeau Portrait of Princess Elizabeth - made to commemorate her visit to France in 1938. Very few in this original presentation size exist outside of Windsor Castle. She’s flawless quality, vibrant blue flirty eyes, closed smiling mouth and the important body incised ‘Jumeau/Paris/ Princess’! Rare $4500 (see #34) 8) 30” Aristocratic Wigged China - unusual solid crown, gentle expression, orig body w/ glazed arms, important French style vintage garments befitting such an elegant young lady… $1100 9) 26” Indulgent ‘Bebe Paris’ - What a kitten with her big, round, blue paperweight eyes w/ shaded lids, full ‘bee stung’ lips, long french curls, luxurious, swagged & ruffled silk couture w/ matching bonnet!… $3250 (see #13) 10) 24” Winsome Square Tooth Kestner unusual size for such an early one, 6 carved teeth, pouty cheeks, A.T. Brows, and remarkably fine heirloom clothes… $750 11) 4.5” Choice D&K Half Doll - Egyptian inspired Art Deco rarity, professional repair one hand, important signed piece, only… $695 12) 4.5” Elegant D&K Exotic - mint specimen and rare model with mock Turkish style, exquisite expression and coloring!… $750 13) see #9… $3250
Quality Antique Dolls by Mail Return Privilege • Layaways Member UFDC & NADDA
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Theriault’s to Present the World-Class Collection
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n her fifth birthday, Berta Leon Hackney was given a doll by her father. And a promise. Every week thereafter she could choose another doll to add to her collection. Thus, in the midst of the depression years, she, an only child, was blessed with this happy start to collecting that laid down the very foundation of her doll-filled home today. Growing up surrounded by dolls would be just the start. As Berta began her grown-up life, marrying Jay Leon, whose aristocratic family had fled from Madrid to New York and Texas during the Spanish Civil War, she began to spend more time in Mexico City where her husband’s oil business had brought the young couple. But that didn’t stop Berta from dolls! It was from there, in fact, that many of her prized pieces were discovered. In the 1950s, Mexico City was a well-kept secret source of fabulous antiques from the estates of European émigrés. Amidst those, of course, were dolls. Every week Berta would find a new doll from these estates: French bebes, German characters, early porcelains and parians, and so forth, thereby continuing on her “doll a week” tradition. Her collection grew and grew. During that time she still kept her house in Hubbard. The dolls would be shipped there over the years and it was the place where her collection developed and was displayed until now. This house in Hubbard is like no other, a stunning original Victorian home from the 19th century. Large highceiled rooms, winding staircases, rooms opening into other rooms so the surprises never end. And just to be sure she would have enough room for her collection, when a companion Victorian home right next door came on the market, Berta bought and restored that, too. By the 1980s Berta was well becoming established around the world as a major collector of dolls. Being back in Texas now on a full-time basis and having more time to interact with other doll lovers, she quickly became known and respected at auctions, clubs and 18
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Left: Gracing the cover of the “Only Child” catalog is a superb example of the rare “H” doll by French maker, Aristide Halopeau. Featured in the auction are other very fine models of the soughtafter Thuillier A.T. bébés, and exceptional examples of bebes by Bru, in rare sizes and models. Below left: The large paper mache lady has a remarkably elaborate beehive coiffure and is wonderfully preserved, an example of early paper mache dolls from the Hackney collection. Below: As he appeared in original SFBJ catalogs of the era, the French bisque character boy is wearing a wonderfully detailed original military costume and hat.
of Berta Hackney at Auction on March 28 and 29 Left to right: So fine is the sculpting of this lady that virtually every fold of the shawl appears as though a delicately draped actual piece of fabric. The model is only one of dozens of rare early German bisque ladies with sculpted hair or bodice ornaments. Berta Hackney related to Stuart Holbrook, “I lost out on this doll the first time it came to auction, and then years later it came back, and, by golly, I was determined to get it the second time�. And she did. The model is extremely rare, with sculpted and fantastically decorated Scottish tam, and even matching bisque shoes.
Left: Acquired by Berta Hackney from the famed Dina Vierney collection, the peddler lady is notable not only for her exquisite wares and accessories, but also for her rare exotic complexion. She is preserved in original costume and wig, under original glass dome. Above: The very rare early bell-ringer pull toy is enhanced by the handsome features of the young seated bisque lad. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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The Dolls Everyone Wanted To Forget by Lois Cohorst
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t was a retired naval officer who came up with a nationwide job plan in about 1932 to alleviate some of the distress caused by the Great Depression. It was called the “WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION” (WPA), but it had one major drawback. Backed by the federal government, Congress saw it as a socialistic move leading to governmental dependency and would not accept it. Newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to include it in his “NEW DEAL” and finally, in 1935, he made it an executive order, knowing it would never pass Congress if left to a vote. The WPA plan was successful, existing eight years and employing eight million people. Other entities, such as the (CCC) Civilian Conservation Corp, and the (NYA) National Youth Administration, provided for young men past 8th grade and not attending high school. These boys joined the CCC and lived in barracks An Ohio worker, no mark
Unmarked, but this pair in the original box came from a California school. 24
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Marked “Russia and WPA Museum Project, Wichita, Kansas”. This was part of the Nations Doll set.
on a military structured base. Girls, also, joined the NYA and lived in dormitories where they basically learned how to be efficient housewives, totally sexist by today’s standards. The WPA divided into blue and white collar workers. Blue collar workers catered to men with families who built roads, shelter houses, and sanitary toilets. They also built chapels, limestone rock walls for stadiums and bath houses for recreational areas. White collar workers filled the flip side of the work programs by presenting arts, dramatics, music, posters, and documentaries. The Federal Theatre gave Joseph Cotton, Orson Wells, Burt Lancaster, and Arlene Francis their start in the movies while providing dramatic tours. The Federal Theatre made marionettes, puppet shows, and presented programs in hospitals and libraries. They employed over 15,000 workers at twenty dollars a week and forty dollars a week for supervisors.
Hand caved Musketeer, no markings Marked Missouri on a metal tag
Marked Wichita, Kansas. She is made of plaster.
By 1937, the WPA arts program began. It fell into full swing and so did the doll business. The dolls were often called “government dolls” because they came from government paid labor. Although the dolls were only a means to an end, workers were happy to get the jobs, but unhappy that they had to receive government pay for this made-up work. They felt others looked down on them doing the so-called government work, which caused even more embarrassment. Still, they could not walk away, because they needed the money so badly. The truth is that these untrained workers did a terrific job on the WPA dolls, providing important historical artifacts from a time when America was in turmoil until it worked its way back to economic security. WPA dolls were assigned to libraries, schools, and museums. As soon as the war was over, many were destroyed with the feeling it was good riddance to the Depression. Fifty years later, remaining examples of these folksy dolls began coming out of the attics and closets, schools and libraries. The dolls began speaking to collectors and historians, which brought a new appreciation of their folk art and history. However, the examples were slim to none until collectors realized what they were, and these dolls are still hard to find because so many were destroyed. HOW THE WPA WORKED The projects fell under the National WPA program and were open to all of America, although only fifteen known states participated: Alabama, Kansas, California, Colorado,
Part of the nations doll set, Wichita, KS ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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