Treadway Gallery's Auction for Katherine Williams Estate Brings Antique Dolls, Art & More to Market The Gallery of the Dolls: 700 vintage dolls bring $108,724 and one sells for $2,310 despite missing an arm, a tooth and her wig in Treadway Gallery’s first estate sale, a new service the firm offers.
News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - CINCINNATI, OHIO – A veritable treasure trove of 20th Century art and collectibles was unearthed at Treadway Gallery’s auction for the Katherine Williams Estate in Cincinnati on Jan. 6-7. A prominent Chicago area collector, Williams had amassed multiple collections within collections including Victorian and Arts and Crafts furniture; Rookwood, Parian Ware, and a host of notable American and European ceramics; fine paintings; and more than 700 antique dolls.
The auction was also Treadway Gallery’s first foray in estate sales. Building on the company’s strengths as auction leaders and experts in 20th Century art and collectibles, estate sales services were a natural extension for the business, according to Don Treadway, gallery owner.
“We were delighted to handle this sale for the lifetime estate of Katharine Williams,” Treadway said. “She had a number of fascinating and diverse collections. We’re extremely pleased with the results, and we’re looking forward to producing more estate sales this year.”
Seven hundred of Williams’ prized dolls brought a combined total of $108,724. Three beauties from the venerable French firm of Jumeau and one by Käthe Kruse captured the highest prices, followed by a Jules Steiner doll that greatly exceeded estimates despite missing one arm, a tooth and her wig. A 17-inch crying baby with a mechanical bisque head, the Steiner remained so endearing even with her imperfections that she fetched $2,310. She had a key wind, pierced ears, original shoes and dress.
Top seller among the dolls was an exquisite Tete Jumeau Déposé with blue paperweight eyes that sold for $4,125. The 17-inch doll had original shoes, dress and wig, and was marked ‘S.G.D.G. #7’. A 22-inch Jumeau Portrait Fashion doll with lever eyes and a working pull-string crier brought $3,300. A 25-inch Tete Jumeau Déposé with brown paperweight eyes and a pull-string crier fetched $2,640. A 16-inch Jumeau Portrait Fashion doll with a swivel head on bisque plate sold for $2,200. A 16-inch doll with blue glass eyes and swivel head, which was attributed to Jumeau, sold for $2,090.
Tagged, wigged and sporting her original dress, a 17-inch Käthe Kruse doll reached an astonishing $2,640. A 15-inch François Gaultier doll, mold #1, which had blue paperweight eyes, antique boots and original clothes, sold for $2,200. ‘The Dionne Quints,’ a set of 7-inch quintuplets by Madame Alexander, achieved $2,090.
The majority of Simon & Halbig dolls fared well regardless of flaws. An early, 23-inch Simon & Halbig, mold #939, with open mouth, square teeth, antique boots and dress sold for $2,200. A 25-inch Simon & Halbig, mold #1159, a lady doll with original mohair wig and striking antique clothing, reached $1,760. A 23-inch Simon & Halbig, mold #1159, which was missing a finger, sold for $1,430. A 17-inch Simon & Halbig, mold #1159, a lady doll in need of a wig, brought $1,210. A 31-inch Simon & Halbig, mold #1079, with blue sleep eyes, dolly face, pierced ears and antique clothes fetched $990.
Three lovelies by Armand Marseille also brought top prices: a 14-inch doll, mold #400,
