20 December 2011
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A George II English wooden doll sells for £58,850 at Bonhams
A George II English wooden doll, which has belonged to the same family for more than 200 years, sold for an amazing £58,850 at Bonhams’ Fine Toys, Dolls and Lead Soldiers Sale at Knightsbridge, London, on Tuesday 15th November. ...
A George II English wooden doll, which has belonged to the same family for more than 200 years, sold for an amazing £58,850 at Bonhams’ Fine Toys, Dolls and Lead Soldiers Sale at Knightsbridge, London, on Tuesday 15th November.
Named Marianna after its first owner, the pre-sale estimates for the doll ranged between £20,000 and £30,000. The doll, dressed in original silk clothes, was bought by a US collector and was accompanied by a hand-written note which read: “A doll given to Grandmama Marianna Davis in Paris, when she was three years old, after she had recovered from a dangerous illness.”
Leigh Gotch, Head of Department, commented: “This is the best doll sale we’ve ever had. We are particularly thrilled by the price fetched for Marianna – she was the ultimate lady of her time and has sold for the ultimate price to the ultimate collector.” The sale realised a total of £371,125, with 90% of lots sold.
High prices were also realised for a large William and Mary wooden doll, which reached £22,500 and represented the oldest commercially-made doll (c.1690) that Bonhams has ever sold, and an A Thuillier bisque head bebe, c.1880, which made £30,000.