The highlight of the June 30 sale was the rare googly-eyed toddler, right, probably made by Kestner. The construction of the 7in (17cm) high, all-bisque body is unusual, being jointed at the shoulder, elbows, knees and thighs. She arrived wearing her original fair mohair wig, original cream lace outfit and several other accessories. All were presented in an Étrennes gift box suggesting the doll was originally supplied for the French market.
Towards the lower end of expectations, she sold at £2600 to a German buyer.
The same buyer also won a 16in (41cm) high German Regency papier-mâché doll, c.1830. With her ornate moulded hair piled high in plaits and curls she had a fabric body with leather arms and wore her original net costume with puffed sleeves and pantalettes. She sold at £740 (estimate £400-600).
A printed and hand coloured mid 19th century peepshow with a panorama of Florence, and a lid decorated with eagles suspending a curtain, doubled hopes reaching £440 while a well-preserved Ives clockwork Centennial Drum Dancer, a dancing figure made to commemorate the centennial of American Independence in 1876, sold with the remains of an original box at £340.
