SKINNER HOSTS RICHARD WRIGHT COLLECTION OF FINE DOLLS – OCTOBER 10TH, MARLBOROUGH, MA Prominent doll expert’s private collection includes 18th century English wooden dolls, German and French, papier-mâché, China, parian, and bisque dolls
Skinner, one of the nation’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, today announced that Session I of the Richard Wright Collection will be held in the Marlborough gallery on Oct. 10, 2009. The eclectic sale is comprised of more than 450 lots. Wright’s vast collection of dolls and doll furniture and accessories up for auction is truly a study of the history of playthings.
Richard Wright was an antiques trailblazer, marked by his success as a dealer and his passion as a collector. A prominent and colorful appraiser on the PBS series, Antiques Roadshow, Wright had an appreciation not only for the valuable, but the unusual, the rare and the original. His collection represents one of the most prominent to be seen in the auction world in many years.
Skinner has teamed with Andy and Becky Ourant of Adamstown, Pennsylvania on this exceptional event. The Ourants, well-known figures in the field of dolls and doll collectibles, as well as close personal and professional friends of Mr. Wright, will bring their extensive knowledge and love of the material to the sale of this estate.
Early dolls
A nice selection of early dolls grace the sale. Of note is a Queen Anne lady doll in a mahogany and walnut case (lot 40, est. $50/70,000), c. 1720 – Wright’s signature doll, which was often captured in his business marketing materials. Also highlighted is an important portrait-type carved wood doll from Germany (lot 52, est. $40/60,000), which is believed to have been acquired by Wright via private treaty sale at Sotheby’s London in the 1980s. Undocumented anecdotal history purports that this doll was commissioned by a member of Dutch royalty. Other featured dolls include a German wooden doll with wardrobe, maker unknown but probably Oberammergau (lot 251, est. $50/70,000); a China lady with bun and wardrobe and glazed porcelain head (lot 352, est. $15/20,000) made in Germany; and a Queen Anne lady doll from England, c. 1750 (lot 70, est. $8/12,000). Finally, two gentleman (lots 221 and 224) and two lady (lots 222 and 223, all four estimated at $3/4,000) 18th century gesso-over-wood German dolls round out the early offerings.
German dolls
An important papier-mâché lady is expected to draw interest due to the rarity of its looped braids of waxed human hair (lot 61, est. $10/15,000). Also being offered are two highly sought KPM China dolls, a lady with bun (lot 53, est. $8/10,000) and a gentleman (lot 54, est. $7/9.000); and a Kris Kringle doll (lot 21, est. $6/8,000), the body covered by approximately fifty-five period playthings, offers an extraordinary glimpse of Christmas in 1852. The cover lots, several boy dolls, far rarer than their female counterparts, include a gentleman with a molded hat (lot 246, est. $3/4,000); a Scottish highlander (lot 3, est. $3/4,000); and a soldier with molded helmet (lot 66, est. $3/4,000).
A fine selection of German character dolls will also be offered including a Kestner 208 doll (lot 79, est. $25/30,000); a Steiff German soldier (lot
