UFDC Annual Convention: Off To An Energetic Start

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Liddle Kiddles from the 1960s in the UFDC Doll Museum

Liddle Kiddles from the 1960s in the UFDC Doll Museum

At the 66th annual United Federation of Doll Clubs National Convention in Kansas City I have had no trouble staying busy. In fact, the exact opposite has been true. The “A Dream Come True convention officially began yesterday, and I have spent the last two days in a whirlwind of seminars, tours, meetings, exhibits, salesroom openings, and much more.

This entire week UFDC convention attendees have been able to visit, for free, the revamped UFDC doll museum at the national headquarters, as well as the remodeled (and not yet open to the public) National Toy and Miniature Museum. I went to both yesterday morning. The UFDC has a wonderful Continue reading →

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Theriault’s Shirley Temple Auction Wrap-Up

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Shirley Temple's Japanse Dolls

Japanese dolls from the childhood collection of Shirley Temple

To summarize Theriault’s Love, Shirley Temple event, all I can say is that it was fun, exciting, exhausting, and very different from any other doll auction I had ever been to. There was a tremendous outpouring of love and nostalgia for Shirley, and a great desire by many collectors to own a doll, costume piece of artwork….something…anything…that Shirley owned. Hence, prices for the entire auction were very strong, usually many times over the pre-auction estimate.

Besides the movie costumes, the most popular items seemed to be any doll or toy that was accompanied by a photograph of Shirley holding said doll or toy. And people were willing to pay a big premium to own one of these items. I swear I saw an Armand Marseille 390 sell for over $4,000–but it came with a fabulous picture of Shirley Temple holding the very same doll.

Also very popular were Continue reading →

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Prices Continue High at Shirley Temple Auction

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Close-Up of Shirley Temple Original Costumes

Close-Up of Shirley Temple Original Costumes

The auction continues! Prices are generally high, especially for dolls and toys which have a photo of Shirley with the doll or toy, one of a kind Shirley Temple dolls in costumes made by the studio for Shirley, and of course the original costumes worn in Shirley’s movies. That said, there are still some items  going at or below estimate.

My only concern is how long this auction is going to take. We are at lot 110, and that has taken nearly 4 hours.  So if my math is correct and the pace doesn’t pick up, we’ll be done here in no less than 16 hours…so 5am? In any case, lot 86, a Shirley Temple doll in her Scottie Dog costume from Our Little Girl, with a vintage photo of Shirley with the doll, sold for $16,000 against a $1,000 estimate. I wonder if that is a record price for a Shirley Temple doll? If anyone knows definitively, please let me know.

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Iconic Stand Up and Cheer Dress Brings $75,000

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Iconic Shirley Temple Costume from Stand Up and Cheer

Iconic Shirley Temple Costume from Stand Up and Cheer

The iconic red and white polka dot dress from Stand Up and Cheer, from the “Baby Take A Bow” star-making number sold for $75,000 against a $20,000 estimate. It was purchased by a museum in California. The Good Ship Lollipop dress is next! They are playing the clip now and people are singing along! UPDATE: The Good Ship Lollipop dress just sold for $21,000 and was sold to the same Californian museum.

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Shirley Temple Auction About to Begin!

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Shirley Tempke Auction About to Begin

Shirley Tempke Auction About to Begin

The Theriault’s Shirley Temple auction is about to begin! Florence Theriault has told me she believes this is the largest attendance ever at a Theriault’s auction!   Stuart Holbrook has given a talk about the museum tour, and all the people and emotions that entailed, and also about Shirley’s legacy as told through these items. I’ll have reports on prices and more later, and remenber you can follow along at Proxibid. Oh, and the very first lot, Shirley’s Volland Raggedy Ann, went for $11,500 against a $1,000 estimate.

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International Media Coverage For Theriault’s Shirley Temple Auction

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Shirley Temple Dress and Shoes From The Little Colonel

Shirley Temple Dress and Shoes From The Little Colonel, $20,000 Estimate

Out of all the doll stories I’ve covered over the years, I think that Theriault’s Shirley Temple auction has generated the most widespread positive coverage. Media coverage of course followed the exhibit as it traveled around the country to locations including the Strong Museum in Rochester, the Wenham Museum in Massachusetts and the Santa Monica History Museum in California.

However, in the last few days coverage has really snowballed, and has included articles in the Daily Mail (A piece of Hollywood history: Child actress Shirley Temple’s most prized possessions, including toys, film costumes and a $30,000 baby grand piano, to go up for auction) and the Guardian (Shirley Temple’s Belongings Set For Auction in Kansas City) in the United Kingdom, as well as articles in well-known United States publications including Vanity Fair and the Hollywood Reporter. And, of course, local Kansas City media is covering the auction, including the Kansas City Star: Shirley Temple’s Memorabilia Auction May Rack Up High Dollars in KC.

In any event, I’m enjoying the coverage quite a bit more than the usual mainstream media doll coverage, which too often is along the lines of Why Does The Media Insist On Calling Porcelain Dolls Creepy?

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Photo Gallery From Theriault’s Love Shirley Temple Exhibit

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Denise Van Patten

This gallery contains 12 photos.

These are just some of the 150 photos I took today at Theriault’s Love, Shirley Temple exhibit today at the Little Theater in Kansas City. The images include Shirley Temple Costumes, dolls, paper ephemera and more. I hope the photos … Continue reading →

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UFDC Convention and Theriault’s Love, Shirley Temple Exhibit and Auction in Kansas City this Week!

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Denise Van Patten
Love, Shirley Temple Exhibit

Love, Shirley Temple exhibit at Little Theater in Kansas City

I’m in Kansas City all week, and will be blogging the Theriault’s Love, Shirley Temple exhibit and auction, and then later in the week, A Dream Come True, the 66th Annual UFDC Convention. Its been awhile since I have been to any doll-related events, and I couldn’t have picked a better duo of events to attend!

I just got back from Theriault’s exhibit of the Shirley Temple collection at the Little Theater, just across the plaza from the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, the convention hotel. The exhibit is fantastic, and the theater is an absolutely fantastic setting. I have tons of photos that I’ll be sharing in additional posts tonight, and I’ll be at the auction tomorrow with all the news from this exciting event.

On Wednesday convention registration starts, so I’ll start to have convention news then.  The convention runs through Sunday. On Wednesday I’ll also be attending Theriault’s antique doll auction, Among Friends, the Billie and Paige Welker collection. Look for daily updates!

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Bohnam’s Set’s New World Record For Most Expensive Doll Sold at Auction

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Denise Van Patten
World Record Doll

World Record Doll

This year has been an exciting year for antique doll collectors, with the first dolls ever to break the $300,000 price barrier at auctions.

In fact, a new world’s record was just set for the most expensive doll ever sold at auction, but you probably haven’t heard about it, since lately  the mainstream media is only interested in reporting about scary dolls, or dolls in horror movies like Annabelle. However, thanks to my son’s roommate at Wesleyan University who is a collector following Artnet News, I found out early this week about the new record for the most expensive doll ever sold at auction.

The new world record-setting doll was sold at Bonham”s on September 24 for £242,500, which is approximately $394,000. The doll is a German character doll by Kammer & Reinhardt.  It has  an unknown mold number which has been speculated to be an experimental mold.

Until the sale of this doll, the world record for highest price for a doll sold at auction was held by Theriault’s for the sale of a French character doll by Albert Marque which sold in March of this year.  That doll was from the Puppenmuseum Stein am Rhein, a doll museum in Switzerland, and was #27 of the 100 examples of that doll known to have been made.  That doll sold for $300,000.

 

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Why Does The Media Insist on Calling Porcelain Dolls Creepy?

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Denise Van Patten
Porcelain Doll Left Anonymously on Doorstep In Talega, California. Courtesy Orange County Sheriff's Dept

Porcelain Doll Left Anonymously on Doorstep In Talega, California. Courtesy Orange County Sheriff’s Dept

So, evidently some little old lady in Talega, California, left some porcelain dolls on porches as gifts for little girls in her area. This created a media firestorm all the way to the United Kingdom.  “Mystery ‘do-gooder’ causes panic by leaving sinister dolls resembling REAL young girls outside homes in gated California community” screams the Daily Mail. “10 ‘Creepy’ Porcelain Dolls Found On Doorsteps In OC Were Meant To Be Nice Gesture” says CBS Los Angeles.

I was interviewed on this great crisis this morning by Inside Edition.  Before the interview, I said I wasn’t interested in talking to them if they were just going to portray the whole episode as creepy. Oh no, they assured me. So, what was the first question the reporter asked me? “Isn’t this whole thing just a little bit creepy?”  Sigh. Continue reading →

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