Frasher's June 27-28 doll auction features Jumeau, Gauthier, K&R rarities

OAK GROVE, Mo. - For more than a quarter of a century, Frasher's Doll Auctions has been an unfailingly reliable source for fine-quality antique dolls, teddy bears and toys. From its gallery on South Mecklin School Road in Oak Grove, Mo., east of Kansas City, Frasher's has organized the sale of many prestigious collections.

"Over the past 12 months we auctioned the contents of both the Enchanted Doll World Museum in Mitchell, South Dakota and the White House Doll & Toy Museum in Anaheim, California," said owner Barbara Frasher. "We're exclusively an auction house for antique and vintage dolls, with some toys and teddies and other related items."

It is a mixed-consignment sale, Frasher said, "probably four collections total, with some of the dolls coming from the Enchanted Doll World Museum." The widely varied offering includes not only exquisite dolls but also such must-have accessories as parasols, hats and bonnets, shoes and fans.

A Bliss train, Steiff toys, doll-size china tea services, a doll's house, and both doll-size and miniature furniture also will be auctioned during the June 27 session.

Among the doll highlights is a beautiful German bisque Mein Liebling mold 117 doll by Kammer & Reinhardt. The 30-inch beauty with K*R 117 mark has a closed mouth, brown sleep eyes, painted lashes and applied upper eyelashes. She has her original blond mohair wig and wears a soft blue shirred frock with lace accents and trim, old leather shoes, and an antique bonnet. Frasher remarked, "The bisque and decoration on this character doll are of the finest quality." It is estimated at $5,000-$7,000.

Retaining its coveted original shop label for Aux Reves d'Enfance on Paris' Rue de Richelieu, a 19-inch Simmone-type French fashion lady exhibits a flange-jointed wood body and pale bisque swivel head on a bisque shoulderplate. The doll's face is very delicately and masterfully detailed with painted lashes, eyeliner, feathered and shaded eyebrows; and delicately shaded pink lips. The blue glass eyes are almond shaped. An excellent original example, it is expected to bring $5,000-$6,000.

A French bisque bébé by Gauthier stands 19 inches tall and is maked "F.G." in block letters. It features a bique socket head, blue spiral-threaded paperweight eyes, painted lashes, rose-blushed eyelids, feathered and brush-stroked brows, and many other desirable features. The wood and composition jointed body is dressed in an antique dark rose-colored frock and fur stole, with dark woven stockings, signed Jumeau dark leather shoes, and a straw bonnet. It is entered in the sale with a $5,000-$6,000 estimate. 

Made by Jumeau, a 28-inch bébé marked "Depose Tete Jumeau 12" has a jointed composition body and bisque socket head with blue paperweight eyes, and finely painted features. Its costume consists of an old ivory silk dress, shirred silk bonnet and old dark leather shoes. It carries a presale estimate of $4,000-$6,000. 

Yet another beautiful bébé by Jumeau is the 1907 doll of large size - 32 inches - bisque socket head, blue paperweight eyes, painted lashes and other features. Its French wood and composition jointed body is dressed in antique attire, including a white cotton pique dress, white fur coat with matching bonnet, blue stockings and dark leather shoes. The doll could bring $3,000-$4,000 on auction day. 

Asked to identify the most unusual lot in the sale, Barbara Frasher selected a 19th-century Royal Dux Bohemian bust of a young lady in a magnificently detailed bonnet and bodice. The facial features of the 20-inch bust are executed to a very high standard. "It is a superb example of early Royal Dux," Frasher noted, "and it is marked with the Royal Dux pink triangle." In excellent condition, the art object is estimated at $2,000-$3,000. 

The cataloged auction titled One Bright Summer Day will take place on Saturday, June 27, with an uncataloged session following on Sunday, June 28, 2009. The event will take place at the KCI Expo Center & Holiday Inn, with Internet live bidding on Saturday through www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Enquiries on any lot in the sale may be directed to Barbara Frasher at 816-625-3786. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet on June 27 through www.LiveAuctioneers.com.