Exciting Antique Dolls Weekend in Las Vegas

The Theriault's auction weekend in Las Vegas has just come to an end. It was a fascinating weekend with two groups of collectors in force--automata collectors and doll collectors. Sometimes, the two groups cross-pollinate, but the doll collectors received a wonderful education on automata at the Saturday automata auction, and the automata collectors were tempted by an array of antique dolls at the Sunday antique doll auction. Both were held at the Venetian, in Las Vegas.

At the Automata auction, there were once-in-a-lifetime, museum quality pieces to see, such as a Snake Charmer by Roullet & Decamps (c. 1900) which sold for $51,000 and an Acrobat Clown by Vichy (c. 1895) which sold for $66,000. Also at the auction, Theriault's had their first Internet bidding and sales ever at one of their live auctions.

At today's auction, there was a selection of 300 dolls which ranged from rare French and German bisque to Lenci and Kathe Kruse dolls, to hard plastic Terri Lee dolls. There was quite a bit of Internet bidding. A selection of dolls by early doll artist Evelyn Green from the 1940s and 1950s were outstanding--they were sold to benefit the Strong Museum collection fund.

I greatly enjoyed the automata auction (although I don't collect them) and I was lucky enough to purchase a few nice dolls, including one of the Evelyn Green dolls at a very reasonable $225.00. I will share this doll with everyone when I get home. I am also thrilled about an small SFBJ doll in her original trousseau armoire. c. 1915, that joined my collection this weekend--I've always been a sucker for a doll with her trousseau, be it a Jumeau, a Cissy, a Barbie or a Tyler Wentworth!