Dollhouse Auction on May 14th, 2011
Eileen Rhoads, Ron Rhoads Auctioneer ~ www.echant.com

A somewhat sleepy auction season for dollhouse miniatures awoke to life on Saturday, May 15^th when Eileen Rhoads auctioned another great collection of very fine artisan miniatures, proving once again that top quality miniatures are worthwhile investments that hold their value.

Twice a year, Rhoads & Rhoads Auctioneers presents a wide variety of both antique and recent dollhouses and miniatures at auction. Eileen has carved out a niche for herself in bringing the very finest quality vintage and contemporary artisan miniatures to a knowledgeable field of collectors from all corners of the globe, and her singular expertise in this area is unmatched by any other auction house in the world.

A major consignor to her recent sale was a private collector from New York who had assembled an amazing assortment of fine miniatures going back to the early 1950’s. Among the highlights of that collection was an exciting offering of exquisite Eric Pearson miniatures whose rare catalogues and original invoices were offered as a separate lot and sold to an avid Pearson collector delighted to obtain them. An exciting moment occurred when a pair of Pearson’s exquisite mahogany knife boxes with satinwood inlay and banding sold to an internet bidder for $1095; they had originally sold for $85 in 1956. A delicate, custom French settee with very fine antique petitpoint upholstery also realized $1095, ten times what the consignor paid for it in 1953.

Another major consignor relinquished a lifetime’s collection of fine artisan furnishings made by numerous top-tier English and American craftsmen whose names are instantly recognizable to serious collectors. American artisan Gerald Crawford’s desirable 18^th century mahogany tables each realized $460 while Englishman Geoffrey Wonnacott’s exquisite George IV pedestal table sold for $1035, as did his outstanding Carlton desk. Internet bidders kept things lively as artists like Wonnacott and others represented in this sale are of such high caliber that their work often sells out quickly at miniature shows and frustrated show-goers end up spending months and sometimes years on lengthy waiting lists. An chance to buy these works at auction was indeed a welcome opportunity for serious collectors.

Other artists whose work sold well include Dennis Jenvey, Paul Moore, Patrick Puttock, Michael Walton, David Booth, Neil Bateson, the Herbillons, and there was considerable excitement in the room when Tom Warner’s outstanding set of six hand-carved Chippendale dining chairs sold for $1610. A pair of Neil Bateson’s tables with his famous French polish finish sold for $920 while Renee’ Isabelle’s hand-painted lacquered bombe’ chest achieved $490. An attractive Charles Krug wing chair with silk upholstery delicately hand-painted with a bargello design sold for $515. Because these modern miniatures are as finely crafted as the original antiques that inspired them, it seems quite possible that fifty years from now, such beautiful items could also sell for ten times the price they recently realized at Rhoads’ auction.

It can sometimes be difficult to achieve strong results for contemporary dollhouse dolls, but a tempting assortment of Marcia Backstrom dolls in attractive Regency costumes straight out of a Jane Austen novel, performed exceedingly well with prices that averaged $345-375 each, rivaling the artist’s current retail sales.

Fine accessories were especially strong. As one would expect, Eileen’s well-known expertise in cataloguing miniature sterling silver drew her well-established clientele among collectors of fine silver and miniatures alike and helped achieve strong prices in that category, with a grouping of Obadiah Fisher serving pieces realizing $860 and a group of older English sterling pieces achieving $1035. An ornate crystal chandelier exceeded its estimate to sell for $690.

A wonderfully large assortment of handsomely framed miniature oil paintings and watercolors by well-known artists was yet another highlight of the sale. Stunning oil paintings by Paul Saltarelli and Christopher Whitford attracted active interest both in the salesroom and on the internet. A pair of Whitford’s delightful paintings of 18^th century children posed in dramatic landscapes sold for $1265 and two Saltarelli paintings of marine and genre scenes reached $920. Savvy collectors knew that these appealing paintings are snapped up quickly at miniatures shows, so they did not hesitate to bid competitively for such enticing examples. A pair of David Williams watercolors achieved $460 when they sold to a collector with fond memories of one of the stately British homes depicted.

Eileen Rhoads’ exciting offering of finest quality modern miniatures understandably overshadowed the generous assortment of vintage and antique dollhouses that sold more modestly. A pretty painted set of antique German furniture with silk upholstery and Dresden trim yielded a pleasing result for its consignor when it achieved $1035, but as the day progressed, it became clear that the market for antique dollhouses, furniture, and ormolu accessories that was so strong a few years ago has softened noticeably. Very large dollhouses are difficult to sell as internet buyers are daunted by high shipping costs, so the largest houses tend to go home with on-site bidders who face less competition. The strongest prices were therefore achieved for the smallest houses offered. A two-room Gottschalk house with lithographed paper exterior achieved $375 and a small but fully furnished Cotswold cottage originally retailed by the Franklin Mint about ten years ago did very well when it sold for $635.