at the JW Marriott in Scottsdale, Arizona Preview 9AM Both Days • Auction Begins at 11AM MST Both Days
The cupboards of collectors are peopled with dreams. Anticipation lines the walls, dolls not yet seen, faces only imagined. If dreams were dolls, collectors would play in the nurseries of kings.
Sandy Kralovetz, lifelong resident of Scottsdale and Houston, knew this truth in every core of her being. Which may be the reason she named her famed Scottsdale doll shop, Sandy’s Dream Dolls. And a dream it was, indeed, to the hundreds of collectors who visited and learned and yearned for the beautiful dolls they saw there. In later years, after the closing of the shop and the move to Houston, this most generous of collectors continued to share her love
of dolls, opening her home to private collectors and large clubs time after time.
Her special love was the French doll and this extraordinary collection is replete with the finest examples from every maker. Thuillier, Bru, Halopeau, Jumeau, Gaultier and more, bébés abound in the collection. So, too, are French poupées highlighted by exquisite dolls by Adelaide Huret, the Lily doll from Lavallee-Peronne, and the extremely rare poupée by Edouard Briens. Yet, for Sandy, the dolls could not stand lonely behind glass-fronted shelving. She chose to present her dolls in wonderful surroundings, finding rare doll-size furnishings and accoutrements, horsedrawn carriages, chandeliers to light their ball rooms, along with fine silver tea services and rich ormolu accessories. And then, there were “the little ones”, the rarest of the rare all-bisque mignonettes and wonderful French bébés in sizes 0, 1, and 2.
Coupled with Sandy’s love of the beautiful doll was her sense of fun and whimsy. Which is why a wonderful exhibition-size Heubach Grumpy, model 8544, highlights her collection, along with a
delightful collection of rare googly dolls, along with Max and Moritz by Kammer and Reinhardt. That mischievous pair had eluded her, time and again over the years until she was finally able to acquire the dolls just two years ago. Other German dolls were favorites, too, including her very fine early Kathe Kruse dolls, as well as rare bisque dolls from German art character series.
The Kralovetz Collection features more than 500 lots, each beautifully presented in full
color commemorative catalog, with detailed description and pre-sale on each, and provenance on many. Fittingly, the auction will be conducted in Scottsdale, the former site of Sandy’s Dream Dolls, and her home for more than half a century. The public is invited to view this extraordinary collection on Saturday and Sunday, January 7 and 8, from 9AM-11AM each day, and to attend the auction which immediately follows each preview. For more information or to order the catalog call 410-224-3655 or email info@theriaults.com. x
Yes, the doors are wide open, once again, to all. Plan to attend to view Theriault’s signature museum-quality displays of all these fabulous dolls…raise your hand in the bidding fun. And don’t forget the hot fudge sundaes for all. The auction will be conducted in Sandy Kralovetz hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona at the JW Marriott Camelback Hotel. Preview 9 AM MST and the auction begins at 11 AM MST.
This is truly “such stuff that dreams are made of”, the childhood stuff, that is. And even if neither you, nor William Shakespeare who penned that quote, may never own many of these rare treasures you can still dream the dream as you turn the 250 pages of full color photographs and read the historical descriptions of these rare dolls and playthings. The catalog price includes two-day priority shipping to you, and after-auction price results. $69. Call 410-224-3655.
If you can’t attend in person, the entire auction is available for your viewing and listening fun with Theriault’s live internet feed. And, yes, you can bid just as though you were at the auction in person. But you do have to supply your own hot fudge sundae. For details call 410-224-3655 or visit www.theriaults.com and click on “Bid Online”.
Face2Live is Theriault’s new service that allows you to view on live video feed closeups of a few dolls you are most interested in. Call 410-224-3655 or email info@theriaults.com to schedule an appointment. Then simply go to theriaults.com and click the handy button on the side of the main page. From there you will be connected to one of our staff on video chat (you do not have to be on video yourself). A great way to get a close up look of features and face in a live private video session. Available Monday through Friday 9AM-4PM Eastern.
x Public Preview January 7 and 8 from 9AM-11AM each day immediately preceding that day’s auction.
x Visit www.theriaults.com and link to Theriault’s YouTube Channel for a video presentation of many of the dolls by Florence Theriault.
x Visit www.theriaults.com and link to ISSUU to view a digital copy of the 250 page catalog.
x Visit www.theriaults.com and link to “Bid Online” to see each doll in the catalog.
x Call Theriault’s at 410-224-3655 and make an appointment for a private video viewing of your preferred dolls (not available after December 20 due to travel requirements).
In the photograph the celebrated doll collector, Sandy Kralovetz stands in the garden of her Texas home alongside a lifesize statue of a doll. The statue
symbolized the importance of dolls in the Kralovetz home but is also a whimsical juxtaposition to one special category of dolls in her vast connoisseur collection known simply as “the little ones”.
Collectors refer to little dolls by many different names. Mignonettes, miniature dolls, dolls that fit in the palm of the hand, and dolls 12” or smaller, are just a few of the names. The Kralovetz collection includes the rarest of the rare There are all-bisque French mignonettes, whimsical bisque character dolls, and the so-very-rare tiny sizes of the classic French bébés with kid or composition bodies from makers including Bru, Thuillier, Gaultier, Steiner and Jumeau. They range in size from 2”-12” and are
equally sought for the beauty of their face or the rarity of their body style or painting.
Although miniature dolls had existed for centuries made of various materials ranging from wood to cloth to terra cotta, the miniature doll that was “born” in the 1875 era was different. The allbisque articulated doll was a realistic little child, with real wig and glass eyes,
fully-articulated, able to be dressed and undressed, a veritable tiny model of its child owner. Illustrations of these little treasures in the Paris Etrennes catalogs bear testimony to that, and, in 1878 a notice in La Poupée Modele, the popular children’s magazine even gave a name to these dolls, poupées de poche, a name that is as appropriate as it is alliterative. A little doll that fits in your pocket. One that
can easily travel along with you. A doll for a bigger doll. A size that means you can always find room for another!
Until you begin a search for a particular doll, or particular type of doll, you are often unaware of its rarity. Such is the case with all-bisque dolls. What is their enchantment? Their diminutive size – so precious to cradle, so easy to display, so able to always find room for another? Is it their costuming? Their posture? The faces – with exquisite detail of painting, or whimsical character expressions? Or is it simply the miracle that, given their tiny posable size, some still exist?
These tiny dolls were a special favorite of Sandy Kralovetz. Here is a brief
photographic survey of just a few of these dolls from her collection to be offered in the January 7 and 8 auction “Dreams”. x
This is a brief excerpt from the book, The Little Ones, by Florence Theriault, 1999. The complete historical article will be reprinted as bonus material in the auction catalog “Dreams”.
The gentlemen stand in the library, their top hats on the table, leather bound books crowding the bookshelves. In the wellfurnished dining room, the table is set for a bountiful banquet. The parlor organ is ready for a performance, and the velvet upholstered salon furniture awaits the elegantly clad men and woman gathered for the evening entertainment.
Such is the grand cabinet dollhouse known as “Bernadine’s Dollhouse”. Its construction was undertaken in the 1870s by Joseph Zumbusch of Hackensack, New Jersey, father of the young Bernadine. Built of fine walnut wood, the house boasted six high-ceiling rooms and a large full-length furnished garret, which
were accessed by double doors at the front. At each side were four windows and a large bay window. Handmade shingles, 1200 in all, each 1” x 1 ½”, covered the high peaked roof, and the interior rooms were finished with lithographed wall papers and wooden floors. So meticulous was the construction that ten years was required for its completion.
The house was, actually, a family affair. Joseph’s stepfather, William Franck, a Civil War veteran, fashioned every piece of the original furnishings by hand, enhancing them with carving and marquetry, and with wellcrafted drawers and doors that smoothly opened and closed. The furniture was upholstered in rich velvet and silks by Joseph’s sister, Bernadine, for whom the young Bernadine had been named. Too, Aunt Bernadine created the curtains, draperies and bedspreads, as well as costuming the dollhouse people who lived there. Finally, to call the house a home, the finishing touches were needed. For these, the Zumbusch family turned to the New York toy store of FAO Schwarz from which they acquired the dollhouse people who lived there, along with chandeliers, dishes, decorative prints and porcelains, and even a Christmas tree.
Upon its completion, the house was proudly labeled with a plaque that still appears on the front doors. “B. Zumbusch 1870”.
The house remained in the Zumbusch family for more than 90 years. In the early 1960s, Bernadine Zumbusch moved from the family estate but not before providing a hand-written history of the house, its makers and its very detailed contents. The dollhouse was acquired by Helen Brewer, a doll collector in nearby Pelham, New York, and soon thereafter, Lenore Thomas of Arizona, became its new owner. The house resided in a corner of Lenore Thomas doll room for several decades until her passing, when it was acquired by Mickie Haynes, and then Sandy Kralovetz from whose estate it is now being offered to the next fortunate collector, still all original and still as complete as when made 150 years ago. So important was the house considered that it was written about by Flora Gill Jacobs in her 1965 edition of the book, A History of Dolls’ Houses, in which she described the house as a “magnificent specimen…with original dolls and furnishings in virtually mint condition”.
Dollhouses with a documented and continuous provenance are so rare. This is particularly so when the house retains its
original and uniquely made furnishings, as well. As an example of superb craftsmanship, and with a detailed chart of every object in each room of the house when originally furnished, and with documented family history including a provenance handwritten by Bernadine Zumbusch in 1963 when she sold the house, it remains today an exceptional visual document of American childhood history. x
It was the booming 1880s in the West. Adventurous dreamers struck out from the East to make their fortunes by mining gold, silver and copper. Some, such as William Clark, whose mysterious daughter Huguette Clark later became known for her singularly important antique doll collection which was auctioned by Theriault’s in 2020, succeeded in their quest. Others found nothing. And yet a third group made fortunes, lavishly lived the dream, and then lost all. Such was Horace Tabor, husband of the scandalous Baby Doe Tabor, and father of the ethereal Elizabeth Bonduel Lily Tabor, known simply as Lily.
The young child Lily bore a remarkable resemblance to her beloved doll by Thuillier
Above: Baby Lily Tabor at 24 months
Lily, as drawn by artist Thomas Nast, appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazar in 1887.
Horace, a Kansas farmer, had abandoned tilling in the mid-1870s, making his way to Leadville, Colorado to mine for silver or gold. Within just a few years he was well on his way to becoming one of the richest men in the country. And he lived his life to prove it, sporting “magnificent cuff buttons of diamonds and onyx”, said to be worth 8 million dollars, and setting
up residence at the lavish Windsor Hotel in Denver whose mirrors were made of diamond dust, and in which he owned a gold-leafed bathtub in his suite. At this time, he met his second wife, the gorgeous Baby Doe. He was 52 and she was 28, and in 1883 they were married at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. She wore a wedding gown that cost $7000 and a bejeweled necklace valued at $90,000.
A year later Lily was born. Her christening gown, valued at $15,000, was fashioned with diamond and gold pins accented by a jeweled necklace. In 1887 her image was drawn by the famous artist Thomas Nast and appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazar. And although her mother, Baby
Doe, was never accepted by Denver society, being considered an opportunistic gold-digger, the Tabor family lived a life of unimaginable luxury for the next ten years. Lily, a dainty child, wore the finest costumes of delicate lace and played with exquisite and expensive dolls including a French bébé by Andre Thuillier that, curiously, bore a remarkable likeness to the child herself.
However, that fine living ended abruptly in 1893 when silver prices plunged and the Tabor fortune was wiped out. The Denver mansion and contents were sold, the family moved to a boarding house in town, and Horace took work as a common mineworker for the next five years, dying in 1898. His wife, Baby Doe, moved back to Leadville in a futile attempt to save the deteriorated silver mine, fruitlessly living there until her sad penniless death in 1935.
Meanwhile, at some time in the late 1890s, the child Lily left Colorado to live with the McCourt’s, her mother’s family in Wisconsin and Chicago, taking with her some few beloved toys from her childhood, including the French bébé by Andre Thuillier. The doll was cherished by Lily throughout her lifetime and at her passing in 1946 was passed along in the family, likely to her daughter Caroline who died in 1987.
It is likely at this time that the doll was acquired from the McCourt family heirs by doll author and collector Mildred Seeley who wrote of the doll in her book, French Bébés. The doll remained in Mildred
Lily’s French bébé by Andre Thuillier, size 3, a dainty 12” tall, and is presented as Lot #175 in the auction Dreams, The Sandy Kralovetz Collection.
Seeley’s family collection until 2008 when it was acquired by Sandy Kralovetz at the Theriault auction Crowning Glories where it has remained until this time. x
For further reading about Lily Tabor Baby Doe Tabor: The Madwoman in the Cabin by Judy Nolte Temple, 2009 (non-fiction)
Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor by Rebecca Rosenberg, 2019 (novel)
410-224-3655
Plan to spend the day at the auction in the comfort of your home. Watch and listen to the auction live, and get ready to bid live when the dolls of your choice come up for auction.
Every Theriault’s auction brims with new discoveries for your collection. So why not join in on the bidding fun? It’s easy. Choose your favorite way to bid and prioritize your choices.
Choose your dolls, and then call our office to make a reservation for telephone bidding. We call you when your dolls of choice come up for bidding, and you bid just as though you were there.
Place your bids right up to the time of auction by mail, fax, email or phone. Advise us of the lots and your top bid. We will bid for you fairly and competitively.
Call Theriault’s at 410-224-3655 or email info@theriaults.com and we’ll review all the details and help you choose the option that’s best for you. We also now offer scheduled private video previews.
Start with the more than 500 wonderful dolls for auction — a veritable museum, indeed. And then consider these:
The visual joy of beautiful dolls in fine displays — dolls as they should be shown.
The good time laughter and bidding with auctioneers
Stuart Holbrook and Luke Theriault.
The early morning walkthrough preview with Florence Theriault.
The delight at greeting old friends and meeting new ones.
And don’t forget the hot fudge sundaes!
Beautiful dolls in a fun and laughterfilled weekend. What could possibly ever be better than this?
If you really just can’t come in person, here’s the closest thing. You can watch and listen (and bid, if you wish) to the entire live streamed auction via Proxibid. Visit www.theriaults.com and click on “Bid online” for easy details and access.
Stuart Holbrook Luke Theriault
For information call 410-224-3655 or visit www.theriaults.com.
January 6, 2023 7:00 PM MST. Cheval d’Or Banquet. Invitation Only. January 7, 2023 9:00 AM MST. Preview. 11:00 AM MST. Auction. January 8, 2023 9:00 AM MST. Preview. 11:00 AM MST. Auction.
We welcome absentee bidding, live telephone bidding, and live bidding on the internet. Too, you can “tunein” to the online auction and watch and listen to the entire event. Questions? Give us a call and we’ll help you choose the bidding option that is best for you.
The auction will take place at the JW Marriott Camelback in Scottsdale, Arizona. For auction information call Theriault’s at 410-224-3655 M-F 9AM-5PM EST or go online to theriaults.com. Email queries to info@theriaults.com.