Madame Alexander Walking the Dog Cissy doll – $17,500 (£14,700) at Theriault’s.
Having grown up in New York living above her stepfather’s doll hospital, the first in the US, she established the Alexander Doll Company with her sisters in 1923, taking the title Madame.
The firm was the first manufacturer to make dolls based on living people and these 1920s-30s types are among the most sought after.
From 1947-53 a range based on the British royal family appeared.
However, at the November 19 auction held by Theriault’s (15% buyer’s premium) of Annapolis, Maryland, it was the Madame Alexander line of 21in (51cm) tall Cissy dolls in the spotlight thanks to a sale titled The Beautiful Cissy Doll and Her Friends.
This 1957 range came four years before the now more famous Barbie fashion doll appeared, both aimed at older girls.
Top-seller at Theriault’s was the elegant lady ‘in Walking the Dog ensemble’ from 1955 catalogued as ‘near mint, outstanding original complexion and coiffure, bright fresh costume, and presented in original box labeled Cissy 2095’.
It sold for $17,500 (£14,700) against a guide of $1100-1300.
Little princess
Princess Flavia from the Portrait Series – $4000 (£3360) at Theriault’s.
The auction included some Madame Alexander dolls from other ranges and the second-highest price, $4000/£3360 (estimate $1500-2200) was achieved by a 1938 Princess Flavia from the Portrait Series, representing the character from the 1937 film The Princess of Zenda.
Madame Alexander produced the first doll based on a licensed character in 1937 based on Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind.
(Visit collectorsweekly.com/dolls/madame-alexander for a good in-depth guide to Madame Alexander history.)
