An early 19th century German Grodnertal Doll sold for £2,500 plus buyer’s premium in Tennants Auctioneers’ Costume, Accessories and Textiles Sale on 28th May, making more than three times the estimate. Such dolls were made in the Grodnertal region of Germany in the 19th century and are of a simple carved wooden design with joints pinned with wooden dowels or pegs, leading to their other name of Peg Dolls. Each doll, which were produced in several sizes, has painted hair and a carved and painted comb on the top of their heads. Often the dolls were sold without any clothes, as the children for whom these dolls were brought were encouraged to make their own dolls clothes. This doll wears a possibly original dress and has attached metal earrings, which are rare but highly sought-after additions to Grodnertal Dolls. Dolls House furniture sold well too, with modern finely made examples in demand such as a set of 1/12th Scale Furniture and Accessories selling for £380.
Also selling well above estimate was a small collection of 19th century and later steel cut jewellery, which included a tiara, that sold for £1,400, a late 19th/early 20th century Central Asian Suzani that sold for £1,700 and a late 19th century green and white Strippy Patchwork Quilt that sold for £550. Fabric pattern and sampler books sold well, too, with a 19th century album of approximately 3500 original hand painted fabric designs selling for £800.
