The summer of 96 will be remembered for many things here in New England, including its late start, a lack of rain in August and at least two hurricanes that affected some sales at Brimfield, but among many doll aficionados, this summer will be remembered as the one when secondary market sales of Annalee Dolls truly took off.
For over six years, the Gavel has been tracking sales of this doll unique to New Hampshire. With its place of origin in Meredith, the Annalee Doll Company has had several ups and downs during that period, but with a new marketing manager straight from Disney, and firm leadership at the helm in the person of Chuck Thorndike, Annalee's "other" son, the company appears to have rebounded and perhaps finally recognized that the secondary market is one to which it should be listening.
Over the past six years, prices have gone up and down and all around, but this summer for the first time we can report based on the accounts of major movers in the secondary doll market, that Annalee prices for good, early dolls are finely being recognized by a much larger, viable group of collectors.
Many new faces entered that market this spring and summer, and most were willing to pay top dollar for pre-70's dolls, with prices of 70's dolls much stronger than in the past as well.
Condition, of course, is paramount, and some have asked if this summer was a fluke in that perhaps more really good quality Annalees just happened to enter the market, and avid buyers scooped them up.
We don't think so.
Good early Annalees have always been out there, but their market was actually quite limited to a small group of avid...dare we say voracious buyers. For much of the past 6 years, many of the top dollar collectors in the Annalee world were those purchasing so-called new "prototype" and "one-of-a-kind" along with "artist proof" dolls at the annual Annalee Company auction. However, in the past two years, some of those same collectors have become "formers", selling their entire collections and moving on to other things. With their absence, along with an apparent resurgence of interest in its own history on the part of the Annalee Company, it appears the secondary market is posed for continued strong sales.
In the past, very early rare dolls sold at auction for far lesser amounts than expected, and this editor has remarked several times over the years about her surprise that collector interest in the early, truly one-of-a-kind dolls created by hand by Annalee Thorndike herself in the 50's and 60's hadn't attracted more interest.
Perhaps that is no longer true.
This year's strong doll auction prices began with a May 26th sale by auctioneer George Foster of Epsom, NH. Foster, who has gained a strong, loyal following over the past five years at his doll auctions, had a really strong sale of not only Annalees but several other collectible dolls. With over 800 lots to be sold that Sunday, he whipped through items in record time while attendees never felt like they were being rushed.
A collector and subscriber to the Gavel from Conneticut was ecstatic when she purchased lot #334, a Madame Alexander Guardian Angel with a tagged dress for $190. She felt she'd gotten a good buy - "It's the style, they're older," she remarked, while some at the sale were surprised at the prices. A Madame Alexander Maggie Angel, tagged dress brought $90. A Yolanda Bello's Jason sold for $230; the Kruger Red Riding Hood, Stella and Goldilocks all sold in the $140-$160 range; a Heidi Ott brought $150; an AM 370 at $90, the same for a Brittany by Cindy Marchner, while almost all of the Hummel Dolls sold for well over $100, with Chimney Sweep bringing $210 and Goose Girl $160. A 30" Simon & Halbig brought a solid $375, while a German bisque head with a chip on the neck, and composition body sold at $250. A 12" S*H 1923 with a replaced wig saw $170, while a 12" AM 390 with no wig reached $130 (all prices do not include the 10% buyer's premium).
But it was the prices paid for rather ordinary and "newer" Annalees which had most folks surprised at this sale. A rather faded 1988 22" Red Elf sold for $50; a 1994 Tinsel the Elf saw $45; while #89 NH State Trooper w/dome sold for $375, well above the price that can be obtained in many shops. #303 Annie Oakley w/dome reached $400, #430 Robin Hood w/dome, $350, and so it went, item after Annalee item, with a 1993 #122 Pony Express with no dome selling for $280, leaving many Annalee dealers disgruntled with their lack of purchases, while some of the buyers, who were newer to the market, were thrilled with their new acquisitions. There were no really early or rare dolls at this sale but it didn't matter, as buyers wanted Annalees. A 18" Caroller with a 1971 tag brought $120, while someone did manage to pick up a 36" red nose reindeer with a 1969 tag for $40, but it was badly nibbled on one leg and the rear end and really only suitable as a display piece.
Foster was clearly happy with the prices realized at this sale and expects to have many more Annalees at his next doll auction sometime late in October. Consignors should get their items in now, and if you're not yet on his mailing list to attend, call him at 603-736-9240.
Entitled the "Fabulous Fifties", what can we say except we were impressed. While some attendees complained on June 22 that there weren't as many dolls offered at this auction (60) as in the past, and some thought the emphasis was too much on the "early" dolls and not on the current and more recent categories, many other collectors were in their glory.
This auction was specifically aimed at the "early" creations of Annalee Thorndike and the company pulled off a superb sale with auctioneer Wayne Mock at the helm.
We hope those few who complained took the opportunity to educate themselves, visit the museum, and learn about Annalee's early creations. Many of these dolls are still floating around, hidden in houses, tucked away in stores around the country, particularly in New England. In the early years, she created numerous one-of-a-kind display pieces for stores to be used in windows at Christmas and other special holidays (so many, she no longer remembers them all). They have distinctive faces and clothing and are truly wonderful creations from the mind of Annalee Thorndike.
A 1955-56 10" Boy Skier sold for $2750 (no buyer's premium), the same for a 1955-56 10" girl skier dressed in fabric from the Globe Manufacturing Company in Pittsfield, NH. A 1956 5" Miniature Man sold for $1600 to a collector from MA. This doll appeared to be from the same period as the "Hartford Insurance" dolls created by Annalee specifically for that company as a display piece (pictured here in the Gavel several years ago).
A 1959 10" Bathing Boy (with top sandals and sole made from ski boot material) brought $1800; a 1959 10" pair of Painters on Scaffolding (a special order for Jordan Marsh) sold for a solid $3400; a 1959 10" Bathing Girl reached $2800; 1959 10" Woman in Red, $2200; and a 1959 10" Girl with an interesting face, $1000.
But then, all the dolls in this auction did well including those from the 60's and 70's. A 1966 7" Yum Yum Bunny with minor fading reached $600, the same price for a 1975 7" Beautician Mouse; 1967 12" Laura MayCat with a small hole in one foot and a few mothholes reached $1000, the same price for a 1967 10" Man w/Guitar who had had the soles to his shoes replaced.
A 1975 18" Jockey on a 29" Horse (possibly a special Kentucky Derby order) which originally sold for $30 brought $1700; and a 1963 24" Bellhop with painted on hair and hand painted face, possibly a special order for a shoe store, brought $1750.
A 1957 10" Holly Elf sold for $1600, while somewhat more common 1981 18" Lady and Escort Foxes sold for $650 each. Of course, there were a few dolls offered that were produced in much larger numbers such as a 1979 7" Santa w/Pot Belly Stove of which the company manufactured well over 11,000 pieces at $7.50 originally. At this auction, one sold for $375 - but of course, it also was signed by Annalee.
This auction grossed over $77,000 for 60 items, leading most to concur the Annalee market has come into its own.
Last year, the Annalee Doll Company actively entered the secondary market by recognizing that their buyers also wanted an avenue to sell Annalee dolls in the secondary market. Until last year, according to the company, secondary sales should be pursued through their store in Meredith. Last year they finally recognized the desire on the part of collectors who have been avidly selling Annalee Dolls privately and through shops and shows, and held their first Swap, Sell and Meet. It was a little disorganized but still, a welcome entry into the marketplace according to many who attended. So in 1996, they followed up with what can only be described as a huge success, their 2nd annual Swap & Sell meet which followed the auction.
Although it was pouring rain, it didn't deter the avid group of buyers and sellers. What started out last year under one small tent (with no setup fee) had expanded this year to two much larger tents and the aisles were packed with buyers. This year the company charged a nominal setup fee, and we saw more Annalee dolls and more greenbacks changing hands in a short space of time than we'd ever imagined possible. Surely, the secondary market has finally been recognized and appreciated by the Annalee Doll Company! And most interestingly, local secondary dealers in the Annalee market such as Jane Holt said while head count was down at her sale, they did not see an overall decrease in their sales, while local NH shops which have specialized dealers offering Annalees on the secondary market such as Burlwood Antiques and Country Tyme reported strong sales all summer.
Auctioneer Wayne Mock of Tamworth, NH began holding his own Annalee doll auctions several years ago on the day after the company event. Sale prices had not been exceptionally strong at these auctions until this year. And this year's auction at his facility on Route 16 saw a number of dolls which had been previously sold at an Annalee Company auction in prior years once again cross the block to solid prices, convincing some buyers that the prices achieved at the Company auction are not a fluke.
Lot #73, a 1985 Logo Kid which sold in 1993 for $675 brought $575 (not including the 10% buyer's premium) while lot #103, a 1984 Painter Bear which brought $250 in 1990, sold for $325. Lot #105, a 1979-81 Chimney Sweep Mouse which brought $275 in 1988 reached $475 this time around, while lot #120, a 1978 Elf w/planter which sold in 1993 for $275 doubled in price this time at $500.
Again, as at George Foster's sale, much more common dolls sold at very strong prices, surprising many seasoned collectors. For example, a 1984 Johnny Appleseed #1185 brought $475, while '80s Logo Pins brought anywhere from $60 to $220!!! while '90s Logo Pins sold in the $45 range.
This was a nice sale with a fast and amusing auctioneer. Mock is going to feature another specialty Annalee auction on Oct. 5th at his gallery. If you are not yet on his mailing list, call 603-323-8749 or 8784
Annalee collector Sue Coffee of Old Lyme, CT has become very well known this past year due to several events. Although only involved with Annalee dolls for the past 8 years, she quickly established herself as a major dealer and collector in the field. In 1995, Coffee set a new world's record for an Annalee doll when she purchased a 1950's 18" Santa on Water Skiis for $6,200 at the Annual Annalee Auction. The previous record had been $6,000 paid at the 1992 auction for a 1957 Halloween Girl. (Both those records fell this summer when Gail Fuller of MA paid $6,500 for an 26" Fashion Woman dressed in a brown coat and hat believed to be one of a series of 12 made for Rogers Department Store circa 1955).
Many long time collectors in the field viewed Coffee as an upstart, and were surprised when she was featured on Dec. 28, 1995 on Personal FX: The Collectibles Show. According to Alison Krieg of the FX Studios in New York City, "the show was a smash hit both on Thursday and Saturday during the re-broadcast."
Coffee believes such publicity has been both good for the Annalee Doll Company and for sales of the dolls on the secondary market. The tape, which was shown throughout the day in the Annalee Museum on June 22 during the company auction, showcased some of Coffee's collection and showed her discussing dating, identification via company tags on the dolls, as well as fabrics used for clothing. Then on June 23, Wayne Mock announced to the crowd of enthusiasts at his Annalee auction that "Sue Coffee is our Annalee Doll consultant. She identifies and dates all the dolls."
Some long time collectors expressed amazement, saying they'd always understood from materials published by the doll company that Mock himself was the company appraiser and "expert".
Coffee was at this sale, of course, and we decided it was time to talk. Coffee says she decided to "avoid" becoming involved in some of the Annalee controversies of the past and concentrated on her collection instead. She said she recognizes that she is not "fully accepted" by many of the major "movers" in the area, but this was a conscious decision on her part. She said she has been working for Mock for over the past year and a half.
Coffee said she is on staff at his auction firm, actively involved in identification of the Annalee dolls, helping with auction listings as to dating and condition, and that she thoroughly enjoys this job and working with Mock, who she finds very professional. She said she has seen the prices of good clean dolls steadily rising over the past year and she expects that trend to continue.
While Coffee has only been in the business 8 years, she said she has immersed herself in the field, learning all she could from the company, Mock, and through her own research.
She said she believes this hard work has enabled her to position herself as something of an expert in the field. although she added that there is so much to learn about the dolls, she doesn't believe anyone can be a "true expert" in the field. All of the major collectors have information to share, "and after all," she added, "even Annalee herself sometimes can't remember when or why she made a particular doll."
The Golden Goose in Smithfield, RI at:
http://www.bbsnet.com/golden/Annalee.htm
This is a wonderful business site for Doll enthusiasts of all types. Typing in this web address will bring you to an Annalee page promoting the 1996 Annalee Special Event Doll and a promotion of the Annalee Trunk Show. You can easily access their many other webpages offering individualized lists of modern collectible dolls and bears with prices. This website has really excellent graphics and had had 2183 visitors in early September when we visited. They also should be applauded for smart marketing as they are running a free drawing every week until Valentine's Day in order to get you to fill in their email mailing list form (great way to put together both an on-line and direct mail list) in order to win one of their weekly prizes. Yes, this editor entered. They're giving away Teddy Bears!
The Annalee Doll Museum at:
http://www.ultranet.com/amvatrav/attract/annalee1.htm
Don't get too excited to learn the Annalee Company is on-line as this is not a very extensive webpage, and has limited content. But it was nice to find they're on-line, and we hope they'll expand this limited page to new heights. There are other Company webpages which are supposed to be linked to this page, but we found it impossible to access them and learned through trial-and-error and speaking with others, that you have to dial up each one individually. Hopefully their web provider will provide them with some updated technology; also, if you are doing a search of the internet for Annalee dolls using any of the major Search Engines available, none of the company's pages will be at the top of the lists you receive back for leads. You'll need to look down the list a ways until you find them.
Master Collector at:
http://www.mastercollector.com/
>From GI Joe to Barbie, Madame Alexander to Star Wars, with a few Annalees here and there. Very interesting website.
Ruby's Dolls at:
http://www.csmonline.com/atlantique city/b633.html
This is the personal webpage of Annalee collector/dealer Richard Rogers of New York who exhibits at booth 633 at Atlantique City shows. A good graphics self-promotion page, but not much else and no way to email.