Dolls That Come Alive, Antique Mechanical Music and Rare Dolls Available for Live Online Bidding at

Proxibid, a premier provider of live auction broadcasting services, today announced that it will provide live Internet bidding for the upcoming auction of rare antique dolls, automata and mechanical music. The live auction, hosted by Theriault’s, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 11, with live Internet bidding commencing at 11:00 a.m. EST.

[USPRwire, Sat Nov 10 2007] Proxibid, a premier provider of live auction broadcasting services, today announced that it will provide live Internet bidding for the upcoming auction of rare antique dolls, automata and mechanical music. The live auction, hosted by Theriault’s, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 11, with live Internet bidding commencing at 11:00 a.m. EST.

More than 250 rare pieces from the auction entitled “When the Circus Came to Town” will be available for live online bidding during this auction. Collectors from across the globe will be competing to win one of these priceless pieces. The automata available in this auction are dramatic and appeal to a broad range of doll collectors. Each piece has a fascinating heritage and will be a welcome addition to any collection.

Notable items available for online bidding include:
• Lot 3: French Mechanical "Jumbo" Elephant by Roullet with P.T. Barnum Provenance 3000/5000 — 14"(36 cm.) 9"h. A paper mache elephant with grey kidskin cover has loosely hinged legs, glass eyes, large ears, tusks, loosely hinged trunk and silk tapestry blankets. When wound, the elephant lumbers along in a realistic manner, and periodically "flaps” his large ears. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Roullet, circa 1885. Value Points: the elephant was presented by P.T. Barnum to Mr. Wesley Redhead of Des Moines, Iowa during the mid-1880s Barnum and Bailey Circus Farewell Tour. Barnum, who was a friend of the pre-eminent local businessman, had rented the circus grounds from Redhead, and had been entertained at the lavish Redhead mansion during his stay. Upon the departure of the circus from Des Moines, Barnum presented Mr. Redhead with the toy elephant, representing Jumbo, the famous Barnum and Bailey elephant, said to be the largest elephant in the world. Included with the mechanical toy elephant, are copies of historic photographs of the Barnum Circus parade down Main Street of Des Moines (from the original glass slides) as well as other documents and personal notes from Mr. Redhead concerning the tour. The elephant has remained in the Redhead family until its appearance now. Value Points: well-preserved and functioning mechanical elephant with unusual flapping action of the ears, enhanced by rich provenance.

• Lot 6: Outstanding French Bisque-Head Mannequin with Wooden Articulated Arms and Legs 30,000/45,000 — 68"(173 cm.) overall. 11"h. head. Bisque head of exceptionally handsome sculpting, brown glass enamel inset eyes with heavy-cast eyelids, thick dark eyeliner and pronounced painted lashes, slightly modeled detail of brush-stroked and feathered brows, aquiline nose with shaded nostrils, accented eye corners, closed mouth with outlined and shaded lips, superb sculpting of ears, cheek bones and jaw, on original twill-over-form torso, with all-wooden limbs that are dowel-jointed for infinite articulation at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and knees, wooden hands with articulation on three knuckles of each finger, carved knee-high boots with applied gilded decorations. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: bisque head attributed to Jumeau based on stylistic attributes and quality of workmanship, the mannequin appeared in the workshop of a French tailor specialized in regimental uniforms, circa 1885, according to verbal documentation and documented by his original painting of boots, and original superb military costume. Value Points: outstanding quality and sculpting of the model that is previously unknown, with incredible detail of impressed facial lines, finest bisque and painting with delicate blushing details, superb body with articulation extending to every finger, wonderful antique costume.

• Lot 17: Extremely Rare French Illusionist Automaton "The Levitator" by Phalibois 110,000/165,000 — 39”(99 cm.) h. x 32”w. x 19”d. Theatre background 88”h. x 60”w. x 25” d. The man is 29”h. Posed upon a wooden stage is the scene of a magic show depicting the illusion of a magician levitating a lady. A stately, goateed gentleman-magician, wearing rich evening dress in the manner of the famous illusionist Robert-Houdin, stands behind a red-velvet bench, holding a magic wand in his left hand and a hoop in his right hand. Reclining on the bench is a lady, presumably selected randomly from the “audience”, dressed in a light green satin-crepe gown, nervously anticipating the performance as she blinks her eyes and fans herself. The two figures have paper mache heads with oil-painted features, kidskin eyelids, glass eyes, the man with hinged jaw. The complexly-designed spring-driven mechanism comprises a main cluster of six wooden cams which pass up through the legs of the Levitator. There are also three auxiliary wooden cams that direct the movement of the lady’s eyelids, fanning and the levitation itself. Music is provided by a “fat” cylinder Sublime Harmonie movement. Movements: There are eleven movements. At first the magician leans forward while waving his wand, fixing his gaze so as to hypnotize the lady. She slowly stops fanning herself and closes her eyes, falling into a sleeplike state, yet receptive to his suggestions. In her trance she rises, her body horizontally suspended in mid-air. The magician then passes the hoop fully across her body several times to and fro, as though to prove to his speculative audience that there are no “tricks”. His left arm is so articulated that it can do complete circles in both ways. Finally the lady’s body levitates downwards, back onto the bench, and she opens her eyes, now broken from the trance, and she fans herself once again. The Levitator raises his head to the audience and moves his lips and blinks his eyelids as accepting accolades for his remarkable feat.

• Lot 31: Superb French Automaton "Japanese Lady Mask Seller” by Gustav Vichy 75,000/115,000 — 43"(109 cm.) with parasol. 33"height of lady. An elegant lady with paper mache head depicting a Japanese lady with oil painted amber tinted complexion and facial features, brown glass eyes, ornate coiffure, is standing with parasol at her back, framing her face, and offering examples of paper mache decorative masks that she holds on her tray of wares. She is wearing an elaborately embroidered and hand-painted sash and kimono with rich designs including a large and elegant crane, various layered garments, silk slippers and carries a large wooden-handled paper parasol while balancing a lacquered tray upon which are displayed three paper mache festival masks. There are six animations and one musical tune. Condition: generally excellent, mechanism and music function well. Marks: (trademark Vichy lever and key). Comments: Gustav Vichy, Paris, circa 1890, named "Marchande de Masques", model 448, by Vichy, the exact piece was described in an 1892 article about Vichy in La Nature, French journal: "A large number of [Vichy] automata represent genre figures, sometimes inspired by a painting, or by some current event. For instance, there is a Japanese woman with an expressive face (but perhaps too Western looking) dressed in richly embroidered clothes and holding a tray in front of her, full of masks. She is holding a huge parasol in one hand and a mask in the other, She pivots her head, raises and lowers her eyelids, while twirling the parasol between the fingers, occasionally also covering her face with the mask held in the other hand. “Value Points: very rare model to find, this example is superbly preserved original and well-functioning condition.

• Bru in Original Wedding Costume Known as “Consuelo’s Bridesmaid" with Provenance 7000/12,000 — 21"(53 cm.) Bisque swivel head on kid-edged bisque shoulder plate with highly defined modeled bosom, brown glass paperweight inset eyes, thick black eyeliner, feathered lashes, brush-stroked brows with feathered details, rose blushed eye shadow, accented nostrils and eye corners, closed mouth with accent line between the lips and slightly upturned smiling lip corners, impressed philtrum and dimples at lip corners and chin, pierced ears, auburn mohair wig in arranged upswept curls over cork pate, on original Bru kid bebe body of the Chevrot era with hinged hips and carved wooden lower legs, bisque arms from elbows with superbly sculpted fingers and hands. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Depose L (forehead) L (head) Bru Jne No. 10 (shoulders) Bebe Bru... (paper label on torso). Comments: the firm of Leon Casimir Bru, the bebe with smiling poupee face was especially commissioned and costumed to commemorate the 1895 society wedding of the railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt to the Duke of Marlborough (Spencer-Churchill family, the owners of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and first cousin of Winston Churchill.) Later the doll was gifted to Consuelo's friend, Eveline Miles who had lived at Woodstock House on the Blenheim Estate since 1880. The doll has remained in the possession of the Miles family until this time. A complete provenance is available to the new owner. Value Points: superb doll with outstanding bisque and painting, pristine condition, and wearing her perfectly preserved original ivory silk faille gown from the Duchess of Marlborough wedding party, bearing the couturier label of Maison Maggy Rouff of Boulevard Haussmann in Paris who may have been the designer of Consuelo's gown, and including multi-layered undergarments, silk stockings, and ivory kidskin shoes signed "Bru Jne Paris 10".

“The pieces available in this auction have a rich history,” said Stuart Holbrook, president of Theriault’s. “The automata in this auction were originally intended as parlor fancies in the 19th century. The pieces were made for adult entertainment and one can truly appreciate the fine details and mechanical expertise that was employed at that time. These items are rare gems that should not be missed by any collector.”

To view the online catalog, to register to bid or to leave pre-bids, please visit www.proxibid.com/theriaults.

About Proxibid
Proxibid is the premier provider of live Internet auction broadcasting services. With Proxibid, bidders have access to real auctions, with real auctioneers, from the comfort of their home or office. Bidders can view auction catalogs, post pre-bids and participate in real-time Internet bidding via Proxibid’s powerful auction portal. As a leading pioneer of live Internet bidding technology, Proxibid continues to lead the marketplace by offering an unparalleled level of customer service and support.

To learn more about Proxibid, please log on to www.proxibid.com.

About Theriault’s
Founded in 1970 by Florence and George Theriault, the firm has specialized exclusively in the appraisal and auction of antique dolls and childhood playthings throughout its 30-year history. The firm's offices and cataloging center are headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, although its auctions are conducted in major cities throughout the United States as well as online. Also, because of Theriault's stellar reputation, collectors and museums worldwide participate in bidding on dolls through a well-developed absentee bid system. In addition, collectors and estate specialists worldwide - from Australia to France to every small town in America - have commissioned their dolls to Theriault's for auction.
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