ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Theriault's, the Annapolis, Maryland based auction house specializing in rare antique dolls and toys, recently established what is believed to be a new world-record for a German made character doll at auction at their January 12th sale in Southern California.  The Kammer and Reinhardt 104 model, of which only two others are known to exist, soared to the record price of $212,000.00 (including Buyers Premium) amidst a flurry of competitive bidding from U.S. and European collectors.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130130/PH51350)

It took just two minutes to reach the final record price as collectors battled on the phones and in-person as global doll enthusiasts sat amazed when the hammer fell and the doll was awarded to a prominent Boston collector who was bidding by phone.  Theriault's President, Stuart Holbrook, who was on the podium for this historic moment, commented that, "The greatness of this doll was evident in the number of collectors vying for a piece of history that might only come up once in a lifetime.  Further, it is a testament to the importance of dolls being appreciated as not only a commercial endeavor but an item that, in the context of the time it was made, a work of art."

Theriault's also holds the world-record for any doll at auction set in 2009 when it sold a French doll by sculptor Albert Marque for $263,000.00. 

This event, in which the Kammer and Reinhardt character was presented, was the third largest grossing auction in Theriault's history with total sales exceeding $2.3M amidst the strongest bidding seen in the past four years including a record 16,000 bids recorded on the Internet alone.

About Theriault's
Founded in 1970, Theriault's is the largest auction house in the world dealing exclusively in antique dolls, toys, and teddy bears. Conducting over 30 live auctions annually in 20 U.S. cities they cater to an international clientele of collectors for what is considered to be one of the top 5 most popular collectibles categories. For more information call 1-800-638-0422 or visit www.theriaults.com.

Contact:  Jamie Lanza, 410-224-3655

SOURCE Theriault's