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WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
by Philip Hawkins and Mike McLeod
$3,050 (13 bids, 6 bid- PH: The Bru Jne & Cie company was located in France and produced
ders): Antique, rarest, dolls from 1866-1899. There are three basic types of Bru dolls: Poupée de
Steiff, Authentic “Billy Mode; Lady Fashion doll Bébé Bru doll (on a kid leather body); and a Bru
Possum,” Very Few doll (on a wood and composition body). The doll being considered is an
Known. A brief history is example of the Bru Bébé Jne doll introduced ca. 1868. These could be
Margret Steiff produced found in sizes from 11 inches to 36 inches tall. It has a bisque socket head,
these possums in regard to kid body, kid-over-wood upper arms, hinged elbows, bisque lower arms,
President Hoover finding (some have wooden legs), paperweight eyes with long lashes, pierced ears,
a possum that strayed and a closed mouth with white space between the lips. They are usually
onto the White House marked on the back of the head: “Bru Jne” with the size number, and
lawn in 1908. He named stamped on the body: “Bébé Bru and BTE SGDG.”
it “Billy Possum.” Size 0 is reported to be 11 inches (though there seems to be some
Margaret produced variation) and rare to find. Bru dolls of other sizes ranged in price from
these possums for three $3,000-$39,000 in 2021. Theriault’s Doll Auctioneers reported a Size 0
years, and they were a flop having sold for $32,000 against an estimate of $20,000-$28,000 in 2010.
from the beginning. There will be some variation in facial expression due to the hand-
Nobody wanted them because of how they looked. painting of features. Some will be considered superior to others and
Condition is very used; no stains, just old stitches to preserve it. The command higher prices.
ears are original, but the button was torn out. Tail is there but fragile. It
could use a restoration; personally, I’d leave it alone. (Photos, courtesy of
eBay seller lavar-mar.) $930 (30 bids, 14 bidders): Large Antique Metcalfs Tricopherous
Hair, Reverse-Painted Glass Advertising Sign. This auction is for a large
PH: Margarete Steiff was born in Germany on July 24, 1847. A childhood 37.5 inches long by 15 inches tall, circa 1900, reverse-painted glass sign
fever left her with paralyzed legs and chronic pain in her right arm. Despite advertising for Metcalf’s Tricopherous. This hair serum, “Prevents The
the arm pain, she became a seamstress and founded a clothing business. Hair From Falling.” This authentic, antique glass sign is in very good,
Finding a published pattern for a stuffed elephant, she offered it as a unrestored condition. There are a couple of small areas with lifting or loss
pincushion, but it became popular as a toy. to the reverse-painted glass; however, the large majority is in excellent,
Steiff Manufacture was founded in 1880, and within six years, more than unrestored condition. Including the mahogany frame, it measures
5,000 elephants had sold, leading to the design of other stuffed animals. 42 inches long by 19.5 inches. (Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12.)
In 1892, the first illustrated Steiff catalog included stuffed animal
monkeys, donkeys, horses, camels, pigs, mice, dogs, cats, hares, and
giraffes. In 1902, her nephew designed “Bear 55PB,” the world’s first
stuffed toy bear with moveable arms and legs. The bears became a huge
success in the U.S. under the name of “Teddy Bear” – named after the
American President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.
When William Howard Taft was elected President in 1909 and carried
the nickname of “Billy Possum,” Steiff created two mohair possum figures,
hoping the success of the bear would carry over. Unfortunately, the PH: Tricopherous was/is a hair tonic intended for “… restoring, preserv-
possum toys were a failure, and both were discontinued by 1914. ing, and beautifying hair, eradicating scurf* and dandruff. To prevent
Possums in good condition generate big interest and prices. Just a few baldness and gray hair and cure diseases of the scalp. Also was used for
reported sales exist. In 2005, Christie’s sold one realizing $2,152 on a pre- stings, cuts, bruises, and spines.” *Scurf: the scales or small shreds of epidermis
sale estimate of $275-$550. Pook & Pook sold one in a lot of nine Steiff that are continually exfoliated from the skin (dictionary.com).
and other animals, the lot realizing $6,000 on a $100-$1,000 pre-sale It seems to have appeared in the mid-19th century, and the most
estimate. A newer opossum figure was apparently released in the 1990s. famous maker seems to have been Barry’s Tricopherous, originally based
out of New York – a product that is still sold today.
Most of these hair products were sold in glass bottles that are now
$12,700 (14 bids, 4 bidders): Antique French collectibles. I suspect the interest here is in the sign itself and not the
Bisque Doll *BRU Jne, Size 0*, Paper Label, product being advertised. Advertising signs are a followed category of
Kid Body, Repaired Head. Newly acquired collectible; this one is reverse-painted on glass, framed, large, and in good,
estate find, French Bru Jne bisque shoulder plate unrestored condition.
and head, brown paperweight eyes, larger Interestingly, another virtually identical Metcalf sign was reported sold
luscious lips, pierced ears, marked head, “Bru at Mid-Atlantic Auction in Wilmington, Del., in January of 2021, lot 114
Jne 0”. (The “0” is Size 0.) The Head is found for $325—this shows what exposure can do to pricing when the right
to have been repaired. Kid leather body with buyers are watching.
label on the torso. No repairs or leaks to the Not surprising, however, the highest prices are paid for beer-related
body. Bisque lower arms have all fingers intact. signs, hmmm.
Cork pate and antique wig; measures roughly
between 9-10 inches. (Photos courtesy of eBay Philip Hawkins, ISA AM, AAG is an accredited member of the International Society
seller tikadawn.) of Appraisers and a founding member of the Appraisers Association of Georgia. He
can be reached via the ISA website or at 404-320-7275.
8 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles