Nodder Sets, ca. 1900
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GUEST:
They belonged to my mother. They were given to her by her brother in St. Louis, Missouri, probably about 90 years ago.
APPRAISER:
90 years ago would be 1908, which is right about the time these would've been manufactured, 1900 to 1908. And what we have here, these are called nodders, 'cause any kind of movement would set their heads a-bobbing. They were very popular as little knickknacks, and they were made in Germany, turn of the century, 1910. They made nodders in all sizes, from this size up to full bisque figurines, and they would just have balancing heads that would make a little motion to catch the eye. They're made of lead. What you have here are two distinct sets. This set here, these characters, are modeled after a storybook character called the Brownies. Palmer Cox was a great children's illustrator and did a whole series of stories and book on the Brownies. And then over here, we have an orchestra of devils. And people love little orchestras, that's one area of collectibility.
GUEST:
Oh, I see.
APPRAISER:
Nodders is another one. One very important figure in this little devil band is the conductor. Because whenever you find a little figural group of orchestra people, the conductor is the one who's almost always missing.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
This makes it a set. This orchestra I would estimate could be sold on the retail market for $1,000 to $1,200.
GUEST:
I see.
APPRAISER:
For this little group here. The Brownies, on the other hand-- I've never seen this set. It could bring as much as $2,500. I see. So between the two, you have $3,500 worth of little nodding figures.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm-- okay, I'll keep them. (laughing):
APPRAISER:
Okay.
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