A German terracotta Santa Claus figure seated on a sleigh boasting spectacular detailing soared to $66,000; a large, 24-1/2-inch-tall papier-mâché Santa figure from the late 1800s realized $26,400; and a rare 1904 Steiff apricot “rod bear” with an X-ray of the interior torso brought $20,400 in Bertoia’s Holiday Antiques Auction held January 29-30, 2026.

It was a massive auction, one that totaled $1.2 million. It contained over 1,500 lots, including European Santas; belsnickels and nodders; tree ornaments, including 100 sought-after Dresdens; candy containers; 60 European dolls; Steiff teddy bears; and other desirable toys.

The selection also included other types of early holiday collectibles, from whimsical Halloween characters to Easter-themed and patriotic pieces, as well as three dozen German and American dollhouses and stables, papier-mâché and litho’d paper-on-wood toys, and coveted French and German automata.

The sale was headlined by five high profile collections from members of the Golden Glow of Christmas Past and/or the Antique Toy Collectors of America (ATCA). These included the collections of Brenda and Ed DeGarbolewski, longtime holiday aficionados; Darla and Jerry Arnold, who can trace their interest in Christmas antiques back to Darla’s college days; Bob and Maurine Young, members of both Golden Glow and Keystone Kringles; Linda Morrow, who has been collecting Christmas and Halloween for over 40 years; and Richard Mueller, whose aspects of his high profile toy collection have been offered in previous auctions conducted by Bertoia’s.

The incredible, 22-inch-tall terracotta Santa figure seated on a sleigh, from the DeGarbolewski collection was easily the overall top lot of the auction. The $66,000 selling price was more than six times the $10,000 high estimate. Terracotta figures of this type are rarely seen, and this one exhibited fine detail and realism of the strands of beard hair.

The 24-1/2-inch-tall papier-mâché Santa figure from the late 1800s – also from the DeGarbolewski collection – has wonderful styling, plus great form and impression. It was in excellent condition, with just a few spots of flaking and some in-painting. The final selling price of $26,400 was nearly four times the $7,000 high estimate.

The 16-inch-tall 1904 Steiff “rod bear” featured rare apricot mohair, gutta percha nose, elongated muzzle, top of head ear-to-ear stitching, shoe button eyes, elephant ear button and an X-ray of the interior torso. The bear was in very good condition, with some early restoration to the gutta percha nose, and paw pads that were refurbished or replaced. The high estimate was $8,000 but bidders drove the final price to $20,400.

For most vintage button-in-ear collectors, Steiff’s turn of last century “rod bears” are unquestionably the ultimate in Steiff productions. These rarities, made with an internal rod-style skeleton for jointing, only appeared in the line from about 1904 to 1905. This jointing system shows up prominently in an x-ray, and that’s the best way to confirm a bear’s internal connectors. Rod bears tended to vary quite a bit in their actual looks and presentation, given they were so early and made by hand, with patterns that were rapidly evolving.

A circa 1880-1915 Franklin Fire Company ceremonial papier-mâché parade hat, commemorating the founding of the Benjamin Franklin Fire Company No. 4 in 1802, blew past the $10,000 estimate to ring up $16,800. Inside the 14-inch-long hat, it was marked, “1802-B.F. Fire Co.” The founding date was most likely associated with towns in Pennsylvania and Maryland, where a number of early Franklin-named companies formed.

A colorful, German-made skittles set of whimsical pin figures depicting musicians and singing frogs, another offering from the DeGarbolewski collection, doubled the $5,000 high estimate to bring $10,200. The fabulous large frog container, 19-1/2 inches long and made from painted composition on wood, showed outstanding paint and colors. The set was in excellent to pristine condition and displayed wonderfully.

A Dresden woman-in-sleigh ornament, 5 inches long and one of the finest Dresden ornaments ever produced, changed hands for $9,600, more than tripling the $3,000 high estimate. From the Linda Morrow collection, the ornament depicted a lovely woman and exhibited beautiful detailing on all of the horse harnesses and sleigh. An incredible collectible, it was in excellent condition.

A German pickle-nose chauffeur candy container, 5-1/1 inches tall, breezed to $7,800, against a high estimate of $2,500. Depicted as a vegetable man chauffeur with a pickle for a nose, the figure was in excellent condition except for a small crack on the left shoulder.

A large-size poster depicting Santa Claus behind the wheel of a car with his sackful of presents plopped on the back seat, impressive at 61 inches tall by 40 inches wide, coasted to $6,600. Mounted on linen backing, the poster was sensationally well-preserved, aside from some very minor wrinkling. The high estimate was $3,500.

A hard-to-find, early 1900s yellow glass ornament in the shape of a child with extended legs, went for $5,100, easily besting the $1,600 high estimate. Measuring 5 inches in height, the ornament was in pristine condition.

A German Gottschalk blue roof house with elevator, 23 inches tall and made for the French market, found a new home for $4,800. The high estimate was $1,800. The blue roof is what made the item especially desirable, and it didn’t hurt that it was in all-original, excellent to pristine condition.

Bertoia Auctions is currently accepting high quality toys, banks, holiday antiques, and collectibles for their future sales. Consignors can discuss the consignment process of a single piece or an entire collection with Bertoia Auctions’ President Michael Bertoia. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential and there is never any obligation to consign, according to Bertoia. There telephone number is (856) 692-1881 or email is toys@bertoiaauctions.com. They can also be reached at www.bertoiaauctions.com.