The Curious Collector

For Theriault's President, Stuart Holbrook, the novel, Cadillac Jack, by legendary American author, Larry McMurtry, has served as an inspiration for his entire career. This book alone brought him back to “the business” after college with it's rich depiction of a life scouting out fine objects and the people and adventures that follow. In this episode, Stuart highlights the why of this work being so inspirational to him. More importantly, he offers lessons to collectors about their own pursuit of objects and how the adventures of Cadillac Jack are very much at the core of who we are as collectors. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

Ursula Mertz, the German immigrant to America who would ironically come to define the American doll of the 1900-1950 era, is a true national treasure. Her research and vibrant personality shaped a generational understanding of this category in dolls and allowed them a home where appreciation and respect would follow. Her countless articles and the landmark, Encyclopedia of American Composition Dolls, have guided collectors on the subject for decades. In this episode of The Curious Collector, Ursula sits down with Stuart and shares her life as a collector, researcher, and accidental collector of this subject. As well, she beyond the subject and conveys to us the joy of living the happy life of a collector. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

This is a story that needed to be told. Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook narrates the difficult recent life of acclaimed Ukrainian doll artist, Juliet Peliukh. A story that started with a tragedy in 2009, was upended again by the war in 2022, and is still unfolding today. It is a heartbreaking tale of survival; a tale in which dolls have served as a central thread of hope. There's no tidy ending here. Juliet isn't pretending there is one, and she wouldn't want us to either. What it does though is show us what survival actually looks like, and what "healing" really means when nothing can be undone.

You can follow Juliet on Facebook under the name of Juliet Peliukh. As well, learn more about her and other acclaimed doll artists at www.niada.org 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook details his recent journey to the annual NIADA - National Institute of American Doll Artists - conference which brings together doll artists and patrons from across the world. He shares his reflections from his time there and, as well, the premise of the keynote talk he gave to attendees. That is, history is our greatest teacher. And as contemporary art dolls come of age and leave the realm of “modern” it’s important to know what will resonate over generations as taught to us by artists of the past. Why? Artists are no different than collectors in the shared need for protection and legacy of objects over time.

To learn more about NIADA go to www.niada.org

Cover art courtesy of Ann Hord-Heatherley https://www.annhord-heatherley.com/

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

Collector Conversations is now a regular addition to The Curious Collector podcast that allows listeners to understand the lives, inspirations, and pursuits of so many different collectors around the world. Best of all, it's a chance to hear it all candidly from their own perspectives in order to inspire those just starting this journey - as well as validating those long established collectors with familiar experiences. In this episode, Stuart Holbrook, President of Theriault's, talks to beloved collector, Bradley Justice Yarbrough, who takes us inside his journey from childhood to later becoming one of America’s most renowned Barbie experts and researchers. Bradley, surprisingly, reveals as well the alter-collector he has quietly embraced outside of the “B Word” by offering us insight into a deep appreciation for so many other rich parts of doll history. He serves as not only an ambassador for Barbie but a true connoisseur of the entire history of three-dimensional figurative art and fashion over the past three hundred years. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

In this episode of The Curious Collector, Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook takes us through his forty-years of experience in handling heirs and collections  and why some turn into a wonderful process of honoring a relative while others can turn contentious. With stories of success, alongside cautionary tales of things gone wrong, he helps to identify the why of each so that collectors now can better prepare their heirs and collections for the future - as well for heirs to understand more clearly what to do if dropped into this position with little information to go on. Stuart breaks down the different types of estates and trusts and the unique dynamics of families that can either help or hinder the path forward in seeing a collection protected and carried on to new generations of collectors. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

Collector Conversations is a new feature at The Curious Collector, one that allows the listener to understand the lives, inspirations, and pursuits of so many different collectors across the world. Many just like you. For the first in this series, we turn to Catherine Peterson, the well-known collector who has been at the forefront of not only engagement, but contributions to the hobby and as a protector of cultural history. From her origins in California to today in South Carolina, collecting has been a constant companion as she crisscrossed the country (and world!) over the years. She shares her stories, explains how collecting has been an assuring and unique companion during the past four decades during ups and downs - as well as shares her thoughts for new collectors as to what she has learned along the way. It’s a deeply personal interview by Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook that will resonate, inspire and maybe even surprise you all at the same time. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

Objects need more than ownership, they beg for presentation. The display of collections, while often overlooked, form an understanding and a deep context. in this episode of The Curious Collector, Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook shares his experiences with doll collectors across the world and reveals the techniques they use to help visualize the display as a vehicle of narrative. He discusses how a good display, regardless of style, can elevate your vision. We are all story tellers. A good display is, in essence, the best way of doing just that. It gives you a chance to tell your story and the story of the object in ways everyone can relate to. 

Here are the links for the videos Stuart talked about in this episode/

Click here and here for the videos featuring the amazing vignettes of Susan Nunez.

Click here for Dolly Treasures.

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

In this episode of The Curious Collector, Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook takes us on a journey of discovery into how artificial intelligence intersects with collecting. With that, posing questions throughout, is it friend or foe? Does it actually help collectors or instead guide them down dangerous paths? After months of research into this powerful tool, his insight can help collectors see clearly where the benefits are and where the dangers hide. Stuart gives both the Pros and the Cons, along with actual samples of each. In addition, he offers some golden rules to help collectors utilize AI in a best practice manner. 

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art. 

As a counter to Theriault's President Stuart Holbrook's previous episode on community and collecting, in this episode, he talks about an alternative approach, collecting done quietly and in the shadows. The forming of a “secret garden” if you will. These quiet collectors make up a significant proportion of enthusiasts out there but are often misunderstood. Stuart discusses why some choose this path over a more social and community approach and a few of the advantages of a private approach. He also shares stories of some of these collections and the mystique they bring to the market. 

You can see the movie about Herb and Dorothy Vogel and their incredible collection here.

Keep up with Stuart at curiouscollect.com and check out Theriaults.com as well where you can learn more as to the exciting auctions held throughout the year at Theriault’s, the world’s leader in the auction of dolls and figurative art.