Leigh Gotch
Specialist in Antique Dolls, Teddy Bears, Fine Toys, Trains & Toy Soldiers
Leigh, our Doll Specialist & auctioneer, has over 30 years of specialist experience in all types of Antique and Vintage Dolls, Toys and Trains and joined C&T in 2015 boasting 20 successful years as Head of the Toy and Doll department at International Auctioneers Bonhams. Prior to that, Leigh ran a successful Antique Doll & Toy business with his wife Rachel at their shop in Portobello Road, and also exhibited at fairs, both in Europe and America.
During his 21 years at Bonhams, Leigh has offered for sale an all-encompassing range of Fine Antique Toys, Trains, Dolls, Dolls Houses and Teddy Bears, with many highlights including selling the world-famous Vivien Greene Dolls House collection in 1998/99, over two sales achieving total sales of beyond £500,000. Toy highlights over the years included many four and five figure sales for Fine German Toys and Trains by makes such as Marklin, Bing, Carette and Gunthermann to name but a few.
Dolls have played a strong role in Leigh’s auctions, constantly achieving outstanding prices - One such example being the sale of Marianna, an important George II English wooden doll in original court mantua dress (circa 1747) for £58,000. French dolls have always featured prominently and are as popular today with collectors as ever.
The highlight of Leigh’s career, however, was to offer for sale a single-owner collection of German character dolls in 2014. The 92-lot auction achieved an outstanding £930,400 and culminated in reaching a new World Record price for a doll at auction; the sale of the only known example of mould No.108 by Kámmer and Reinhardt, for £242,500.
Since joining C&T, Leigh holds two Fine Dolls, Dolls House and Teddy Bear auctions a year together with contributing to C&T's Toy and Train auctions, and has continued to achieve outstanding prices for all types of Dolls, Toys and Trains.
With James Opie's recent step back from sole Toy Soldier Specialist at C&T, to offering his expertise as a consultant, Leigh will now be taking up the mantle alongside our Vintage Toy Specialist, Glen!
For free and confidential valuations please do not hesitate to contact Leigh Gotch on: +44 (0)7736 668702 or email leigh.gotch@candtauctions.co.uk
Areas of expertise