Leigh Gotch

Leigh has over 30 years of specialist experience in all types of Antique and vintage Dolls, Toys and Trains and joined C&T in 2015 after over 20 successful years as Head of the Toy and Doll department at International Auctioneers Bonhams and prior to that running a successful Antique Doll and Toy business with his wife Rachel at their shop in the famous Portobello Road and exhibiting 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 over £500,000. Toy highlights over the years included many four and five figure sales for Fine German Toys and Trains by such makes 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 including selling 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 always.  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 achieving an outstanding £930,400 and culminating in achieving a new World Record price for a doll at auction selling the only known example of mould No.108 by Kámmer and Reinhardt for £242,500.

Since joining C&T Leigh holds two Fine Doll, Dolls House and Teddy Bear sales a year together with contributing to C&Ts Toy and Train auctions and has continued to achieve outstanding prices for all types of Dolls, Toys and Trains.

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