A couple of weeks ago an Albert Marque doll brought the highest amount ever paid for a doll at $263,000—a world record. It’s fascinating to me that a doll less than a century old could command such a dollar amount. Earlier this week, president of Theriault’s Stewart Holbrook told me there are only 20 known Marque dolls in the world and that rarity, combined with fine craftsmanship, beauty and mystique contribute to the value of Marque dolls. See the whole story.

Intrigued and wanted to learn more about who Marque the man was, I spent a few minutes searching online to see what bio info I could come up with but didn’t find anything in-depth. During his life, I wonder what his dolls sold for compared to other dolls of the period? Was he well-known during his lifetime and when did his dolls catapult in value? And did he have any indication before he died what legendary status his dolls would achieve? And, finally, who of our time will be the Albert Marque a century from now?