Antique DOLL Collector February 2013 Vol. 16, No. 1
February 2013 Vol. 16, No. 1 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com
Learning About American-Made Dolls
Dolls With Rubber Limbs are Worth Saving by Ursula R. Mertz
photos by Christopher Partridge
T
hese days, one does not see many dolls with rubber limbs in collections. Yet, in the nineteen twenties and thirties the Ideal Novelties and Toy Company of New York City sold many dolls with rubber components with names like Smiles, Suck-A-Thumb, Tickletoes, etc. Ideal was definitely in the forefront of exploring the use of rubber in doll production, praising the life like nature of this material. High quality dolls were produced that are definitely worthy of preservation. Even though the company praised the durability of their product, the rubber limbs did deteriorate over time. Contemporary advertising also encouraged children to wash the rubber limbs of their dolls if they got dirty. Vigorous play and washing would Vanity Flossy Flirt features a tightly waved mohair wig. 19” Vanity Flossy. Her eyes move from side to side and she can hold items with her right hand. She has composition legs, and she was redressed.
Full page ad from Toys and Novelties, dated January 1927, featuring Vanity Flossy.
Flossie’s left arm shows the consequences of being stuffed too tightly. 28
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Her left arm was filled in with plastic wood and painted to match. This method of repair should not be used.
All four dolls discussed in this article feature this identical construction: composition head, rubber limbs (compo legs for Vanity Flossy) and stuffed cloth body. All four heads are marked with the well-known diamond shape mark: Ideal of USA.
18” girl in all original outfit, including an attractive hat. No flirting eyes, blond mohair wig.
have contributed to the high rate of attrition. Yet, once in a while, one can find such a toy in good condition and even with original clothes. Such an example would definitely qualify to be included in one’s collection. Yet, people have seen too many casualties and are hesitant to take a chance. They expect the newly discovered perfect example to deteriorate eventually. For this reason, I would like to share some experiences and tips that I have accumulated over a period of about 35 years. Some of them were successful, others not. My first experience with rubber limbs was in 1977. In an antique shop a certain doll attracted my attention. Her eyes rolled from side to side which gave her a very lively expression. Her lower arms were made of rubber, and the four fingers of her right hand were curled in so that she could hold things. The arms were still pliable and in good condition. As I later learned, her name was Vanity Flossy. I gladly took her home and packed her away. Ten years later, when I re-packed and examined her, I discovered that her left arm had collapsed, but the rubber was still flexible. I carefully removed the arms, stuffed them with fiberfill and reattached. When checking Vanity Flossy a few days later, to my dismay I discovered that her left arm had swollen. Obviously, I had stuffed the arm too tightly, and the fiberfill was exerting too much pressure on the fragile limb. What to do now! Taking the arm off again was not an option. The new glue would not let go that easily. Luckily, the sleeves of her dress were long enough to hide the swelling a
16” All original Tickletoes – “The Perfect One.” ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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The SFBJ Eden Bébé by Martha Nichols
An example of the 1890-1899 Eden Bébé whose head was made by François Gaultier company.
T
he doll known as Eden Bébé was originally the product of the German doll and toy company founded in 1873 by Fleischmann & Bloedel, and was registered in France on March 31, 1890. The company’s 1891 advertisement suggests that the Eden Bébé was a specialty item made for the French doll market under the auspices of la Société Fleischmann et Bloedel fabricants de jouets á Paris (the Fleischmann and Bloedel company, toy makers of Paris). They advertised a Paris address. This early Eden Bébé (above) had a porcelain head made by the François Gaultier company (FG), with blown glass paperweight eyes also by French makers, including Danel and Guépratte. The 1890-1899 Eden Bébé had a very French appearance with heavy eyebrows, pursed
The well-marked head of the Fleischmann & Bloedel Eden Bébé.
lips (open and closed mouths, some with lip accents), pierced-through-the-lobe ears, and a narrow rimmed, deeply slanted head-cut with cork pate. The bodies were either an inexpensive pasteboard and composition 5-piece body, which was nicely dressed in sewn-on clothing, shoes, and stockings, or a high quality fully-articulated body made in France, probably by Jumeau. Many of these were sold dressed in a lace-trimmed chemise, black lace stockings, and black shoes. The dolls had wavy shoulderlength mohair wigs. The FG head Eden Bébés are well-known because they are well-marked. The incised mark says: “Eden Bébé, Paris, [size number], Depose (registered).” These dolls were sold mainly to Paris department stores such as Bon Marché, La Ville St. Denis, Au Printemps, or Grand Bazar Magenta. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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WWW.RUBYLANE.COM/SHOPS/KATHYLIBRATYSANTIQUES WWW.KATHYLIBRATYSDOLLS.COM Phone: 718-859-0901 email: Libradolls@aol.com MEMBER: UFDC
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Nancy Ann Style Show Dolls by Jane Foster Photography by Kim McBurney
N
ancy Ann Abbott Nancy Ann loved children was born in and enjoyed letting groups of California on February 22, young girls tour her factory. 1901. Her birth name was One part of the tour would Rowena Haskin. She was a be a meeting with Nancy very shy young girl, but in her Ann where she engaged in early adult life she ventured out conversation with the girls and and attended a Fine Arts school in answered any questions they California, later working as a dancer, had about the dolls she made. It actress, and Hollywood studio designer. is interesting to note that Nancy Ann Her stage name was Nancy Phipps. Abbott was very influential in She had many interests and encouraging young girls to collect hobbies, but costume designing dolls, not just to play with them. became her main creative activity. It has also been stated in accounts After leaving Hollywood she of her life that she was very caring changed her name to Nancy toward her employees; she was Ann Abbott. In 1936 she started thoughtful of them and treated designing clothes for dolls made them with respect as they did her. in Japan. She opened the Nancy She became ill and died of cancer Ann Dressed Dolls Corporation in on August 10, 1964. 1937 with a partner, Leslie Allan Most doll enthusiasts are Rowland. Her doll corporation familiar with the small Nancy grew very quickly to become Ann Storybook Dolls. However, it Lilac Time is wearing a striped green taffeta dress. the largest doll company in the seems not nearly as many realize Her straw hat is particularly pretty trimmed with United States in the 1940’s. She the same company designed 18delicate flowers and lavender fur. Style #1504 started making bisque babies in inch dolls in the early and mid her factory, and then in the 1940’s switched to plastic. On 1950’s called Style Show Dolls. December 26, 1945 the name of the factory was changed My husband and I were at a doll auction several years ago to Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls, Inc. She made small hard when a Style Show doll came up for auction. I spoke later plastic Storybook dolls as well as other small-sized dolls, with the woman who had the winning bid, and she shared including Muffie, Debbie, Miss Nancy Ann, Little Miss some information with me about these beautiful dolls. Nancy Ann, Lori-Ann, and Baby Sue-Sue. Nancy Ann had a way of putting different colors and ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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