April 2020

Valerie Fogel’s

Beautiful Bébés Fine Dolls and Precious Playthings of the Past Tel: 425.765.4010 Beautifulbebes@outlook.com For excellent service contact Beautiful Bebes when Selling or Consigning!

www.bebesatticfinds.rubylane.com

Always Buying. Trades, Consignments, Sales and Estate.

Exquisite Bru Jne Circle Dot Bébé - This exquisite 24” Doll is simply a masterpiece from the Maison Bru. A creation of the late 1870s, she represents the impeccable artistry of Leon Casimir Bru. From her original marked shoes, to the top of her beautiful head, she is spectacular! She’s dressed in a fabulous antique satin and blue velvet frock and this lucky one has been gifted with a superb navy blue wool coat trimmed in lush blue velvet with covered velvet buttons and matching tam. Powder blue spiral threaded eyes darkly lined, pale bisque and full rose tinted cheeks and lips give her a wonderful child like look. Excellent in every aspect. Layaway offered!

See Beautiful Bébés Antique Dolls at the fabulous NADDA Show and Sale in Charleston at the airport’s Embassy Suites!

May 1-3, 2020 We NEED a DOLLY WEEKEND! See you there!

F7G Bébé - This is simply a sensational block letter F7G with the most charming brown eyes and poignant expression.

Her bisque is exquisite and beautifully modeled and painted.

She is on her original body with original finish, wonderful curly antique blonde mohair wig over cork pate, antique leather boots and feminine pink rose frock with matching hat.

Pristine and unusually pretty, she’s ready for display! $6450

Fogel.April20.indd 3

Schmitt Bébé - Catch your breath and take in the beauty of this superb doll! An exceptional 17” Bébé marked with the Schmitt shield. Wonderful antique costume and shoes and thick blonde antique wig framing her lovely face with stunning, darkly lined, spiral threaded blue eyes accented with lilac shadow. Sensitively painted and crisply modeled head combines to make our hearts beat a little faster!

Generally excellent condition. Perfect cabinet size! $11,950.

Parasol sold separately.

A beautiful Bébé by Julienne… so hard to locate! This rare beauty is available today!

Twenty six inches of glowing loveliness. Huge eyes with delicate lilac shadow! She is simply wonderful with all antique clothing, wig and straw hat. Excellent bisque; gorgeous on every level! A magical addition to your collection. $4650

Member UFDC & NADDA

3/15/20 1:33 PM

Gigi’s Dolls & Sherry’s Teddy Bears Inc.

22” “Le Parisien” is the haul mark doll patented

by Amelie La Fosse for the Steiner firm 1892, 17” OM Tete Jumeau, blue head stamped Le Parisian A-15 Paris, beautiful sleep eyes, pierced ears, antique body – repainted arms, antique clothing $2895. mohair wig, clothing & leather shoes, marked 6 $1550

13” Rare A. Halopeau smallest size H Bebe, marked 5/0 stiff wrist body, blue threaded PW eyes, antique shoes & socks $11,500.

25” Kestner Early Square Tooth w/ 8 ball body, sweet face, brown sleep eyes, original blonde mohair wig & plaster pate, 3 chipped teeth $775.

18.5” Depose Tete Jumeau 8 in red on stiff wrist 8 ball stamped body, brown PW eyes, pierced ears, HH wig, antique clothing, hat & boots, beautiful coloring $2995.

17.5” O/M Jumeau 7, brown PW eyes, pierced ears, antique clothes & mohair wig, Jumeau stamped body, small nose rub, some paint flaking on arms & hands, 17” CM Kestner 128, brown sleep eyes, faint hairline on forehead $895. antique mohair wig & leather shoes, neck socket repair on back, dressed wonderfully $985.

20” Kling Empress Eugenie 1865, beautiful molding & painting, hairline on front of shoulder plate, 5.5” head / shoulder plate $195.

36” French Boudoir Lady Pompadour or Marie Antoinette, blue silk dress (breaking), gold lace & flowers embellishments $295.

13” Resin BJD FiFi from Wizworx by Liz Frost, brown glass eyes, comes w/ 6 outfits & COA, fair skin tone $550.

All original 17.5” early CM 132 Kling w/ swivel head, shading above blue threaded eyes, pierced ears, mohair wig, 2 holes at crown, amazing piece, small hairline on left eyelid $1495. Now $1045.

11” CM E4D Clown Etienne Denamur on La Petit Parisien Bebe Steiner stamped body, brown eyes, original head piece, shoes & socks $1850. Now $1650.

12” 1900 -20’s Folk Art Jester, hand stitched face & floss hair, silver embellishments on costume as is, great character w/ mohair dog $215.

6.5” x 5” Papier Mache Horse w/ wooden legs, on wooden platform w/ wheels $65.

Hertwig Bonnet Head Dolls 12” Blond w/ green hat & gold cross necklace, original body, blue painted eyes $155.

8.25” Blond w/ Yellow Bonnet w/ bow at neck, blue painted eyes, #94 4, on newer body $95.

10.5” Resin BJD Pumpkin from Wizworx by Liz Frost, brown glass eyes, comes w/ 4 outfits & COA, YOSD size, chocolate skin tone $495.

17” Kestner 245 Hilda on toddler body, brown sleep eyes, right hand rebuilt thumb and pinkie, Marked H Made in Germany 12, 245, JDK Jr., 1914, @, Hilda $1450.

Chicago’s finest selection of Antique, Modern and Collectible Dolls, Barbie, Gene, Alexander, Tonner, Fashion Royalty, Steiff, Dollhouses and Accessories.

Member U.F.D.C. & NADDA • Worldwide Shipping • email: questions@gigisdolls.com • Check Out Our eBay Store - gigisdolls2010

Contact us for Monthly Specials! Tour our shop at: www.gigisdolls.com & join us on Facebook • Now on Ruby Lane

www.gigisdolls.com

16.5” O/C Belton, brown stat eyes, repaired eye chip right eye, repainted lower arms & lower legs, HH wig, pierced ears $395.

17” Beautiful Artist doll by Annette Herrmann originals porcelain head, arms & legs on cloth jointed body, blue glass eyes, HH wig, silk/lace dress $495.

10” Schuco Tricky Bunny w/ tag, mohair, head/ tail mechanism $195.

23” Kestner 171, brown sleep eyes, mohair wig, vintage clothing $275.

8” Blond Kling Parian w/ molded braid 1890-1900, blue painted eyes, 1 leg remade, original clothes $165.

9.5” Covered Wagon China by Conte & Boheme, blue painted eyes, cloth/ leather body $175.

8.75” Flat Top China by Hertwig, blue painted eyes, cloth body, antique clothing $150.

4.5” All Original S & H ? marked 3/0, brown stat eyes, mohair wig $165.

5.5” x 4.75”x 2.25” Cast Iron Metal Toy Baby Carriage attributed to Hubley or Kidgore $97.50

21” Kestner “J” turned head w/ brown sleep eyes, original mohair wig & pate, nice kid body $195.

21.5” Kestner 166 11 on very clean leather body w/ brown sleep eyes, original mohair wig & pate $160.

21.5” German GL _ 29.5 turned head in all original clothing, brown stat eyes, beautiful sculpt $195.

Effanbee 29” Patsy Mae original HH wig, dress, undergarments, bracelet & shoes, forefinger left hand glued, nice compo $495.

26” Patsy Ruth All Original in velvet dress & hat, HH wig, nice compo $450.

22.5” Patsy Lou in nice condition in nice condition in dress made for 1933 – 34 McCall Doll Dressmaking Contest – 3rd prize ribbon, faint crazing $195.

11.5” Kestner #184 Character Child, brown painted eyes, 5 piece body, sweet expression $1050.

5.5” Beautiful Kling Baby w/ fabulous molding & painting, bare feet in original melting silk dress & undergarments $255.

Cast Iron Cradle by Stevens & Brown 7 x 5 x 3.25” painted red, green & gold $175.

25” Kestner Character Baby with wonderful double chin and fabulous coloring, Marked - Made in Germany 19, professionally repainted body marked Made in Germany, blue sleep eyes, small neck chip $595. Now $495.

22.5” Patsy Lou All Original in organdy dress & bonnet, beautiful condition, slight crazing on arms $250.

22.5” Patsy Lou wigged, redressed in vintage outfit, small crack by mouth, some faint crazing $155.

14” Patsy All Original in Red Crepe silk dress & bonnet, mohair wig $150.

LAYAW AVAILA AY BLE

12.5” Sweet Cabinet Size Martha Chase w/ Stamped body in minty condition, beautifully painted face & blonde hair $295.

18” Ideal Shirley Temple all original in NRA Curly Top tagged dress, embroidered flowers replaced on bodice $250.

13.5” Alexander? Vogue? All Original in organdy, HH wig $110.

Terri Lee in Brownie Uniform & Beanie, replaced unders, shoes & socks $145.

Patent Pending Terri Lee in Majorette outfit, beautiful face & hair, replaced boots & socks $220.

21.5” French 1880’s CM R 2 D, brown PW eyes, stiff wrist body, eye chip left eye $1695. Now $1395.

4 Carved Maple Dolls by Swiss Artist Erika Catellani – Lt to 25, beautifully done, hand painted features, mohair wigs, wire armatures, dressed adorably 6.5” Nina blond in blue & white knit dress 6/25 w/ box & COA $295.

8” Helen blonde in pink raw silk dress, 8/25, w/ box & COA $395.

6.5” Blonde Baby in white felt w/ aqua embroidery, no box or COA $250.

6.5” Irma Brunette, brown eyes, embroidered dress & matching felt hat, coat & booties $295.

Helen Kish – Hand Painted – w/ boxes Queen of The May Bethany & Belle, both #32/75, sweet & adorable in beautiful embroidered dresses, Belle has replaced shoes, mohair wigs $450.00 pair

6029 N. Northwest Hwy. Chicago, IL 60631 • 773-594-1540 • (800-442-3655 orders only) • Fax 773- 594-1710 Open: Tues., Wed., Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thurs., Fri. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Closed Sun. & Mon. Near O’Hare, Park Ridge & Niles

Mary Ann Spinelli Nelling, Inc.

FINE ANTIQUE DOLLS AND ACCESSORIES

Meet Me at the NADDA Show in Charleston!

BUYING & SELLING QUALITY DOLLS FOR OVER 27 YEARS

published by the

www.antiquedollcollector.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Publications Director: Lisa Brannock Editor-in-Chief: Gay Bryant Production Director: Louann Wilcock Art Director: Lisa Claisse Administration Manager: Lorraine Moricone Social Media Director: Brigid McHugh Jones -------------------------------------------------------------------Contributors: Elizabeth Ann Coleman, Linda Edward, Bradley Justice, Samy Odin and Andy and Becky Ourant --------------------------------------------------------------------Subscription Manager: Jim Lance --------------------------------------------------------------------Subscriptions: adcsubs@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------Display Advertising: Lisa Brannock lbrannock@antiquedollcollector.com phone: 717-517-9217 Monica Bessette monicab@antiquedollcollector.com phone: 717-752-9090 Classified & Emporium Advertising: Louann Wilcock louannw@antiquedollcollector.com phone: 217-419-6314 --------------------------------------------------------------------Design Team Lisa Claisse adclisa@gmail.com Louann Wilcock louannw@antiquedollcollector.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------Marketing: Penguin Communications, Inc.

Please contact us at nellingdolls@gmail.com or visit our website at www.maspinelli.com for details on these and many other items!

Exhibiting: May 1 and 2 - NADDA National Antique Doll Dealers Assoc.

Show, Charleston SC, Embassy Suites Conv. Ctr. P.O. Box 4327, Burbank CA 91503 • e-mail: nellingdolls@gmail.com Cell: 818-738-4591 Home: 818-562-7839 • Member NADDA and UFDC

Visit us at: www.maspinelli.com 4

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Editorial: Gay Bryant, antiquedoll@gmail.com Send all catalogs to this address: Antique Doll Collector, 4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814 Subscriptions: Send to Antique Doll Collector, P.O. Box 239, Northport, NY 11768.

Phone: 1-888-800-2588 or 1-631-261-4100 Subscription Rates: One Year $49.95; Two Years $95.90.

First class delivery in U.S. add $30 per year.

Outside the U.S. add $35 per year.

Foreign subscriptions must be paid in U.S. funds.

Do not send cash. Credit cards accepted.

Antique Doll Collector (ISSN 1096-8474) is published monthly with a combined issue in July/August (11 times per year) by the Puffin Co., LLC, P.O. Box 239, Northport, NY 11768 Phone: 1-631-261-4100 Periodicals postage paid at Northport, NY. and at additional mailing offices. Contents ©2020 Antique Doll Collector, all rights reserved.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Antique Doll Collector, P.O. Box 239, Northport, NY 11768.

Antique Doll Collector is not responsible for any inaccuracies in advertisers’ content. An unsolicited manuscript must be accompanied by SASE. Antique Doll Collector assumes no responsibility for such material. All rights including translations are reserved by the publisher. Requests for permissions and reprints must be made in writing to Antique Doll Collector. ©2020 by the Puffin Co., LLC.

MOVING? Important: We need your old address and your new. The Post Office does not forward magazines.

Call 1-888-800-2588, email at adcsubs@gmail.com or write to us at: P.O. Box 239, Northport, NY 11768.

The Complete Guide to Antique, Vintage and Collectible Dolls

April 2020, Volume 23, Number 4

ON THE COVER Unmarked early German doll with a solid dome from the Odin collection, featured in the article beginning on page 22.

22

SOLID-DOME AND GERMAN-MADE Call them anything but Beltons

by Samy Odin

30

JAPANESE MECHANICAL DOLLS

by Susan Foreman

DEPARTMENTS AND QUEST 10 Letters 12 The Quest 16 Museum News 61 Emporium 62 Calendar of Events 62 Classified

Follow us on...

42

THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH Experts interviewed

by Melanie Luther

54 6

by Brook Ashley

DRESS ME DOLLS Vintage Sewing Sets

by Donna W. Brown

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

48

THE LONELY DOLL The Hollywood tale of a Lenci doll and its owner, photographer Dare Wright

APRIL 2020

facebook.com/antiquedollcollectormagazine pinterest.com/antiquedollcollectormagazine instagram.com/antiquedollcollectormagazine

(212) 787-7279 P.O. Box 1410 NY, NY 10023

Quality Antique Dolls by Mail Return Privilege • Layaways Member UFDC & NADDA

matrixbymail@gmail.com 1

2

1) 11” Mint Lenci ‘Amore’ darling character complete w./ Lenci Label and signed Hat Box. Unplayed bright colors! $795

3

2) Pristine Cabinet Size 11” French Fashion - unusual face, sparkling quality, blue PWs, fine precision couture w/ Fancy Mohair Coif. $1595

3) Dreamy Eyed Jullien Bebe - 20” tall; the Early Face w/ huge Blue PWs, shaded lids, barely o.m. w/ 6 tiny glass teeth, invisible ½” hl. under choice Mohair Curls w/ Cork Pate, great body & Period Clothes $1295

4) ‘Au Chaperon Rouge’ - Clo Mo Halbig in Box - Factory Original 10“ SH 950 in Silk; never played, Label on Box w/ Lid. Boutique doll! $850

4

5) Factory Original 16” Poupée Jumeau w/ Mint Bisque Arms sublime early expression, Ornate Wig, one owner estate doll in Original Silk Couture w. some frailty.

Stately & authentic! $3200 6

5

7) 4” Attic Original Mignonette in Holiday Wooden Box - finely painted features, long delicate limbs, 3-Strap Yellow Bootines w.

Buttons, orig.

Clothes & Wig, mint treasure in Heirloom Wooden Box. $695

8) Exquisite 17“ Bru Smiler w/ Bisque Arms perfect posture, mint fingers, Orig Pate, Wig, Hat & Shoes, spiral blue PWs, 2-tone smile, Antique Lavaliere and vintage 2-Part Silk Fitted Gown w. Bustle and Swag $3750

8

7

9

10) Fascinating 10” Mechanical Bisque Clown w Movable Jaw - exotic rascal w. comic modelling, Glass Eyes, orig Jester Suit, skin wig, $895

10

Matrix.April20.indd 7

6) 12” All Original Papier Mache Officer - rare leather body, Leather Dress Uniform w/ Belt & Saber, many brush marks, no repairs! $1695 9) 22” Stunning Pierced Ear China Lady - choice Dagmar w. translucent glaze, many Brush-marks, vintage body, Porc Limbs & Floor Length Couture Gown w.

Train. Mint! $750 11) 21” Stunning Rollinson Oil Painted Art - first class example in pristine condition, Sgnd.Body, perfect facial color & finish too! The best! $895 12) 21” Sheppard Baby w/ Great Paint! A very lovely early example, the Philadelphia icon. So beautifully preserved- a coveted smaller scale! $1650

11

12

3/13/20 9:25 AM

An event to remember

You are Invited to

The Ohio National Doll Show October 3rd & 4th 2020

Billye Harris will be providing appraisals for $5 each Appraisal proceeds will benefit the UFDC

Luncheon Jonathan Green $40 12 pm • Tea Time with Rhoda Wade $25 3pm Candlelit dinner with Carol Cameron $75 6 pm • Doll show tickets $7 with early registration, $10 at gate

Ohio National.Feb20.indd 11

1/15/20 4:25 PM

Letters

An unusually elegant, early French fashion doll purchased in 1879 at Saks and Company, New York with original tagged cloak and all original everything else, 19”tall.

$4900

A remarkable rarity. A china Taufling baby, ca. 1850-1860, detailed modeling and fine decoration. Excellent original condition with original clothes (but why would you want to cover up that rare body?), 13” tall.

$4950

Call for more information and pictures.

10

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

Dear ADC, I read a remarkable article by Lynn Murray published in December 2011 Antique Doll magazine about French doll maker Léontine Rohmer.

According to Facebook, Lynn is now deceased. That is why I am sending you a message hoping that you can help me. I am a descendant of August Reidemeister, uncle and copartner of Léontine Rohmer and I am reconstructing his life story. I find it remarkable how many details Lynn has retrieved to write her article and I would like to know her sources and maybe also consult them. Can you help me with that?

Thanks in advance for your much appreciated help.

Philippe PS: Here you find a picture (1885) of August together with my greatgrandfather (image below).

Dear Mr Catala, The article on Leontine Rohmer by the late Lynn Murray, a highly respected expert on French Antique Dolls and a Contributing Editor to this magazine, is in Antique Doll Collector, December 2011. There is another article on Rohmer dolls in the January 2020 issue. For more information, go to our website at www. antiquedollcollector.com

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

13

The Quest A Collecting Column by Linda Edward

An Ounce of Prevention ...

How to insure your doll collections or many of us our doll collections start out slowly with a few items, but grow over time to include many more examples than we would have imagined when we began. Purchased carefully, thoughtfully, one by one, we are often surprised when we stop to calculate the monetary investment we have made in our collections.

Aside from this monetary value, we as collectors are acutely aware of the historic value of our dolls. We know that each example is something to be cherished, preserved and passed on to future generations. We carefully handle, display and store our dolls. We leave instructions for the dissemination of our collections when we are gone.

Another important step in protecting our dolls and our investment in them is to insure our collections.

I was surprised to learn many years ago when purchasing my first home that my homeowner’s insurance would not cover my dolls or other art and collectibles. Previously as a renter the renter’s insurance I had covered all of my possessions but now as I was making a greater financial property commitment and taking steps to insure my new home, I was faced with stepping into an unfamiliar realm to find out how best to protect my collection as well.

I am not an insurance professional and do not claim to have expertise in that area, but I am happy to share with you what I have learned in 40 plus years of insuring my doll collection with various companies. Ultimately you should sit down with your insurance advisor and determine the best course of action to protect your dolls.

Regardless of which route you choose the protection of our dolls from accidental loss, theft or disaster is just another step in the preservation of our beloved dolls.

Some options available to protect your dolls include: Fine Arts Riders on your home owner’s insurance ‑ Check with your home insurance carrier to see if art and collectibles are included in your current policy. If not, ask if they offer a special rider. Ask if there is an additional premium for such a rider and what the deductible is.

Group Rate Insurance - Some companies offer special rates to members of organizations. Some doll collecting organizations have special relationships with insurance companies which allow their members to obtain good coverage at a reduced rate. Check with your doll club to see if such a policy is available to their members. These 12

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

companies often advertise in doll-related publications.

Collectible Insurance Policy - There are companies that specialize in insuring collectibles or have certain policies that are specifically for collectibles. This type of insurance is often a good option, with policies that fit the activities that collectors engage in. These companies also often advertise in doll-related publications.

Some questions to ask when comparing insurance offerings are: Do I need to submit a detailed inventory of my collection?

Do I need an outside appraisal of any or all of my collection?

Are my dolls covered if I accidently damage one?

Are my dolls covered if I travel with them to club meetings, conventions and other collecting activities?

Are my dolls covered if I display them at a library, museum or collector’s convention?

Are my dolls covered if I ship them to a convention or other doll collecting event?

Some steps to take to prepare for insuring your dolls are: Document your collection. A doll inventory is a valuable tool for many reasons, not least of which is insuring your collection. Photos, even group photos, of your collection are a good idea. Keep a copy of your doll collection inventory in a location other than your residence in case of fire or other disaster.

Appraise your collection. Most of us have a fair idea of what our dolls are worth but many insurance companies may require a formal appraisal. Some require this only on dolls valued over a certain amount. Either way you will need to know the current replacement value in order to obtain adequate coverage. There are appraisers throughout the world that specialize in dolls, many advertise in doll publications. If you are not sure how to find one talk to the doll dealers in your area as they may offer those services or know who does.

Insuring your dolls is every bit as important as insuring your home or other valuables. With a manageable amount of effort, you can find the right coverage and ensure that your precious collection is protected against disaster.

Manufacturers of Fine Doll Jewelry, Brass Accessories, Miniature Trunks & Hardware 336 Candlewood Lake Road, Brookfield, CT 06804 Phone 203-775-4717 Email: info@catspawonline.com

Visit our website and shop online: www.catspawonline.com Catalog price is $8.95 post paid

Accessorize Your Dolls!

Cats Paw has been in business since 1982 specializing in quality reproductions made from antique originals, and unique old store stock. Our antique reproductions are made by hand using the lost wax technique, and each item is hand finished to achieve an authentic “antique” look. We offer exquisite doll accessories that only look expensive!

• Jewelry • Trunks • Items for the Boudoir • Buttons and Clasps • Purse Frames • Presentation Boxes • Bleuette Accessories & More

Joyce Kekatos joycedolls@aol.com 917-859-2446 or 718-863-0373 I buy dolls and will sell on consignment. LAYAWAY AVAILABLE • Member UFDC & NADDA

www.grandmasatticdolls.com • Look for me on Ruby Lane!

12.5” E.J. Jumeau #4 Bebe, perfect bisque, orig. “head coil”, bulging pw eyes, orig. mohair wig w/ orig. hair bow, orig. silk dress, (ant. lace added), hat, ant. slip & undies, socks & ant. “marked” Jumeau shoes, orig. “signed” Jumeau body w/ str. wrists, cabinet size & one of the most beautiful EJ’s EVER!!!

$8500.

16.5” E.J. #7 Jumeau Bebe, pw eyes, early mauve blush under brows, orig. “head coil”, mint bisque, orig. mohair wig w/orig.

Jumeau hair comb, orig. Jumeau dress, ant. undies & slip, “signed” leather Jumeau shoes & socks, orig. Jumeau earrings, ant. Fr. hat, orig. “signed” Jumeau body w/str. wrists, very sweet EJ face. An ABSOLUTE STUNNER!! $5950.

9.5” Rare GH #550 Character, perfect bisque, sl. eyes, orig. mohair wig, orig. silk & lace dress, undies, socks & leather shoes w/darling hat, orig. GH body, cl/mo. character w/molded tongue sticking out between lips.

ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE, cabinet size & RARE!!! SALE $1775.

19” Rare Heubach Dolly Dimple $2700.00

McHugh’s

Richmond, Virginia • 804-938-6749

New Website:

McHughsAttic.com

9” RARE K * R #126 All Bisque “signed” Toddler w/Starfish Hands, immaculate bisque overall, “swivel neck”, sl. eyes, orig. mohair wig, adorable orig. cotton romper, mint body, both head & body Incised w/mold #126. Very special & rarely found on all bisque body. ABSOLUTELY

13” French SFBJ #252 Pouty Toddler. fabulous bisque, sl. eyes, magnificent orig. mohair wig, ant. gingham jumper & batiste pleated blouse, ant. socks & leather shoes, ant. slip & undies, & great ant. Fr. ruffled hat, orig. fully jointed SFBJ toddler body w/SFBJ Paris label, deep pouty modeling &

DARLING!! SALE $2175.

ADORABLE!! SALE $4400.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

13

Anne Demuth

Buying & Selling Fine Antique Dolls 1025 Bowman Rd., Westfield, NC 27053

Spring Doll and Accessory Open House, June 5th and 6th 2020 (Please text or call ahead)

You’ll be greeted by goodies galore and fabulous opportunities to buy, sell or trade! Choose from my 20 plus year doll collection including hundreds of antique and vintage dolls. Plus, pick through my huge collection of antique and vintage doll dresses, slips, chemise, pantaloons, shoes, wigs, ribbons, fabrics, furniture and accessories. Bring your dolls to dress, trade and repair.

18” Antique C1880 Bisque Closed Mouth Roullet Decamps Intripede Jumeau Bebe Marked R.D. Intrepide, France $4550

14” DEP Jumeau $2200

14” Kestner Hilda Toddler $1900

26” Koenig Woernike 1070 Side Hip Jointed Toddler $795

25” Jumeu Bebe $1650

12” Kestner 211 Toddler $325

12” Gebruder Heubach Figurine $850

18” Jumeau French Puopee Fashion $240

Come to this dolly open house and experience pure doll Joy! Find all of these and more in my eBay Store Anniepoojewels For more information call: 336.755.1400 or email: dollsbearscookies@yahoo.com Also find us on Facebook: Anne Demuth

Anne Demuth.April20.indd 2

3/13/20 3:07 PM

Exhibiting at the

National Doll Festival Dallas, Texas

July 19-22, 2020

The dresses are all priced from $75 to $95

Anne Demuth.April20.indd 3

Look forward to seeing you there!

3/13/20 3:07 PM

Museum News WALKING STICKS AND CANES A special exhibit in Basel shares the secret history of “sticks” 18 April – 4 October 2020 As far back as Tutankhamun canes and walking sticks have been intriguing accessories. They communicate status and class.

Highly collectible, ‘gadget’ or system canes are quirky creations made with hidden devices. A cane might contain a fan, an umbrella, a bottle-and-glass, a perfume vial, a nosegay or a sword. Sometimes scalpels and syringes were built into canes made for doctors. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec owned a cane containing a bottle that could hold a pint of absinthe. Also hidden in the head of walking sticks: musical instruments, fishing rods, telescopes, sewing kits and corkscrews.

More than 1500 patents for gadget canes were applied for during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Ornate rods, staffs and sceptres have served as symbols of power since time immemorial, but it was Louis XIII who brought the cane to importance as a royal accessory. The king, as his portraits depict, always held one in his hands. He also gave them – along with valuable snuffboxes – as gifts of honor. From then on, fashionable gentlemen wished to be seen with this status accessory (a cane that was an ornate straight rod, held in the hand or carried under the arm).

So the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century became the age of the cane. A wealth of unique pieces with strange handles and a mysterious inner life were created.

Cane anatomy, materials and makers Most canes are anonymous, with an unknown history and unknown makers.

Very few handle carvers and goldsmiths are known by name, since very few signed their work. Porcelain handles are almost never marked. For precious metals, the inspector’s mark (stamp, branding, seal) is the only aid in determining the date when the cane was made. Master labels are often very difficult to 16

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

decipher. If the labels are on the ring (cover at the transition between the handle and shaft), they are often not reliable, since the handle could have been remade. This means it is only possible to clearly identify signed canes, stylistically distinctive ones like those from the Fabergé workshop, and some porcelain handles or industrially produced canes shown in catalogs. Sometimes a registered patent can also help to identify the producer.

As with any other objects, there is also specific professional terminology for canes relating to certain components, what they are made of and how they are composed. Here is a short introduction: The handle is made out of a wide variety of materials and shapes. The oldest cane handle is the pommel or knob. All curved handles are crooks, a designation for curvatures and bends. A T-shaped handle, the double crook, is known as the Fritz cane. Handles that are bent to one side, are straight or round, are called hooks. Another handle type protrudes like a Y. Hunters like to rest their rifles or shotguns on them.

The collar (the ring) covers the transition from handle to shaft on a multipart cane. It can also help keep the handle on. This ring can be made from aluminum, nickel, brass, copper, nickel silver, or, on the better canes, artfully woven silver wire. On silver and gold rings, the engravings (embossing) can tell us something about the origin and age of the canes. Rings from the Fabergé workshop fascinate with their opalescent enamel in a moiré or wave pattern (hatch-marked base).

There are also rings made of ivory, buckhorn, ram’s horn, wood, and leather.

The long, slender part of the cane is called the shaft. The shaft is usually made of wood.

The ferrule is the lower closure on the cane. This protects the shaft from dirt and is also decorative. Ferrules are forged out of metal, either iron or brass. Later ferrules are made of a combination of brass and iron in such a way that the brass jacket covers the shaft and the iron plate or tip is soldered on with soft metal. The advantage of this is that the worn or rusted iron end can be easily replaced like the sole of a shoe. The shape of the ferrule depends on how the cane is used. A hiking stick or alpenstock must have a pointed end. On strolling canes, the ferrule can be made of horn or ivory and is called a tip.

This special exhibition features over 250 of the most fascinating gadget canes harboring additional functions – so there may be a shaving brush and soap hidden in the handle for men; for women, a little bottle of smelling salts; for the traveller, a compass and thermometer. Clarinet canes – rarities created by Swiss instrument maker Ulrich Ammann in around 1800 – are also on display for you to admire. This unique exhibition has come about through loans from private collections in the region.

The history of the walking stick Walking sticks are generally associated with advanced age – a perception that dates quite far back and possibly originated even before Oedipus’s time. This hero of Greek mythology solved the puzzle of the feared Sphinx and revealed that the three-footed creature in the riddle was actually a reference to humans who have to use a cane in old age during their twilight years as a third foot to assist with walking. In the Old Testament, there is frequent mention of the staff of Moses. He and his brother, Aaron, used a staff to bring the plagues upon Egypt. Egyptian mages carried canes with handles shaped like a snake’s head and were said to be capable of bringing the snake to life. Roman augurs carried an augural staff (Lat. Lituus),

which they used to draw squares in the sand or point toward the cardinal points when giving a divination. The lituus is said to be the origin of the royal scepter as well as the bishop’s crozier.

When travelers or pilgrims embarked on a journey with a walking stick in the Middle Ages, they did so not merely as a way to traverse challenging and mountainous terrain and to cross ditches. The hiking and pilgrim’s staff also served as a weapon to defend oneself against highwaymen and wild dogs. Traditional hikers still carry such a staff to this day, usually in the form of a gnarled stick adorned with an artistic carving.

It is just as clear from the finds in the grave of Tutankhamen as it is from the medieval bishop’s croziers that canes, with special shapes or lavish decoration, have been used as symbols of power since primeval times. Yet it was purportedly Louis XIII who transformed the cane into a royal accessory. As is evident in almost all of his portraits, the king is said to have always held one in his hands.

Around 1600, only the farmers who worked the fief of a prince-elector were allowed to carry ribboned canes carved with images. It was a privilege for people of high status. Anyone who disobeyed this rule was punished with up to a year in a labor camp.

In Russia, persons who carried a cane in the presence of the tsar were beheaded. On her travels and hunting trips, Tsarina Catherine II would have farmers and citizens beheaded if they didn’t throw away their canes before bowing to the tsarina as she rode by. In England, the Magna Carta laws technically still exist, stating that middleclass citizens can be punished by a judge if they sit down in a closed room with a cane in their hands or if they carry a cane decorated in gold. In France, carrying a cane was legalized during the Revolution of 1790. Emperor Napoleon outlawed canes again as early as 1804.

A variety of different social trends appeared in the 18th century. Fashion evolved rapidly in association with ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

17

the economic situation of many countries. The walking stick as a fashion accessory was subject to considerable changes in taste.

Artists created sophisticated objects for people wanting to show their status with luxurious items in the latest fashion. This gave rise to delightfully designed canes and walking sticks. Near the end of the century, the French king was deposed, taking the mindlessness and aesthetic frivolities of the era down with him. The walking stick lost its significance as a symbol of noble authority and power. It came to symbolize the violence of the Republicans. Even the long walking stick used by women – decorated with colorful ribbons – became a symbol of the revolution, because Mademoiselle de Montpensier used it to brandish the colors of the corvée and to signal the canons at the Bastille to fire on royal groups.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the walking stick retained its elegant yet sober shape in England. In France, however, the historic fallout from the Revolution influenced its shape. It would be reasonable to presume that the cane had lost its meaning as a symbol of the hated nobility. Yet the upcoming bourgeoisie usurped the cane and used it as a symbol of their newly won power. From 1796 to 1802, the young revolutionaries wore bizarre outfits and carried rough, gnarled canes. These young men were called Incroyables (“Incredibles” or “fashionmongers”).

They exchanged messages with each other by lifting and lowering their canes in accordance with a code known only to them. These canes were also used to beat up political opponents. Since carrying canes with weapons and using them in political fights had at the same time become quite

common, Napoleon issued a decree in 1804 that outlawed the carrying of any kind of walking stick. This decree proved so unpopular that it soon had to be retracted again. From that point forward, the walking stick was an object for all social classes and thus became a part of normal clothing.

In 1848, revolution spread from Paris to Berlin, becoming very bloody in March of the same year. One of the demands made by the revolutionaries was the abolishment of the many pointless decrees. The outlawing of canes for certain social classes, which King Frederick William IV lifted on 16 August, must have been one of these. Over one million walking sticks were purchased in Berlin alone over the course of one month. At the time, the walking stick was less a fashion accessory and more a symbol of a certain level of distinction. A subtle game developed for displaying one’s social status. A person would carry the cane that was the best fit for their mood and character. “Show me your cane and I’ll tell you what you own.” was the unspoken motto.

In about 1890, there were approximately 250 shops that stocked canes in a single quarter in Paris. London and America were no different. Canes could cost a fortune.

An enormous quantity of walking sticks was produced in the 19th century. Production quickly moved away from craftsmen and became industrialized. Steam power was soon used to bend wood. As a result, walking sticks with the rounded hook at the top for hanging them around the arm became very widespread. Walking sticks were produced not only using valuable materials, but were also made using more modest materials for the masses.

For more information: CH-4051 Basel Telephone +41 (0)61 225 95 95 sina@swm-basel.ch www.swmb.museum

18

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

National Antique Doll Dealers Association

Marion Maus Antiques

Phil May Antiques

Ellicott City, MD Tel: 443-838-8565 mmausantiques@gmail.com

Ocean Grove, NJ Tel: 732-604-3011 dollmanofog@aol.com

Sue Brightwell Tel: 724-843-2170 citegal@comcast.net

Dorothy A. McGonagle Sudbury, MA Tel: 978-771-7774 dorothymcgonagle@comcast.net

Jackie Allington

nickandjackie@gmail.com I am looking for Damaged Hurets and body parts -Will buy or exchange.

See you at NADDA or UFDC.

Mary Ann Spinelli Nelling, Inc.

Cell: 818-738-4591 Tel: 818-562-7839 nellingdolls@gmail.com www.maspinelli.com

Come see these fine dealers at the NADDA show...

Valerie Fogel

Beautiful Bébés Tel: 425-765-4010 www.bebesatticfinds.rubylane.com Beautifulbebes@outlook.com

Karla Moreland Tel: 815-356-6125 kmorela@ais.net Member of UFDC

See, Touch, Discuss...

WWW.NADDA.ORG

Charleston, SC May 1 - 3, 2020

Samy Odin ChĂŠrubins

contact@cherubins.fr Tel: +33673013051

Sheila June Needle Oceanside, CA Tel: 760-631-3768 Specializing in Chinas

Lynette Gross & Joan Farrell

Joan and Lynette Antique Dolls Lynette 317-844-6459 Joan 317-283-3623 www.rubylane.com/shop/joan-lynetteantiquedolls

Robyn and Ron Martin Straw Bear Antiques

Countess Maree Tarnowska

Atlanta, GA Tel: 770-434-9015 strawbearantiques@gmail.com

Tel: 803-643-1021 Aiken, South Carolina Hope you find the doll of your dreams!

Gail Lemmon All Dolled Up glemn@frontier.com 440-396-5386

Margaret Gray Kincaid

Historic Preservation & Antiques Tel: 603-938-2344 Cell: 646-709-4340 265 Forest Street, Bradford, NH margaret.kincaid@gmail.com

Join the fun! Experience a delightful doll weekend visiting your favorite dealers and discovering historic Charleston.

Call Them Anything But Belton, Please!

A tribute to German-made solid-dome bébés

By Samy Odin

F

or as long as I can remember, the doll community has refused to accept the simple fact of the German origin of most solid-dome bébés. The origins of these bisque-headed dolls made during the last quarter of the 19th century keeps being ignored, contradicted and misrepresented by a still-too-large number of doll professionals and collectors.

Since I feel rigor and determination are key when it comes to studying antique dolls’ history, I hope to bring this topic to the fore of the doll scene one more time, and to acknowledge the words of all of those scholars, researchers and passionate collectors who have in the past explained the origin of these dolls. Those experts are still trying to erase the inappropriate terminology in use to describe them. I am thinking of the Coleman trio and the Foulke duo in the US, of Marianne Cieslik in Germany, of Anne-Marie Porot and François Theimer in France, of Vaclav Sladtky in Austria, or the late Lynn Murray in Canada, amongst others.

All of them knew and clearly explained that it is historically wrong to name these solid-dome dolls after poor Louis-Désiré Belton.

Belton is a French dollmaker who worked from the early 1840s to the mid-1850s. He never even made bisque-headed dolls! He specialized in poupées with a papier-mâché head and a leather body, which he sold both “en chemise” and fully dressed. This early entrepreneur, who was the first associate of PierreFrançois Jumeau, in 1841, never even made doll heads!

He was a simple doll assembler, his skills being in sewing leather bodies and making doll garments. So how did his name happen to be linked to the production of bisque-headed bébés made in a different country almost two generations after he had died?

22

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 22

What explains this nonsense? The type of papiermâché heads used by Belton did have a solid dome, sometimes painted with black ink and meant to have the option of wearing a human hair wig. We all agree on that point. But is this a good enough reason to make him responsible for producing a myriad of dolls he never imagined would even exist? And, why obscure the name of the real makers who created those very bébés a few decades later?

Visibility and easy reference seem to explain the reasons that keep some doll people sticking to the “Belton” name for those dolls. Billye Harris explained to me in a discussion about this a few years ago, that even now, the “key word” that potential buyers type into their computer in order to hunt for these bébés, is still “Belton” so that dealers who do not want to miss a possible sale feel they “have to” include that key word in their description if only for their doll to be noticed.

Really? What if every responsible dealer stopped using the Belton name, except when it turns out to be appropriate? After a few unsuccessful attempts at getting what they really want by using the wrong key word, doll collectors would easily find a better way to reach solid dome bébés, by simply using “solid-dome” as their new magic key word! How about that?

Now my point with this article is to try to peak everyone’s curiosity about the real several makers of this kind of doll. I know this is quite a difficult exercise, since most of the dolls are unmarked or only marked with a size or a mold number. Nevertheless, research is improving fast in this specific field and new facts can help collectors to appropriately name the doll makers who created those charming bébés. The dolls shown here are presently featured in my personal collection, but I see that the

April 2020

3/14/20 10:27 AM

market is quickly evolving to bring these long lookeddown-upon playthings of the past to the recognition they deserve. Finally! Especially when these bébés reach us in their factory original condition, they can be historically and aesthetically as significant as a French bébé from the same time-frame. Their quality, as well, can sometimes be quite outstanding - even superior to that of the products of many or their French competitors.

A charming face mold seen on various German shoulder-heads with a solid dome, most often marked

only with a size number (here 9 and 6), assembled on a stuffed leather body, is still not attributed to any particular porcelain factory or to any doll maker, but it corresponds to what early doll dealers referred to as “Paris genre,” as the bisque features are in-between a lady doll and a child and the leather body could be dressed following grown up fashions as well as “mode enfantine.” Both the examples shown here have an angelic face, fine quality bisque decoration, bisque lower arms, factory-made leather body with Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 23

April 2020

23

3/14/20 10:27 AM

so-called “universal” joints and period homemade clothes.

Certainly, this type of doll is not as popular as that produced with a socket head assembled on a fully-jointed compo body, yet it needs to be included in this category for the shape of its bisque head and its time frame, which is the last quarter of the 19th century.

Simon & Halbig is amongst manufacturers that can be easily identified. Some great bébés from this company of

24

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 24

Gräfenhain come with a solid bisque dome, most often marked with mold numbers such as #719, #905, #908, #919, #939 or #949. The quality of the bisque and decoration on this #908 is just fabulous! In fact, it looks much like an earlier model, possibly from the 1880s. Her smaller sister, made out of mold #949, is much later, from the mid-1890s and shows the typical decoration of the time: thicker eyebrows, rosier complexion and single-color painted lips.

April 2020

3/14/20 10:27 AM

Another porcelain manufacture that provided a variety of solid-dome heads to German dollmakers is Bähr & Pröschild, active in Ohrdruf since 1871. The oldest specimen shown here is totally unmarked and shows the single- stroked eyebrow shape typical of very early bébés, as well as a ball-jointed body that definitely dates from the 1880s. Always attributed to Bähr & Pröschild, but marked with size number 10 is another

very desirable example that comes with what looks like an Ernst Grossmann jointed body, alas unmarked. It has splendid spiral threaded enamel eyes, finely painted features with a very distinctive mouth shape, pierced ears and a very pale complexion. Her younger sister, also marked with the size number 4, comes from the same mold but in a smaller format. It shows a longer face with a slightly more colored complexion.

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 25

April 2020

25

3/14/20 10:27 AM

The very same mold shows in this later specimen, already marked with the mold number #137, which is now certified to come from Bähr & Pröschild’s manufacture, and made during the 1890s. It is interesting to note that molds had a long life in those factories. As far as B&P is concerned, they seem to have started with unmarked heads, followed by others only marked with size numbers and then moving onto numbered mold and size markings. It is only during the early years of the 20th century that the company added the “B&P” initials, long after these soliddome bébés were discontinued, what explains that none of them show the explicit marking of the porcelain firm.

26

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 26

April 2020

3/14/20 10:27 AM

Another mold from the #100 series by B&P bears the number #129, sometimes read as #124. It has a definite “Bru look”, in face shape it resembles the “circle dot” models by the famed Parisian company. It seems evident that B&P got a constant inspiration from the heads created in France by companies such as Bru, Steiner or Jumeau, for those were the brands that the Germans wanted to compete with. Two examples of #129 are shown here: the tallest (12”) long belonged to Doris Hupp, whose collection was featured in an article published

by Woman’s Day in January 1965. It comes in size 4, while the shorter one (10”) is only marked with size number 3 with no explicit mold number.

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 27

April 2020

27

3/14/20 10:27 AM

Kühnlenz Gebruder also produced solid-dome bébés during the same time frame. Their porcelain factory was founded in Kronach in 1884 when this type of doll was popular. Earlier models, such as the one shown here, only bear a size number, here what looks like a “14,” but later models combined the mold number and the size number, divided by a dot (44.33 for example).

Alt, Beck and Gottschalk is another German company active in Nauendorf since 1854. Their

28

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 28

production of solid-dome child dolls started during the 1870s and continued until the beginning of the 20th century. The specimen from this firm shown here is very endearing. It shows a stationary neck joint, nicely sculpted shoulder-plate, expressive paperweight eyes, a very round solid dome and a classic leather body with bisque lower arms. Mommy dressed, it still wears a German-looking long blonde mohair wig, for a look that makes no attempt to appear French. Simply adorable!

April 2020

3/14/20 10:28 AM

Finally, Kling from Ohrdruf created this impressive 30” shoulder-headed beauty. It also comes with a solid dome marked with mold number #166, and a long, stuffed leather body dressed in period clothes. The #100 series by Kling is very remarkable and features a great variety of face molds, sometimes with a solid dome or molded hair-dos.

Other German companies known for having produced solid-dome bisque heads are Theodor Recknagel from Alexandrinenthal, who usually marked his solid-dome models with “T. R.” initials, Wagner & Zetsche from Ilmenau, who doesn’t seem to have marked his heads at all, and certainly others that we are not yet able to identify.

Here is one more question about the terminology used to describe this type of doll: When Belton is not mentioned, I notice that “Sonneberg” is recurrent. This more appropriate reference is based on the type of body these heads are assembled with and not on the town where the heads were made. In fact the Sonneberg area was known for having a large number of doll assemblers who bought doll heads from the porcelain companies mentioned above, mostly located in little towns around Sonneberg.

The author can be contacted by email at samy.odin@cherubins.fr

Antique DOLL Collector

Odin-not-belton.indd 29

April 2020

29

3/14/20 10:28 AM

Karakuri Ningyo

Japanese Mechanical Dolls

By Susan Foreman

Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater, Kiryu City

I

own a clock shop and I also I have a passion for Japanese mechanical dolls; so imagine how exciting it was for me to join ningyo expert Alan Scott Pate’s 2019 tour to Japan, a tour with a special emphasis on all forms of Karakuri ningyo.

There are many amazing memories to be shared from this experience. in fact, by the time I returned home, I had over 30 pages of notes. No, I will not make you read all 30 pages, but I will share some of the Karakuri Tour highlights as well as some karakuri history, in order to convey a better understanding of its importance in Japanese culture.

Before I learned about karakuri, when I thought of automata it was in regard to French 19th century examples by such makers as Vichy and Lambert, or the 18th century creations of Pierre Jaquet-Droz, Henri Maillardet, or Jacques Vaucanson and his famous “duck.” I now know that long before the above Europeans were creating automata, the Japanese public was being entertained by mechanical dolls.

As early as 850 A.D. there are written references to “moving Japanese dolls” recorded by the aristocracy and members of the imperial court, but it seems that for the general public, karakuri did not become accessible until the 17th century. Many Japanese came to know karakuri in 1662 when Takeda Omi presented Japan’s first karakuri show at Osaka’s Hamanaya Theater on the shore of the Dotonbori canal. This form of karakuri would become known as “Butai Karakuri”.

30

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 30

Entrance to Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater in Kiryu City.

One of the water wheels that provided power to the ningyo prior to the advent of electricity.

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Takeda Omi began his career as a clockmaker. Originally he made clocks using sand as the means of power to drive the gears and wheels. As his skill developed he eventually made his most famous clock, which was powered by key-wound lead weights and which he presented to the Emperor of Japan. This intricate clock took eight years to construct! In addition to telling the time of day the clock showed the seasons, the months of the year and the days of the week. It brought Takeda great fame and, most importantly, permission from the Emperor to open a theater for the mechanical toys for which he was also known. The mechanical ningyo starring in his theater were powered by water from the Dotonbori canal.

Takeda Omi’s theater may be responsible for the term “karakuri ningyo” as the term first appeared during the Edo period (1603-1867). According to karakuri expert Yasuko Senda (whom we meet) the word karakuri comes from the verb karakuru, meaning to move by strings or to operate from behind the scenes. Eventually the term would apply to any automated or mechanical object that served as a form of entertainment.

Our first karakuri experience was at the Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater in Kiryu city and was reminiscent of Takeda Omi’s original Butai Karakuri. According to the records of Kiryu Tenmangu Shrine this theater’s first karakuri ningyo play was performed in 1894 by a descendant of Master Takeda.

Kiryu City is most famous for its weaving industry. In its heyday there were many water mills placed in channels throughout the city. While these mills were intended to

Examples of the Butai Karakuri Ningyo (photos from Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater book) Cover of book from which above photos were taken.

twist the thread needed for weaving they also proved, as in Osaka, to be an excellent power source for propelling mechanical dolls across the stage. Over time the karakuri theater power source would shift to electricity but the ningyo remained the same. Although the theater closed in 1961, fortunately for us it was reestablished in 2001. The theater generally only does one performance a day - for us they did three. And, while photos are not usually allowed, our group was granted permission.

The Butai Karakuri Ningyo are propelled forward on tracks by means of electricity. Cords and wooden rods are attached to each ningyo and controlled by operators from the wings. The manipulators either push or draw on the strings enabling the ningyo to move in the desired direction left or right. Each ningyo is made up of a mechanism with springs which brings it back to the original position once there is no longer any pull on the string. The combination of lateral and vertical movements gives the impression of a graceful dance.

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 31

April 2020

31

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Track on which ningyo move.

Left: Alan Scott Pate with the Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater Director‌this will give an idea of the size of the ningyo which is in the background. Right: The ningyo operators.

Additional photos of track on which the ningyo move.

32

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 32

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

At the Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater we had our introduction to a second form of karakuri, Zashiki Karakuri. Zashiki Karakuri is smaller and designed for personal enjoyment in one’s home.

The most popular form of Zashiki, and the example we saw at the Theater, is the Chahakobi Ningyo, the “tea server.”

Contained within the ningyo is a very basic wooden wheel clockwork mechanism that allows the tea server to move forward when the host places the teacup on the tray. The tea server approaches the guest and when the guest lifts the cup off the tray, the tea server stops.

Zashiki Karakuri were articles of luxury for feudal lords during the Edo period (1603-1867). Zashiki is considered the most technically intricate and prized of all forms of Karakuri. The most famous examples were produced in the mid-tolate Edo period using western clockworkinspired mechanisms. Although sand, mercury, and even steam power were used as well.

Our next Karakuri experience was in Nagoya and what an amazing, once-ina-lifetime experience it was. We were privileged to have karakuri expert Yasuko Senda join us for this memorable day.

Yasuko Senda is the author of the book Our first introduction to the tea server karakuri ningyo

(left) Tamaya Shobei at his “work bench” (center) steps used in construction of head (right) signature inside head

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 33

April 2020

33

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Tamaya Shobei and his tea server.

entitled Karakuri Ningyo, Japanese Automata. Because of her, we were honored to spend time with the famous karakuri ningyo maker Tamaya Shobei.

Tamaya Shobei IX (born in 1954) is the only living Karakuri Ningyo Master in Japan today, in an unbroken lineage that began in 1733. He creates and restores both Zashiki Karakuri and Dashi Karakuri (the third type, which we would encounter later in our travels). The first Tamaya Shobei travelled to the feudal domain of Owari, Aichi Prefecture, which today is known as Nagoya, and learned the art of clock-making from Tsuda Tsukezaiemon. Learning to make clocks provided him with the skills necessary to create karakuri.

Illustration from the 1796 book by Hosokawa Hanzo Yorinao showing construction of tea server.

34

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 34

Arriving at Tamaya Shobei’s studio, we removed our shoes, entered his workshop, sat on the tatami-covered floor and were regaled by his informative demonstration and narration on the process he uses to create his karakuri ningyo, in this case, the Tea Server. The Tea Server continues to be one of the most popular forms of karakuri and is still constructed in the same fashion as illustrated in the important three volume book, Karakuri Zui by Hosokawa Hanzo Yorinao (1741-1796) published in 1796. This manual included instructions on creating clocks, tea-cup-carrying ningyo, and other forms of karakuri.

Tamaya-san’s work table is one slice of Japanese cedar.

He sits on the tatami covered floor and begins to construct

At our next stop we viewed another Zashiki Karakuri and corresponding illustration from Hosokawa’s book.

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Archer featured in Patek Philippe article.

Tamaya Shobei apprentice at work.

his magnificent karakuri. The tea server alone requires a year to complete. To make the head he carves the basic shape from a solid piece of cedar. He hollows out the inside and inscribes his name and date. Then the head is covered in layers of gofun, polished, painted and awaits the completion of the mechanics. While he does much repair work he prefers creating new pieces He uses seven different woods for the mechanics. Each wood expands and contracts differently and when used together they work like a compensated pendulum. Because the woods are different they are carved at different times of the year accounting for the effect of humidity. The only metal used is the steel mainspring.

Whale baleen is used for the levers. Shortages of materials are presenting a problem, today. Materials such as gofun, baleen, and some of the woods are becoming scarce. He is so meticulous, and patient. And like other ningyo artists we’ve met there is a passion for what he does. As he looked at his creations you could see a slight smile on his face and love in his eyes.

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 35

April 2020

35

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Above: Tamaya Shobei demonstrating archer to our group.

Writer karakuri and my souvenir from the writer

36

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 36

This paragraph from Yasuko Senda’s book conveys what I felt when Tamaya Shobei spoke: “The Japanese word for doll is written with the characters for human and shape. Human life is ever changing and bound by death; dolls represent one moment of life, captured for time immemorial. In this way, there is a strong spiritual aspect to dolls. Some are crafted with the prayers of their makers, while others provide solace to their owners when there is no other source of comfort. In addition to more familiar, stationary dolls, there are also dolls designed to move...mechanical dolls brought to life through human ingenuity and skill.” Tamaya-san encompasses both concepts.

Tamaya Shobei then escorted us to another room where he demonstrated various karakuri he has created. In addition to the tea server we saw a writer automaton, and then one of the most intricate karakuri made…the Yumihki Doji (the archer doll). This amazing ningyo actually selects an arrow from the quiver, notches it in the bow, takes aim and shoots the arrow towards the target. The first archer was made by Hisashige Tanaka in 1820. Hisashige Tanka is considered the Master of Edo mechanism arts. His achievements directly contributed to the modern industrialization of Japan.

The firm he eventually founded, Tanaka Engineering Works, was the forerunner of today’s Toshiba group. Tamaya Shobei completed his first archer in 1998.

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Tamaya-san concluded with a demonstration of some of the simpler forms of karakuri. One of which was a small Gosho that, when a lever is pushed, lifts a mask of Okame to his face. When I saw that I knew I had to have one‌ and, within a few months my special order will be complete and wending its way to California.

Gosho, also referred to as Palace Dolls, are uniquely Japanese and are recognizable by their plump baby figure, large heads and brilliant white skin. Okame is the Goddess of Mirth and is a symbol for good luck and kindness. She reminds us that true beauty comes from within. (To further confirm that I was destined to have a Tamaya Shobei creation, upon my return home my magazine from Patek Philippe was waiting for me, and beginning on page 62 is an article about Tamaya Shobei!!

Tamaya Shobei IX also works closely with Cultural Preservation Committees around the country restoring Dashi Karakuri. His second workshop dedicated to Dashi Karakuri is in the Inuyama Cultural Artefacts Museum in Inuyama. And this was our next destination and our opportunity to learn about the third type of karakuri - Dashi karakuri.

Tamaya-san demonstrating Gosho with Okame mask. This gosho definitely put a smile on my face.

And the reason I was so excited when I saw the Gosho with Okame mask‌this circa 1800 gosho karakuri with the fox mask is in my collection. I definitely needed a gosho karakuri with okame mask. ..and thus justifying another addition to the collection

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 37

April 2020

37

3/14/20 10:23 AM

Entrance to Inuyama castle and Haritsuna Shrine.

Dashi ningyo on display at Inuyama Cultural Artefacts Museum.

The strings that allow the Dashi ningyo to move.

38

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 38

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

My favorite Dashi ningyo…Urashima Taro (a story about “time”). Urashima Taro is my absolute favorite Japanese legend.

Dashi is a large, make that enormous, float used for festivals. Dashi floats are made up of three decks.

On the ‘Uwayama’ (top stage) there are usually two or three puppets performing plays and stories relating to traditional Japanese myths and legends. In the middle level of the float are puppeteers, and at the base are the musicians who play flutes and drums to accompany the show. The three ton wooden floats are pulled through the streets by approximately 20 men, and are featured in ‘Matsuri’ (festivals) held in roughly 50 areas around Japan. Members of each community donate their share towards the construction of the float. The float therefore becomes the property of the whole community, with communities competing against each other to produce the most beautiful floats, and hence the best festival. Every Dashi float is different in style and decoration, reflecting the traditions and cultures of the area.

The 7th Tokugawa (Owari) Muneharu (1696-1764) was a great supporter of festivals and Dashi Karakuri.

The tradition flourished under his patronage. During the same period invention and mechanization were declared unlawful, except for activities relating to Left: Vickie Hannig of our tour group demonstrating how the Dashi Ningyo are operated Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 39

April 2020

39

3/14/20 10:23 AM

An online photo of a Mitsuori featuring Dashi.

365 lanterns adorn this enormous Dashi.

40

Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 40

Poster announcing a Inuyama Mitsuore

Another Dashi at Donden Museum and the one featured in the poster

April 2020

3/14/20 10:23 AM

This poster was viewed at Kiryu City’s Hoko-za Art Hall.

Four of us accompanied Alan to see this Dashi prior to visiting the Karakuri Ningyo Shibai Theater.

The massive Iki-Ningyo (living doll) made by Matsumoto Kisaburo in 1874 (a replica is now mounted on the Kiryu-City dashi)

festivals or religious events. Consequently inventors and scientists turned their skill to the Karakuri Ningyo craft. Since it was forbidden to use accumulated wealth to better one’s social standing, wealth was spent beautifying daily life, with festivals being a main outlet for celebration and extravagance.

Inuyama is best known for its old castle, the oldest fortress in Japan, with origins dating back to 1440. The present structure was built in 1537.

Inuyama for us, however, was all about Dashi. The first Inuyama Dashi festival is said to have been in 1635 and has been held every year since on the first weekend of April (except in the year 1945). The Inuyama festival began as an event for the Haritsuna Shrine, located at the base of the Inuyama Castle.

Thirteen massive floats are featured in this festival alone. At the Inuyama Cultural Artefacts Museum we saw the puppets that are used on the Dashi as well as additional examples of Zashiki Karakuri.

Then, as we walked the short distance to the Donden Museum for more history, we could imagine those thirteen giant floats moving along this very street.

Kiryuu-City Dashi with replica Matsumoto Kisaburo Iki-Ningyo Antique DOLL Collector

JapanTrip.indd 41

April 2020

41

3/14/20 10:23 AM

The Collector’s Eye

A Discussion of the Doll Collector as Cultural Historian

By Melanie Luther

F

and creating vignettes, Alicia Carver/Signature Dolls or collectors, it is their dolls that open the gate to cultural history. They become a portal to the shared her thoughts as follows: minds and hearts of the people and places of the “Historical reference is incredibly valuable when past. Referencing their dolls’ historical context allows purchasing any antique over 100 years old but collectors to step back in time and look at not only the particularly with doll collecting, where fashions, dolls themselves, but also their clothing and accessories, hairstyles and even fabrics play such a big role in within their own historical moments. recreating the authentic look of an era. For example, When we attempt to identify a doll as to maker or era, or re-dress one, our “playtime” becomes research oriented.

We attend doll shows, sales, and conventions to broaden our knowledge.

We pore over books, magazines and catalogues. We examine old photographs and search the internet for answers to questions about historical accuracy.

It was one such “playtime” with an antique Jumeau French Fashion doll that prompted me to consult six doll enthusiasts/doll experts who graciously and generously shared their opinions regarding historical perspective and its importance to the world of dolls.

When asked about the importance A refined and distinguished bald-headed of historical reference not only in A very nice Conta & Boehme German China doll with her original human hair her collection, but also its value in China doll with an extended updo and wig with a braided bun. Courtesy of pierced ears. Courtesy of Alicia Carver. determining accuracy in dressing dolls Alicia Carver.

42

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

when buying or selling a child doll from the 1860’s, it helps to be versed in the popular enfantine fashions of the period. Too often, I have seen child fashions from the 1860’s dressed in long silk gowns with bustles and trains and high collars more suitable to a lady of the 1870’s. Since hairstyles varied so much from decade to decade, it is also important to study the historical evolution of hairstyles in order to complete the right look for your doll. Did you know that a lady’s bun was worn tight and high on the head in the 1840’s, ABOVE LEFT: A fashion plate of women’s outdoor sporting attire ca. 1887 is similar to Sheryl’s looser and low on the back inspiration dress that stands on display in the FIDM Museum in Los Angeles, California. English in the 1880’s and then very Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century, Dover Publications, New York, 1990. ABOVE RIGHT: messily pinned up in 1910?

Women’s croquet ensemble created by Sheryl Williams in association with the Grovian Doll Museum for the January 2020 Virtual Doll Convention. Courtesy of Michael Canadas and David Robinson/Carmel Similarly, children wore Doll Shop. their hair parted down the middle and pressed against the head with long sausage originally sold or in the style that is contemporary to curls at the nape of the neck in the 1850’s, but by the the period of their production. In order to accomplish 1860’s bangs were in style with long, flowing hair that this, research and many years of study are required to was usually braided? determine what is historically correct for each doll.

Many of us love to set up our dolls in vignettes that Doll costumes are not the same as costumes that past make our dolls come to life. When trying to recreate people wore. Costumes for dolls are simplified versions a vignette that is true to the period, it would be nice of full-size fashion. It is important to study antique doll to know small details - like that Teddy bears were not clothing in order to understand where the simplification around until the early 1900’s. Dancing sand toys were all of the costume must be made. If you were to exactly the rage in the 1850’s and lithographed toy drums were in duplicate a full-size costume into doll size, the detail every home during the Civil War. would overwhelm the doll and the design concept Such historical references help us make better choices would be lost. when buying dolls, re-dressing them (if needed) or when In the fall issue of Doll News, I was asked to displaying them, especially if we are drawn to them in provide a pattern for a costume from the movie, “Gone the first place because they evoke the reminiscence of a with the Wind”. I read every reference I could find on bygone era that we are hoping to create.” the movie costume and its famous costume designer. I collected dozens of photos of the costume from many Sheryl Williams/Doll Costumer/Doll Artist related views. I also studied costuming from the period of the her views, applying historical reference to aspects movie to corroborate that the costume was historically of collecting, especially historically accurate pattern correct. Given that this was to be a costume for a doll, making and costuming: taken from an actress, I had to decide what I needed “As a doll costumer, reproduction doll artist and to change to keep the spirit of the costume without antique doll collector, I always desire my dolls to be including all the detail of the original dress. I loved costumed as close as possible to the way they were the challenge.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

43

I cannot stress enough how important the study and research is to your costuming. It starts from the underwear up to outwear. The drape and design of the costume, begins with the correct foundation garments. With access to the internet, this has become much easier. Multiple outof-print publications are now available for our use. There are many costume blogs, and files on Pinterest are always worth a look. Of course, the best resource is the doll costume itself!”

Jan Peterson/AuBonMarche1800 concurs that collectors can garnish knowledge from historical studies. Her extensive travel in France produced experiences that continue to foster the enjoyment of her collection of dolls and accessories, and especially miniature furniture.

“Historical reference adds so much interest and romance to collecting antique dolls! Having spent over twenty summers visiting castles and mansions in France, I learned the difference in the furniture styles, and it made it thrilling to discover miniature copies made as toys for my antique dolls. The quality of construction is amazing and it is wonderful to create room scenes for my dolls that reflect the interiors of the lovely rooms I have wandered through in France. I did my graduate school work in France, and loved my history classes and classes on the history of architecture.

It is enthralling to recreate the gorgeous costumes that were all the style during the different historical periods, as well, because my professors often added tidbits about the rituals of dressing. Now that I am no longer able to travel, peering into my miniature “chateau” where my dolls live in luxury is a daily pleasure.

When visiting Monet’s home in Giverny, I fell in love with all the faux bamboo furniture he chose for the interiors.

There was a time when my entire doll cabinet was done in faux bamboo! But, as I discovered doll furniture that reflected different eras of history, I started doing each room of the doll cabinet in a different style. Currently, the bedroom is all done in Napoleon III ebony and ormolu furniture and accessories. The parlor is all Art Nouveau.”

Valerie Fogel/Beautiful Bebes/Antique Dolls reveals that this is a topic “that tugs at my own heart strings.” She shares her thoughts on the importance of historical reference: “…understanding what was happening in a region, at specific times, had enormous impact on the manner in which dolls and their accessories were created and why. For collectors, this is important because it will assist in giving their collection substance and dimension. It will aid them in acquiring correct accessories and examples from the correct era. It’s important for dealers to understand history as it 44

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

ABOVE: Jan Peterson’s doll cabinet reveals a parlor furnished in the Art Nouveau style. Courtesy of Jan Peterson.

BELOW: The bedroom is aglow with Napoleon III ebony and ormolu furniture and accessories. Courtesy of Jan Peterson.

relates to the dolls and their accessories so they can pass on the knowledge and correctly pass an item to the right collector or collection.

Take the Tussy Mussy for example. This wonderful accessory was initially created for women to carry and bring to their nose to ward off foul odors before regular bathing became fashionable. Initially, in the late 1700’s, it was referred to as a nosegay. Queen Victoria popularized the Tussy Mussy and was quite fond of carrying them with her frequently. In the mid-to-latter part of the Victorian era, they were used in courtship and the suitor would send various colored flowers to convey sentiment; red roses meaning ‘I love you” and coral meaning “I care for you.’

Textiles are another important element in historical studies, and in determining accuracy and provenance.

Understanding what textiles were used in which region and the right use of those textiles at the right time is also important.”

Liz Quaday/Mlle.Bereux emphasizes that original antique fashion plates can be excellent materials for further study when trying to affirm historical accuracy.

“I have found that the study of historical reference with regard to social and fashion time periods is invaluable when determining the purpose and relevance of various clothing and accessory items associated with French poupees. The history of the dolls themselves, along with their clothing and accessories, gives social context to a collection, and increases the collector’s pleasure in owning them.

An example I can relate is the case of an unusual miniature parasol design which is only occasionally found in the marketplace. These parasols have long, tapered handles without turnings or bottom finials (sometimes with a brass or other metal cap at the end), smaller than usual articulated shades, and a longer, more rounded finial at the top. I wondered, as many collectors have, why these parasols are so differently proportioned, and if, perhaps, they might be missing a finial at the end of the handle. Research into my archive of period fashion plates solved the dilemma; these are walking-stick parasols! A careful examination of fashion engravings from the 1870’s revealed a number of such parasols, designed to be held from their top finial and used much as a walking stick would be when the shade is furled.

Historical reference continues to be the collector’s best friend as she(he) builds her(his) collection. There is nothing like having the certainty that one’s collection is both beautiful and accurate in its historical context.”

ABOVE: A stunning Rohmer poupee poses amid a myriad of exquisite period appropriate accessories. Courtesy of Valerie Fogel.

BELOW: An authentic and colorful Victorian card depicting a Nosegay/Tussy Mussy. Author’s collection.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

45

A fashion plate ca.1873, showing a carriage dress of white muslin and leaf brown foulard with violet silk. A leaf brown silk parasol. Victorian Fashions and Costumes from Harper’s Bazar, Dover Publications, New York, 1974.

Original lithographs, antique and vintage fashion plates, old photographs and carte-de-visite(s) are excellent resources for study. Likewise, complementary sources of evolving historical information from enlightened doll collections, current academic and private research and museum exhibits continue to come to light. Since historical accuracy relies on facts, the interpretation of clues and the absence of bias in the research process, recently disclosed information often provides additional clues to understanding old mysteries by the collector-turneddetective. New books, catalogues and magazine articles illustrate and clarify as our knowledge base expands.

Finally, Florence Theriault/Theriaults’ Doll Auctions reflected on historical reference, “I had always cherished the dolls that I handled – many well over a century oldthat were in pristine fresh-from-the-maker condition.

That is, until I read a long-ago-written article by John Noble in which he names these ‘the saddest dolls’. He meant that they traveled through time without their story, their personal history. Who had owned them? Why were they never played with? The very perfection of the 46

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

An elegant French Fashion doll holds a walking stick-style parasol. Courtesy of Liz Quaday.

dolls rendered them anonymous. So I began to look more carefully at each doll, hoping to find clues to its ‘back story’, sometimes finding scraps of paper with little notes about their past life, sometimes by talking to original owners, and even scouring the internet for details about a family or a doll artist or times and place of a doll’s life.

In time, my sense of a doll’s historical place has expanded even further. So, you could say, I have moved from just learning the technical history of a doll (who made it and when) to learning the personal history of a doll (who owned it, what was the life story of that owner) to learning more of the broader social and cultural times in which that doll ‘lived’. In my opinion, this not only makes our collections more interesting, but it is our responsibility. We are only the present keepers of these little objects of history, and we have an obligation to help them tell their story.

One more thing. I still feel a special thrill at finding a doll that is impeccable, all original, crisp and fresh as the day it was made. But now, I also want to know this. Why? Who was the original owner? Why was it so, well, unloved?”

A close up of a breathtaking “Simonne” poupee wearing original jewelry and original clothing from “In All Ways Remarkable “, Marquis Auction, Chicago, Illinois, November 2018. Courtesy of Florence Theriault.

Our understanding of cultural history brings a doll’s past to life and it can be thrilling as we try to enter the minds and hearts of people of a different era through our beautiful dolls. Historical reference adds authenticity to our collecting and reinforces the sense of timelessness that all collectors value.

It is my hope and expectation that the opinions expressed in this article will tempt collectors to pursue studies of the dolls and accessories in their cabinets and share their knowledge with the collecting community.

Are we cultural historians or doll collectors? What is your opinion? I believe we are both!

A Theriault’s Marquis Auction catalogue cover, “In All Ways Remarkable”, Chicago, Illinois, November 2018. Courtesy of Florence Theriault.

Alicia Carver of Signature Dolls and Signature Dolls Studio/Ruby Lane, believes that working with her customers is the most fun “job” she has ever had! Both a collector and UFDC dealer, Alicia carries antique dolls, beautiful and charming accessories, toys, and vintage artist dolls. Contact her at Alicia@ signature-dolls.com Reproduction doll artist, doll costumer, and antique doll collector, Sheryl Williams of JUST DOLLS is well known for her pattern making and sewing skills. As an Instructor, author and designer, Sheryl has contributed to UFDC, Doll Artisan Guild, VDC presentations and costume seminars. Contact her at sherylwilliams99@yahoo.com Jan Peterson, shopkeeper of AuBon Marche 1800 did her graduate work in France and has over 20 years of “French” travel experience. She developed an extensive knowledge of furniture styles for dolls of the 19th century and continues to share it with her customers, and friends. Reach Jan at lapoupeemodele1800@gmail.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The author extends her gratitude to all doll enthusiasts/ experts for the use of their photographs, and for their ongoing contributions to the body of knowledge of doll collecting.

Valerie Fogel of Beautiful Bebes Antique Dolls, is a NADDA dealer and member of UFDC, specializing in antique dolls and furnishings from the 1800’s. Since early 2000, Valerie has traveled the US and Europe, buying, selling, and exhibiting fine dolls and accessories. Contact Valerie at Beautifulbebes@outlook.com

Liz Quaday shop owner of Mlle.Bereux/Ruby Lane is not only an avid collector and dealer of French Fashion poupees and accessories, but also an award winning costumer at a recent UFDC convention. Liz only buys for her customers what she would add to her personal collection! She can be reached at liz@mllebereux.com Florence Theriault, is an author (over 50 publications) as well as an educator. She is also the chief doll auction cataloger for her company, Theriault’s, the Dollmasters. Florence is considered a leading international expert in the field of antique and vintage doll collecting, and is widely known for her commitment to collectors.

Contact Florence at info@Theriaults.com

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

47

Dare Wright & The Lonely Doll

by Brook Ashley

D

are Wright And The Lonely Doll is the story of my godmother Dare Wright and her favorite childhood doll, a 1924 felt Lenci series #109 doll named Edith. Dare catapulted Edith into stardom as the most famous Lenci in the world when she wrote and photographed her as the 22-inch heroine of 1957’s The Lonely Doll.

The book, and the series that followed it, created a new genre in children’s literature, with simple text and haunting black and white photography. The story continues to resonate more than sixty years later, because it speaks to the universal longing for a loving family. For Dare Wright’s Edith doll, that meant finding Mr. Bear and Little Bear at the garden window, and for Dare herself it meant embracing me as a daughter she would otherwise never have known.

Dare’s own childhood had been fractured before she turned three when her violent and alcoholic father left home, taking Dare’s older brother with him. Dare never saw her father again, and the siblings didn’t reunite until they were in their twenties. Dare’s mother, the artist Edith Stevenson Wright, supported the two of them with her portrait commissions as her daughter read and wrote fairy tales about magical spells and quests to unite scattered families.

Her schoolmates described Dare as a nymph or a naiad – those beautiful and other-worldly spirits who are not fully real. That luminous and mysterious aura surrounded Dare throughout her life. In the 1950s, Dare began photographing

48

Antique DOLL Collector

LonelyDoll.indd 48

herself as a water sprite, draped in sea netting or kelp as if washed ashore from a mythical island.

Dare transformed Edith from a conventional Lenci doll with curly auburn hair. She sewed a pink and white checked gingham dress for Edith, repainted her eyes in a softer shade of blue, fashioned a blonde pony-tailed wig for her, and suddenly the doll looked very much like Dare herself.

Edith, less than two feet high and technically inanimate, returned the The cover of Brook Ashley’s new biography of her godmother, “The Lonely Doll” author Dare Wright, was photographed on a North Carolina beach in the 1950s.

Dare Wright posing on a rusty oil drum.

April 2020

3/14/20 10:25 AM

Dare photographed Brook’s delight at a museum dollhouse.

Dare Wright at age twenty-four.

favor by changing Dare’s own life and career course.

First a model, and then a fashion photographer, Dare started photographing the refashioned Edith in a series of intriguing poses with a large Schuco growler bear and a smaller Steiff “Jackie” bear.

As a young child in the fifties, I spent much of my time at Dare’s New York City apartment, helping set up the photo shoots and suggesting story lines for Edith and her friends, whom we christened Mr. Bear and Little Bear.

Edith photographed beautifully because, as Dare noted, she was a little primitive, unlike plastic or bisque dolls with perfectly formed hands and set expressions. She was proportioned like a real child, with the size of her head in relation to her body and bulk of her little tummy proportionally right for a five-year-old. It was easy for a child to relate to her, and I loved dressing Edith up in the outfits Dare created.

Brook and her other godmother, Tallulah Bankhead, were often photographed by Dare.

Antique DOLL Collector

LonelyDoll.indd 49

April 2020

49

3/14/20 10:25 AM

Dare Wright’s self-portrait on her New York City terrace.

Dare dressed and photographed Edith and Brook as Christmas angels.

50

Antique DOLL Collector

LonelyDoll.indd 50

Edith and The Bears hosted Brook’s 8th birthday party.

Dare made costumes for me as well, photographing me with Edith as two Christmas angels, and in a fullskirted plaid dress with a white apron like the one Edith wore in The Lonely Doll. With Dare as my fairy godmother and Edith as a companion in make believe, I grew up in a creative world dusted with the glitter of magic and artistry.

Dare’s gentle and mysterious beauty brought legions of suitors, although she never married. The married man she called her only true love outlived her by fourteen years and blew a kiss to her painting just before his death.

Newspapers were as fascinated about Dare as they were about her book. Children’s authors were not often photogenic, and Dare’s beauty and backstory captivated the press. A feature article about Dare and Edith in a New York paper, commentated, Edith the blond doll and her owner, the equally blond Dare Wright, have teamed up with two teddy bears to provide children in the 4-7 range with proof that their world of fantasy really exists.

Miss Wright has accomplished this happy feat with a sensitive photo story titled “The Lonely Doll.”

Why the preference for dolls?

Well, they’ll stand still for two to three hours for one photo—with never a complaint about wages. And all that bending over keeps a girl slim.

In an abundance of blessings, my other godmother was the actress Tallulah Bankhead. She was famous for her acting talent, unfettered political opinions, intensely creative partying and a voice as deeply resonant as a

April 2020

3/14/20 10:25 AM

Brook photographed Edith for her own unpublished book.

A mockup page for Dare’s first book “The Lonely Doll.”

Hudson River foghorn. Tallulah and Dare were my complicated angels whose wings supported my sometimes wobbly childhood. Dare took a series of photographs of me with Tallulah that revealed a surprisingly maternal side of the actress. Off in a corner, Tallulah’s uncaged parakeet sipped champagne from a nearby glass.

Dare continued to write and photograph new books for The Lonely Doll series into the early 1980s. Her Lenci doll, Edith, did all her own stunts, from standing in the surf (felt and seawater were not an ideal combination) to being smudged with garden dirt. When Edith walked the grubby New York City streets or toppled off a high stack of flowerpots, she was held in position with fishing line that Dare later removed in her darkroom.

Our roles reversed as Dare grew frailer and she became the one who needed protecting. After an unnecessary and unapproved medical procedure resulted in respiratory failure, she spent the final six years of her life hospitalized on a ventilator holding a Rothschild company version of her Edith doll and a small bear in her arms.

Dare Wright’s 1957 book catapulted her Lenci doll to stardom.

Antique DOLL Collector

LonelyDoll.indd 51

April 2020

51

3/14/20 10:25 AM

Dare photographed another of her Lencis in “Lona, A Fairy Tale.”

Persis, Dare’s little K R 126 doll starred in “The Little One,” “Take Me Home,” and “Make Me Real.”

Edith and The Bears exploring Central Park.

Dare gave me her original Edith, Mr. Bear and Little Bear along with her scrapbooks, albums, paintings, and 25,000 photographs and negatives. My book, Dare Wright And The Lonely Doll is enhanced by over five hundred of Dare’s photographs, and I wrote the book with love and admiration for my brilliant and ethereal godmother.

Dare trusted me with her legacy--not only the tangible inheritance of Edith and The Bears, but as the witness to her creative process for over five decades. That is a 52

Antique DOLL Collector

LonelyDoll.indd 52

Brook Ashley and Edith at a photo shoot in Dare Wright’s New York Apartment.

tremendous honor, and also a serious responsibility. As Dare’s advocate, I want to ensure that those who loved The Lonely Doll as children, or discovered it as adults, learn and share the true backstory of this remarkable woman.

Brook Ashley’s new book Dare Wright And The Lonely Doll is available on Amazon and at independent booksellers. * All photographs in the article are © Dare Wright Media

April 2020

3/14/20 10:25 AM

Vintage Sewing Sets with

Dress Me Dolls

by Donna W. Brown

uring colonial times little girls were given a needle and thread as soon as they could hold them in their tiny hands and were expected to learn to repair laundry and darn socks. There were skills to be learned, but in their spare time girls were given lessons on how to embroider linens and crochet lace for table clothes and dresses.

During the Victorian Era many companies began manufacturing sewing sets to both entertain little girls and train them in household duties. Many of these sewing sets came in wooden boxes or cardboard suitcases and contained not only thread, fabric, notions but a doll, often called dress me dolls. The first were bisque

dolls made in France or Germany. A 1910 sewing set by Armand Marseille had a doll marked made in Germany.

The 6 Âź inch doll with a mohair wig, glass eyes and jointed neck, arms and legs was very typical of dolls to be dressed in the early 1900s.

U.S. companies began manufacturing sewing sets with dolls in the 1930s. Doll House Dress Shop, by the Transogram Company, came in a box shaped like the front a building with the inner box forming the back and sides. Under the tray was a roof and cardboard furniture including a fireplace, bookshelf, chair, radio and davenport. The 7-inch bisque doll was made in Japan and the set came with thread, scissors, fabric, clothes hanger and needle.

LEFT: Bridal Party Sewing Kit cover by Hassenfeld Bros., 1957. This set came in two sizes with either 3 or 4 dolls. RIGHT: Contents of Hassenfeld’s Bridal Party Sewing Kit which included 4 hard plastic dolls and sewing supplies.

54

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

A more economical variation of the typical sewing set had cardboard paper dolls in place of an actual doll. Little Ladies Sewing Set by Rosebud Art and Little Travelers Sewing Kit by Transogram Company both had cardboard paper dolls and precut fabric dresses.

Standard Toy Craft Products made several versions of Jean Darling and Her Sewing Outfits during the 1930s and 1940s. Jean Darling was an American child actress who was a regular in the Our Gang short films from 192729. The Jean doll was originally a 4 ½ inch doll and later was 5 ½ inches. Both were chubby toddlers with molded hair and made of bisque. The boxes in the 1930s looked like houses with cellophane windows and had precut outfits, scissors, thread and needles. By 1947 the set came in a suitcase with a composition Jean Darling doll.

In 1935, J. Pressman and Company marketed a Little Orphan Annie sewing set with a doll that resembled the Jean Darling doll. The J. Pressman Company in 1936 picked up on the fame of the Dionne Quintuplets and sold a sewing set of five bisque toddler dolls with precut dresses to sew.

Many of the sewing kits in the late 1930s replaced the bisque dolls with composition dolls. They had painted eyes, molded hair, stationary legs with painted on shoes and socks. Some of the sets included hats to decorate or embroidery to complete. In 1935, the Victor Eckhard

Jean Darling and Her Sewing Outfit, 1934, bisque doll was made in Japan and the set came with 7 printed dresses, scissors, thimble, needle and thread.

Priscilla Doll Sewing Set by Standard Toycraft, 1955 which included a 5-inch plastic doll with precut dresses.

Little Travelers Sewing Kit, 1940, by Transogram Company had cardboard paper dolls to dress with precut dresses. There were several variations of this set..

Manufacturing Company offered a sewing set with a 6 ½ inch composition baby doll.

The Miss Deb Sewing Kit by Pressman, early 1940s, is an example of the usual cardboard latched suitcase containing precut dresses and hats. Post-World War II manufacturers gave little girls a chance to express their sewing talents through sets with working sewing machines and more elaborate themes. The Little Traveler’s Sewing Kit, 1947, by the Transogram Company had a 6 ½ inch hard plastic doll called Betty Dress Up. Disney gave licensing to both the Pressman Toy Company and Transogram to make Disney sewing kits.

An Alice in Wonderland Sewing Kit came with a red plastic sewing machine and a hard-plastic doll. Disney’s Annie Oakley Sewing Set had only one dress to make, but had a gun, holster, rope and embroidery piece that said, “Home Sweet Home.”

Many companies offered inexpensive dress me dolls that were sold in 5 and 10 cent stores without sewing kits.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

55

Dolly Dear sewing instructions printed on inside lid of the case that held a composition doll with precut dresses, by Transogram.

Little Ladies Sewing Set, 1930s, by Rosebud Art. A small kit, it contained 2 cardboard paper dolls, precut fabric dresses, thread and a needle.

Top: Interior of Jean Darling 1949 sewing kit with composition doll, dresses and notions. Not shown are 4 handkerchiefs and supplies for embroidery.

Miss Deb Sewing Kit cardboard case by Pressman Toys contained a very minimal sewing set and hard plastic doll.

Bottom: Jean Darling Luggage Doll Sewing Kit, front view of suitcase

by Standard Toycraft, 1949.

Right: Pressman Toys small sewing set in a round case decorated in “Bon Voyage� and travel pictures. It came with a 7-inch hard plastic doll, instructions for a bridal gown and materials to complete the outfit.

56

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

Two sewing kits without dolls, Kitty Button Sew on Cards and Four Sewing Cards, that were used to teach sewing skills.

Magazines frequently offered patterns for these dolls.

Some were crocheted outfits; others were made of fabric.

An unusual doll was one with a crocheted gown to match the bathroom tiles and was used to cover a roll of toilet paper.

The most famous solitary dress me doll was Lingerie Lou who was introduced in 1949 through an issue of Playthings Magazine. She was manufactured by Doll Bodies, Inc. and while most dress me dolls came nude, Lingerie Lou wore removable plastic panties and bra.

She sold for 49 cents and was instantly in demand. Soon numerous costume patterns for her became available and in 1956 Doll Bodies Inc. offered a $2,500 prize for the best original outfit for Lingerie Lou. Every dressed doll entered in the contest was donated to the March of Dimes to benefit their cause.

Doll Collection Featuring Lingerie Lou sewing pattern booklet, Coats and Clark, 1952.

Little girls would not only learn to sew by using sewing sets with dress me dolls, but they could use their creativity, along with scraps of fabric and bits of lace, to create wardrobes for their charming little dolls. What more can we ask of a doll than it inspire and nurture the imagination of a child?

Left: Bridal Party Doll sewing patterns from Lingerie Lou booklet.

Above: Presenting Dolls from Old American Songs crochet pattern booklet, Coats and Clark, 1952.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

57

Crocheted doll clothes from Coats and Clark pattern booklet, 1952.

58

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

Separately sold 11-inch Dress Me Dolls. Center doll is by Grants Plastic Inc. and came in sizes 6 to 20 inches.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

59

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

AND MORE EMPORIUM!

Save 44% off the cover price!

The Trinckes Collection

The international magazine devoted to antique, vintage, artist and iconic mid‑century dolls.

Plus, dollhouses, miniatures, bears, patterns and related collectibles.

L-R Back 1. 18” Kestner IX $2200 2. 19” Lever-eye Jules Steiner $6500. 3. 17” FG Scroll Bebe with “Bee shoes” $2495 L-R Front 4. 14” Sonneberg Belton (closed mouth) $1350. 5. 13.5” French Market Belton $1995.

Lay Aways Available. Call us at 352-854-1856 https://www.rubylane.com/shop/linda-ellen-brown-trinckes email: brownlindaellen@gmail.com

Do you have a doll or small collection you want to sell?

ADVERTISE IN THE EMPORIUM

Send us a photo or a digital photo of your 1-3 doll(s) or accessories with a description and your check or credit card information. We do the rest!! Take advantage of this special forum; the cost is only $95 for a 2.4”w x 2.9”h ad space.

Join discerning doll collectors worldwide.

Enjoy Your Own Doll Show at Home

Yes. Send me one year of Antique Doll Collector for only $49.95. Save 44% off the cover price. That’s like getting 5 issues FREE.

Annual Cover Price: $89.45 Subscription only $49.95

You Save: $39.50

I prefer to save an extra $5.00. Two years for $95.90 – that’s like getting 11 issues FREE. CARD #

Coming next month

EXP. DATE

SECURITY#

ADDRESS

EMAIL

STATE

Contact: Louann at 217-419-6314 or louannw@antiquedollcollector.com

Add International Shipping $35

NAME

CITY

For More Info

ZIP

COUNTRY

DEC 2019

Mail To: Antique DOLL Collector, P.O. Box 239, Northport, NY 11768 Online: www.antiquedollcollector.com OR Call: 631-261-4100 (U.S. or International) Antique Doll Collector publishes monthly, except combined issues that count as two, as indicated on the issue’s cover. Please allow approximately 4 weeks for subscription to begin.

MUSEUMS - In our Museum News you will read the charming story of Sam Hill of Seattle, Queen Marie of Romania and how together, they saved the doll sets of the Parisian Theater de la Mode for the Museum below.

SELL A DOLL IN THE

EMPORIUM For More Info Contact: Louann at 217-419-6314 or louannw@antiquedollcollector.com

Judy McDonald Dolls

DEBORAH FRATINO

Kathy Libraty’s Antique Dolls

Member of UFDC and NADDA Antique Sterling Walnut Necessaire w/Peanut Perfume $425.

www.judymcdonalddolls.com (818) 991-9303

1. 19” Kammer & Reinhardt 117 “Mein Liebling” All Original!

Stupendous!.......................................................................$4400 2. 12” Closed-Mouth German Sonneberg Darling!..............$1950 3. 20” Henri Alexandre Phenix French Bebe A Classic Beauty Excellent Cond...................................................................$3400 4. 7” Closed-Mouth Bahr & Proschild 300 Rare to Find!.......$2100

Paula Claydon 914-939-8982

www.evelynphillipsdolls.com

Join us for our In-house Yard Sale at the Frizellburg Antique Store

Fri. April 24 and Sat. April 25 9:00am ‘til 4pm-ish 1909 Old Taneytown Rd. Westminster, Md. 21158 410-848-0664. Or 410-875-2850 for more information.

Though we will be smaller, it will be drier AND still multi-dealer with a ton of dolls!

Join us for our biggest annual event!

18” Exquisite Simon Halbig shoulder head Circa 1870s, incised S&H front shoulderplate. Stunning blue glass eyes molded, painted hair with headband decoration. Cloth body with lower bisque hands. Perfectly painted, with clothes in hues of Spring! One of the best faces we’ve seen. More photos available. $1275.00

$245.

Antique French 14k gold Needle Case

$495.

Email or call for information at: debfratino@aol.com Tel: 203-434-6733

~Layaway Always Available~ Call us at: 718.859.0901 www.rubylane.com/shop/kathylibratysantiques email: KathyLibratysDolls@gmail.com Eyelash27@aol.com Member NADDA & UFDC

Antique metal Pig dice holder

My Little Dolls

17” Kestner 149

14” K*R 101 Marie

$595

$1495

Jennifer Moyer Tel: 443-223-4956 mylittledolls.com

SARA BERNSTEIN DOLLS

Tete Jumeau BéBé #7 - 17 Inch

$4,200.00

eBay Store: www.HoneyandShars.com

Sharon & Ed KoLiBaBa Phone: 206/295-8585

View Quality Dolls at affordable prices. 100’s of pictures and prices at my Ruby Lane Shop...

santiqbebe@aol.com • 732-536-4101

www.sarabernsteindolls.rubylane.com

Rare AM character with no mold number. She is 14” tall with open/closed mouth, molded teeth, blue intaglio eyes, and perfect bisque. Her body is near mint and her clothes all original. $4500.

Call 215-794-8164 or email alloyddolls@gmail.com.

More photos and dolls may be seen at Rubylane.com/ shops/anntiquedolls. Member UFDC and NADDA.

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

61

Calendar of Events Send in your FREE Calendar Listing to: Antique Doll Collector, c/o Calendar, P.O. Box 239, Northport, New York 11768 or email adcsubs@gmail.com If you plan on attending a show, please call the number to verify the date and location as they may change.

ONGOING

4/18/20-10/4/20 ~ Switzerland. Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel. Special exhibition “The Walking Stick with a Secret”. +41 (0)61 225 95 95. sina@swm-basel.ch. www.swmb.museum.

MARCH 2020 27-28 ~ Germany. Presents Collection of Ingrid Kohler & Highlights of Heidi Hesse Doll Collection. Ladenburger Spielzeugauktion. www.spielzeugauktion.de. 0049(0)6203-13014. mail@spielzeugauktion.de 27 ~ Louisville, KY. Doll Auction. Hays & Associates. 502-584-4297. www.haysauction.com 28 ~ Flat Rock, NC. Doll’s Holiday Luncheon.

Kenmure Country Club. Land O’Sky Doll Club.

Registration and details: lando’skydollclub.com 28 ~ Madison, WI. Doll Show. Alliant Energy Center. Madison Area Doll Club. Vicki Kutz.

608-279-5298. dollcoll@charter.net

62

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

28 ~ Olean, NY. Doll Show. Historical Fannie Bartlett House. Southwestern York-Penn Doll Club & Historical Fannie Bartlett House.

Wende Kenyon. 585-268-2024. Sandy Lockwood dolllady_sandy@aol.com CANCELLED! 28 ~ Richmond, VA. Doll Show.

Raceway Complex. Colonial Building. Judy Seay. 434-981-3822.

28 ~ Rickreall, OR. Doll Show. Polk County Fairgrounds. Arleta. 503-581-1206.

29 ~ Albertson, NY. Doll & Teddy Bear Show.

V.F.W. 155 Searington Road. The Doll Study Club of Long Island. Bonnie Olsen. 516-747-1425.

HCBD41@yahoo.com

APRIL 2020

1 ~ Hatfield, PA. Doll Auction. Alderfer Auctions. 215-393-3000. AlderferAuction.com.

4 ~ Alexander, NY. Doll Show. Alexander Fireman’s Rec Hall. Linda. 585-482-0835.

4 ~ France. Antique, rare & fine dolls Dolls’ House & Accessories Auction. Galerie De Chartres. +33 (0)2 37 88 28 28. chartres@galeriedechartres.com POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 12 4 ~ Lynwood, WA. Doll Show. Embassy Suites North. Seattle Antique & Collectible Doll & Toy Club. Joy. 425-712-1575. Trevino746@aol.com CANCELLED! 5 ~ Maumee (Toledo), OH. Doll, Bear & Toy Show. Lucas County Recreation Center. Karen Kosies. toledo@dollshows.net. (520) 270-0179 (text).

ToledoDollShow.com 16 ~ Online. Online Auction. Alderfer Auctions.

Bisque Dolls and Body Parts. AlderferAuction.com.

18 ~ Spokane, WA. Doll Show. Spokane Community College. Spokane Lilac City Doll Study Club. Mary Sherwood. 509-838-8487.

POSTPONED TO AUGUST 2-19 ~ Denver, CO. Toy & Doll Supershow. Denver Mart, I-25 at 58th Ave (Exit east). Dana Cain. 303-347-8252.

Dana@DanaCain.com www.tdsupershow.com 19 ~ Tucson, AZ. Garden Tea Party Doll Show.

The Tucson Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge. Tucson@DollShows.net. or text.

520-270-0179.

19 ~ St. Charles, IL. Doll Show. Kane County Fairgrounds. Karla Moreland. 815-356-6125. kmorela@ais.net. www.KaneCountyDollShow.com 22-24 ~ Nashua, NH. Doll Show & Sale on 22nd. 23-24th Doll Auction. Holiday Inn. Withington Auction, Inc. 603-478-3232. withington@conknet.com 23-25 ~ Seattle, WA. Doll Show. DoubleTree Hotel Seattle Airport. www.crossroadsshows.com 25 ~ Nashville, TN. Doll Show. Mt. Juliet Community Center. www.SoutheasternDollShows.com

25 ~ Ringgold, GA. Doll Show. The Colonnade.

Chattanooga Doll Club. Carol Cronan. 706-965-4619. ccronan@catt.com 25 ~ Rochester, NY. Doll, Toy & Teddy Bear Show. Gates Recreation Department. Henrietta Doll Lover’s Club. odailey622@aol.com.

585-889-2015. sukeylin@yahoo.com 25 ~ West Chester/Cincinnati, OH. Spring Fashion Doll Show & Sale. EnterTRAINment Junction Expo Room. (513) 207-8409.

Askmargie@aol.com. facebook.com/groups/809129175842260 26 ~ Fullerton, CA. Doll Show. Hotel Fullerton.

National Doll Festival. Rowbear. nationaldollfestival@charter.net. 831-438-5349.

CANCELLED! 26 ~ St. Charles, IL. Chicago Toy Show. Kane County Fairgrounds. Herb Regan.

847-800-3009. herb@chicagotoyshow.com. Diana Tabin. 847-772-6760. diana@chicagotoyshow.com

The 177th Eastern National Antique to Modern Doll & *Toy Show Gaithersburg

DEC 5&6 2020

HUNDREDS of S E L L I N G TA B L E S …

Sat 10-5 • Sun 10-3

Established 1972

2020 Doll Show Dates Nashville, TN April 25 Mt. Juliet Community Center, Mt. Juliet, TN Raleigh, NC May 16 Amran Shriners Temple, Raleigh, NC Salisbury, NC Nov. 7 Salisbury Civic Center

©

Admission $10 Good 2 Days Save $2 on one ticket with a copy of this ad.

THE FAIRGROUNDS

16 Chestnut St. Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Building 6 / Exhibit Halls / Air Conditioned and Heated

Vendor Spaces Available Tickets at the Door

12 Miles North West of Washington DC (I‑270) Exit 10 to red light, turn left, follow fairgrounds signs.

Hotels: HOLIDAY INN 301.948.8900 HILTON 301.977.8900 VISIT THE LEARNING ROOM UFDC Region 11 sponsored....

Activities include a Meet & Greet, Guest Speakers, Dolly Doctor and Doll Stringing, Doll Identification...And so much more !

SFB EVENTS / S. BELLMAN 239-440-3184

www.SoutheasternDollShows.com

sbellman714@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook at Eastern National Doll Show - Gaithersburg

*LIMITED Number of Toys and Games ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

63

APRIL 2020 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63

CANCELLED! 26 ~ Lancaster, PA. Doll, Toy & Teddy Bear Show. Lancaster Farm & Home Center. Ron Funk. 717-371-0395.

MAY 2020 1-3 ~ Charleston, SC. National Antique Doll Dealers Association. 2020 Antique Doll Show & Sale Event. Embassy Suites. Show Chair.

Marion Maus. mmausantiques@gmail.com. www.Nadda.org.

2 ~ Maitland, FL. Doll Show. Greater Orlando Doll Club. Venue on the Lake Maitland Civic Center. Barbara Keehbauch. 407-678-5678. bkeehbauch@msn.com 3 ~ Thousand Oaks, CA. Dolls, Toys & Treasures Show. Palm Garden Hotel. National Doll Festival.

Rowbear. nationaldollfestival@charter.net. 831-438-5349.

The Doll Works Judit Armitstead (781) 334‑5577 P.O. Box 195, Lynnfield, MA 01940

Chippendale Chair by Betty Valentine in Chinese Style Please visit our website for a fine selection of antique dolls, dollhouse dolls, dollhouse miniatures, teddy bears, all bisque dolls, bathing beauties, kewpies, dresser boxes, snow babies, half dolls, and doll accessories at …

www.TheDollWorks.net

SARA BERNSTEIN’S DOLLS

3 ~ Toronto. The Greater Toronto Doll Show.

Holiday Inn. Vintage Doll Club of Southern Ont. Mary Lou. 416-221-3093. www.greatertorontodollshow.com. greatertorontodollshow@gto.net 9 ~ Gaithersburg, MD. Doll Luncheon. Yu Ping May Day Cherry Blossoms Festival. Asbury Methodist Vlg. Hefner Building Auditorium.

Dollology Doll Club. Payment. Ed. 267-230-3167. heastore@aol.com 16 ~ Raleigh, NC. Doll Show. Amran Shriners Temple. www.SoutheasternDollShows.com 17 ~ Madison Heights, MI. Doll Show. UFCW Hall. Doll Show Productions Presents. www.DollShowProductions.com.

Find more doll events near you at www. antiquedollcollector.com, select “Events” tab.

LANCASTER DOLL, TOY, TEDDY BEAR

Antique, Modern, Collectible 2020 Shows & Sales Show Time 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 PM. Admission at 10:00 A.M. $6.00, With Ad $5.00 Early Bird Admission 9:00 A.M. $10.00 Lancaster Farm & Home Center 1383 Arcadia Road • Lancaster, PA 17601

Sunday April 26, 2020 Sunday Nov. 1, 2020 Info: Ron Funk, 3045 W Meadowview Dr, Gordonville, PA 17529 • (717) 371-0395 Show Time: 9 A.M. - 2 P.M. Show Location: Take Service Road off Rt 72 South (Manheim Pike) Off Rt 30 & Rt 283 Early Bird 9:00 A.M. $10.00 - Children Free

Do you have a doll or small collection you want to sell? april approved

ADVERTISE IN THE EMPORIUM

Send us a photo or a digital photo of your 1-3 doll(s) or accessories with a description and your check or credit card information.

We do the rest!! Take advantage of this special forum; the cost is only $95 for a 2.4”w x 2.9”h ad space.

Ph. 732‑536‑4101 Email: santiqbebe@aol.com www.rubylane.com/shops/sarabernsteindolls 64

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

APRIL 2020

For More Info Contact: Louann at 217-419-6314 or louannw@antiquedollcollector.com