Antique DOLL Collector May 2013 Vol. 16, No. 4
May 2013 Vol. 16, No. 4 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com
Th e Governess – A Life Up and Down the Stairs I
by Michael Canadas
have repeatedly noticed, that in nineteenth-century English writings, one of the most tragic and/or triumphant characters one can find employed in household service is the governess. Considered an essential member of the staff by any fine home or royal palace with children in residence, the role played by the governess was not a minor one. Young Princess Victoria enjoyed the attention and devotion of her governess not only through her childhood years, but rather for at least two years into her marriage to Prince Albert. Victoria’s close relationship to her governess was not unusual, in that special bonds did form between many a child and her primary caregiver. But don’t let this sort of close relationship fool you. The governess was well-aware that her position defined her as a part of the household staff at a time when it was believed that children were to be seen and not heard. She knew that same standard could be applied to those employed in the household. I have learned that approximately one hundred years ago, there existed in England, over one and one-half million individuals employed in domestic service. There was a time when the average country home would employ over one hundred staff members, and the lowest ranking member of that staff would be the scullery maid. Responsible for the scrubbing of pots and pans, the cleaning of floors, the plucking of fowl and the scaling of fish, the scullery maid was often not only quite young, but she was also typically from a lower class family. As abhorrent as the job certainly could be at times, it was considered a far better
François Gaultier created countless dolls that would ultimately be dressed and sold as governesses. I believe that an FG usually makes a perfect governess, due to their typically lovely and agreeable faces. In reality, the governess did not care for the infant children, but doll makers and merchants knew that putting a baby in a doll’s arms might make her irresistible. This baby in swaddling clothing is in fact a candy container - the doll’s body separates just under the bib and was originally filled with hard candy. This wonderful assemblage is thought to have been used as a display piece, and not necessarily a child’s plaything. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Magic Happens! by Jan Peterson
Photos by Elwyn Peterson
“I found this little doll on eBay and bought her for $12.” The young woman looked very nervous in front of the camera on the Antiques Road Show. Marshall Martin, the appraiser, then told her she had a rare, bare foot French mignonnette whose little red leather shoes alone would go for $500! Isn’t this the dream of every doll collector? Finding that lost treasure for pennies or, even better, for free! My best friend once bought a box lot at an auction for $25 and found a perfect French fashion doll toilette set among the odds and ends. A lovely lady I met in France bought an old trunk loaded with antique bed linens, and as she was emptying the trunk, found a pristine, large Jumeau bebe in original clothes and marked shoes wrapped in a pillow case among the sheets! My friend, Arielle, in Paris, found a tiny French fashion encrier (inkwell set) among the bits and pieces in a box she bought at a rummage sale, and another time, discovered a jewel hidden inside the head of an antique doll she had purchased. I have sighed deeply and only daydreamed such good fortune would be mine…until now! I swear there exists a Hunting and Gathering Fairy who hovers over those who treasure forgotten dolls! Recently, she sprinkled her magic over me and I was happily blessed with my fondest doll collecting dream come true!
This is how the doll looked when new and given to a long-ago child as a First Communion gift.
A close-up shows the doll’s lovely brown eyes and sweet smile.
The First Communion ensemble laundered and ready to dress doll. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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The Nancy Ann
Circa 1937, Made in Japan mold dolls Little Miss Muffett 10 (above) and Chinese 33 (center). Photos Loretta Donaldson
M
any years ago a young doll collector set about obtaining an antique doll in its original box. This was long before the Internet and doll club memberships. The source of antique dolls in those days tended to be local auctions. As luck would have it, there was a local auction offering a number of dolls. Among the lots were some fascinating little bisque dolls in their original boxes. The young collector knew nothing about these dolls, but there was something very appealing about their blue eyes with the long lashes, the demure down tilt of their heads and pudgy little toddler bodies. The dolls were dressed in detailed little outfits that interestingly were all closed with safety pins. Fairy tales seemed to be the primary theme and there were tantalizing pamphlets in some of the boxes which listed different series of dolls with charming names. The auction began and one lot of sixteen of these little dolls in their boxes finally came up. The young collector eagerly placed the first bid at $1.00 each. The auctioneer begged for a second bid but none was forthcoming. With great disappointment, she watched the lot go back with no sale. Several hours into the sale, the same lot was offered again. She bid $1.00 per box, there was another bid at $1.50 and she raised the bid to $2.00. Going once, going twice… sold-the lot was hers! $32.00 for sixteen dolls in their original boxes. It didn’t get any better than that. I was that young collector. At the time, I knew nothing
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Made in Japan mold Ireland from Around the World Series circa 1937. Note her Nancy Ann Dressed Dolls sticker. Her green skirt has mutated to brown as commonly happens with certain Nancy Ann fabrics and colors. Her molded shoes and socks are clearly visible beneath the flesh colored paint on her legs.
about the dolls except that they were made by a California company called Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls. I was totally smitten with these dolls. Over the course of the next 20 years or so, I would occasionally find them at auction, but they were not plentiful on the East coast, at least not in the venues I frequented. Certain characteristics became obvious - some were jointed, some were not and sometimes they were plastic with painted or sleep eyes. There seemed to be two sizes as well as babies. These variations hinted at production over the course of many years. I preferred the jointed ones with chubby little tummies and short arms and mint dolls that still looked as if they were just made yesterday. The ones with the molded socks painted over seemed to have the most charm. Gradually, my little collection grew. One day at an auction, a fellow attendee and I were discussing the little dolls. She thought there was a book about the dolls and with some searching I obtained a copy of Marjorie Miller’s book Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls published in 1980. The mystery of my little dolls was finally uncovered and what a fascinating story it was. To add to the allure, there were now pictures to accompany the names listed on the aforementioned pamphlets. The wish list was born. With the advent of the Internet and Ebay, I discovered a ready source of Nancy Ann Storybook dolls and my collection continued to grow. About that time, I also had the good fortune to be introduced to my local doll club and subsequently
Storybook Doll Company by Carolyn Vack
These twins are part of a set of Made in Japan mold quintuplets, c. 1937, which came in a basket decorated with organdy ruffles and Nancy Ann ribbon. Although an incomplete set, they were purchased in their rare original starburst box.
A rare Judy Ann mold set called Audrey Ann in Playland. She came in a specially decorated presentation box with several changes of outfits. Photo Loretta Donaldson
membership in the UFDC. At one of my first conventions, I met some fellow Nancy Ann collectors. It turns out I was not alone in my passion for these little dolls. There were annual gatherings, Newsletters and a group of friendly people with a wealth of knowledge! The late Jackie Robertson’s name appeared frequently in my resource information and I had the distinct honor of meeting her at my first Nancy Ann Gathering. She would subsequently co-author a book with Elaine Pardee titled The Encyclopedia of Bisque Nancy Ann Story Book Dolls 1936-1947 1936-1947, which is now THE “bible” of Nancy Ann collecting. This article is derived from the information in that book, and it is dedicated to the wonderful Nancy Ann collectors I’ve met who so willingly share their knowledge. Let me share with you the story of Nancy Ann and her Wee dolls for Wee collectors. On February 22, 1901, Rowena Haskins was born in Lake County California. She would subsequently attend the California School of Fine Arts, move to Hollywood, and change her name to Nancy Phipps. There she would fulfill a dream of becoming an actress and dancer at Universal Studios, performing in several movies. The last two films she took part in were Broadway Melody and 42nd Street. She was also an avid horse lover and tennis player. The early Sports series of dolls she created were most likely inspired by these special interests. She also had a passion for costume design and she exercised that passion by dressing small dolls for friends. One of her first dressed dolls was given to movie star Dolores Costello and ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Another French China Doll? B
by Estelle Johnston
eing curious about a large china doll head I believed I had never seen elsewhere I looked through books and promptly discovered it had been shown in the Merrill’s Handbook of Collectible Dolls in 1969, and subsequently in the Madeline Merrill book, The Art of Dolls 1740-1940, on page 111. I had spent some weeks working with Dick Merrill on the editing of this book but had not paid much attention to that particular china at the time. The photograph, after all, was in black and white and did not show the extraordinary red/brown color of the hair or the fine painting of the features. However, I was also puzzled by the unusual arrangement of the sew holes on the shoulder plate – note the two center holes rather close together in both the front and the back of the shoulder. Then I noticed on page 85 a marked china head with the same arrangement of four sew holes across the front of the shoulder plate. This doll was identified as a Jacob-Petit. I began to get a bit excited as we know there are so few examples of this maker in existence – or so it seems. I began to look through all the research books on chinas such as Mary Krombholz’ valuable The Pictorial Reference Guide For German Chinas, of course the Coleman books, Francois & Danielle Theimer’s The Encylopedia of French Dolls – and all the other important sources of information gathered over more than sixty years of collecting and studying antique dolls. As far as I can determine all German china dolls had only two or three sew holes on the front and on the back of the shoulder plate. NEVER FOUR. To be sure, some of the Schlaggenwald lady and girl dolls have an extra two holes, a total of six, but these extras are placed at the top of the sculpted arms at the shoulder. The height of the shoulderhead is 6” and the total doll measures 24”.
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