Antique DOLL Collector November 2012 Vol. 15, No. 10
November 2012 Vol. 15, No. 10 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com
Our Fantastic Voyage Civil War reenactors have been present at each of the three Rose Percy events held to date. Their participation lends a special dimension to the general atmosphere, and even better, some of them are experts in all things “Civil War” including the United States Sanitary Commission. Here, Miss Rose Percy wears one of her white play dresses – a rare occasion. It seems that even in 1862, the girls at the Ogden Hoffman boarding school knew that our Rose was destined to be a party girl, as the majority of her frocks are meant to be worn at formal events.
W
e believe it safe to assume that most people in the doll world have now heard of Rose Percy, or have read about her life and events, both past and present. It was three years this month that we initially began our journey with Miss Rose Percy – a change in course for her that also represented a new chapter in her long life of service to the United States of America. In our involvement in Rose’s life story, our first objective was to make sure that Rose did not fall into the wrong hands, but beyond that we did not have a firm plan as to what might be in store for any of us. Would Rose’s fate be that she would quietly live with her new owner and be seen only by a few fortunate people? Would the public be willing to pay to see her? Could Rose return to the business of raising funds for charity? Further, if Rose did launch a fundraising mission, what would be the right cause for her, and for us, to stand behind? Because the world was in such a terrible mess from natural disasters three years ago, helping to fund Red Cross-type aid to those in need seemed the right choice, but many different ideas were put on the table and discussed. One day, Sharon, a friend and fellow doll club member, telephoned and expressed her view as to what she believed Rose’s new mission should be. Sharon made her case and it was a good one. “From the beginning, Rose was created to help comfort our men in uniform, and the need today is just as vital as it was during the Civil War.” She then 20
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with Miss Rose Percy by Michael Canadas and David Robinson added that if we didn’t believe her, we could simply come to her place of employment, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, and walk through the halls of the hospital and see that need for ourselves, because after doing so, anyone would realize what a wonderful life they have. We could not have agreed more with her, so it was firmly decided that Miss Rose Percy would return to what she did for the first sixty years of her life — raising funds for wounded soldiers and veterans of war. In Rose’s early days, she was brought out as a reminder of the good deeds accomplished by the much-respected United States Sanitary Commission at events such as the Grand Army of the Republic’s reunions. Remember, Rose made her debut and raised an astounding 1200 dollars for that commission at the New York Metropolitan Fair in 1864, but it was at these later events where she would actually meet not only the legends of the Civil War, but also quite a few of the presidents of our country. We have to thank her original owner, Bertha Chittenden, for sharing Rose with any needy cause. As the veterans of the Civil War left this earth and took their need for care along with them, Rose found a new cause in the soldiers who fought in the Great War — World War I. During those years, countless teas were held with Rose and her treasures billed as the star attraction. With the price of admission at 25 cents, the goal was to raise funds for medical ambulances. By the end of that conflict, Rose’s owner had grown to be a lovely old lady who had lived a full and happy life of service to her country. Bertha made the decision that the American Red Cross Museum was the perfect place for her beloved Rose Percy to reside, as after all, the Red Cross is considered the offshoot of the United States Sanitary Commission. With her installation, Rose Percy became a very important part of the American Red Cross Museum in Washington D.C. when she was positioned to greet all of the visitors who walked through the door. She acted as the first lady of the Red Cross for over 80 years and in that time she also acted as the mascot of the Junior Red Cross. We are sure that many of Rose’s first juniors are members of that esteemed group known today as “our greatest generation.” However, since history does repeat itself, and as Rose was created and then sold to raise funds for the United States Sanitary Commission, it should not be surprising that she would be selected
The little wax doll that Rose is holding is new to her. It wasn’t until very recently that she received the first doll of her own, and it took just over 150 years. A gift from one of her fans, it is now a cherished part of Rose’s permanent collection.
Rose Percy models a dress that she has not worn that often in the last 152 years. It is an elegant purple faille number with black velvet trim decorated with black jet beads, and includes a coordinating handbag sewn to the waist. In the background is a portrait of the first U.S. president to make the acquaintance of Miss Rose Percy. Rose has met several presidents of our great nation, but Mr. Lincoln will always be her most beloved. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Sandy’s Dream Dolls From Arizona to Texas • Sandy Kralovetz Always Buying Dolls of Quality Visit Our Showroom:
ANTIQUES ON 8 10 am to 6 pm 5455 West Sam Houston Pkwy North, Houston, TX
602.228.1829 281.339.0269 skayk43@aol.com
Mailing Address: 9825 Moers Rd, Houston, TX 77075 Member UFDC & NADDA
The Last Bebe Bru, the Bru Jne “R”
by Dee Urquhart-Ross
Doll 1. Still in her original box, a “walking” Bru Jne, size 9, wears a fine silk dress with pin tucks and lace and a lovely padded bonnet with pretty ribbon ties. She has a very thick mohair wig in a dark blonde that sets off her spectacular blue paperweight eyes. Dating from 1892, she nevertheless has a pressed bisque head.
M. Girard was the third and final owner of the firm started by Leon Casimir Bru, taking over the firm in the difficult last decade of the 19th century when the glory days of the French Bebe were inexorably drawing to a close. This was mostly caused by the unrelenting pressure on price caused by vast quantities of less expensive German dolls flooding the market and capturing the customer base that once preferred the exquisite though more expensive French Bebe. Girard continued to use the same head mould as before with only subtle differences in the plumpness of the cheeks and chin showing slight changes to the master moulds, but now the bisque was poured instead of being pressed. The exception that proves the rule will be seen here – two heads incised Bru Jne R that have the earlier type of pressed bisque rimless head, that is, not showing a top folded over rim which is a standard indicator of a poured head caused when the filled mould is inverted to dry. The complex earlier kid body types were also changed at this time for a good quality but more easily produced jointed composition body of the type adopted many years earlier by virtually all the other major French firms and which were much cheaper to make. Often these bodies have a yellowish tint to the layers of paint and some but not all, were stamped in ink with “Bru” on the lower back. As ever with the world of dolls and their makers there are honourable exceptions to every rule we would like to make regarding identification and traits of authorship! The early Bru Jne R models can have the look of the Bru Jne bebe with softer paintwork to the lashes and brows. The Girard era may have introduced a different group of painters to the task of giving the dolls their features as the brows of the Bru Jne R have a slightly more fly-away and thickly brush-stroked look. The eye cuts are different too and on some of the smaller later dolls can be a slightly uneven. With the eyebrows following the positioning of the eye cuts, sometimes the result is a charmingly quizzical look. The painting of the lashes, lips and blushing is usually very well ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Happy Thanksgiving from
Blackberry Studio Margaret Gray Kincaid
Member NADDA and UFDC
Tel. 410.323.0373 Cell: 646-709-4340
Margaret.kincaid@gmail.com Lovely Tete Jumeau size 6 $4000
Unusual little Paris Bebe size 3 $7000
19th century French Table $650 Pair of French Faux Bamboo chairs $750
French Faux Bamboo Armoire $650 French Faux Bamboo Dresser $450
Old Paris Tea set with Violets $150
Antique German Paper Mache Turkey $895
&
Connie
A Large Assortment of German Bisque Comic Nodders from the 1920’s - 1930’s
Jay
Prices range from $45 - $300 Call for listing and/or pricing.
LOWE
Send a self addressed stamped envelope for listing w/prices.
Rare Palmer Cox Brownies riding pig
Several “wigged” German Bisque Bathing Ladies
A seldom found bisque figurine, circa early twentieth century & manufactured in Germany Call for pricing
Prices range from $850 - $1000 each
Always interested in other bisque Brownie items!
P.O. Box 5206 Lancaster, PA 17606
FAX 717-396-1114
Call Toll Free 1-888-JAY LOWE or (717) 396-9879
Always Looking to Buy Quality Dolls, Toys, Marklin Doll Carriages or Entire Estates 32
ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Buy & Sell With Confidence
Email: big.birds@comcast.net
Member of UFDC & NADDA
A Visit with
Kelly Harpster by Donna C. Kaonis
photos by Keith Kaonis
Kelly named the house “Annie” for its soulful spirit.
T
he back roads of south central Pennsylvania unfold to reveal softy rolling hills, rustic barns and silos and, like the song says, corn as high as an elephant’s eye. It was a pleasant summer afternoon as we drove down a country lane passing a lovely shaded meadow where I glimpsed geese and pigs enjoying the balmy weather. A pair of magnificent peacocks were resting under a large tree as we pulled up next to a large, old stone barn. Across the lane we saw a beautiful brick farm house which we would learn later goes by the name “Annie.” We had arrived at Kelly and Lou Harpster’s farm in picturesque central Pennsylvania.
The large stone barn was constructed in 1813. ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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