Roche Dolls Christmas Open Day 2023

Lynne & Michael Roche

Dollmakers Christmas

2023

You are invited to our Virtual Open Day 1

Christmas

2022

Name A new floral look for one of our most popular dolls from the 1990s...

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20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available

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Welcome Roche Dolls Christmas Open Day is here again. We would like to thank all our customers and friends for your contribution and support throughout the year. Of course, we would love to see you in person but hope this is a small way to join our celebration wherever you are in the world.

All good wishes,

Lynne & Michael Christmas

2023

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Christmas

2023

It feels like Christmas Getting our new dolls ready is the start of the season for us. Once all are dressed and looking their best, we decorate and ready the house for our Open Day. Here are a few of the things that make us feel like Christmas is really here...

Unexpected snow

We’ve had days so frosty that the roof of Lynne’s garden studio looks like someone has sprinkled it with icing sugar. No snow yet. Snow is relatively rare here in Bath, so we couldn’t resist sharing the very unexpected snowfall on 11th December last year.

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2023

A queue of cats

We do spoil the cats and couldn’t resist the early Christmas present of a feline sleeping bag (complete with matching pillow!) It took a few days for the gang to realise what it was for, but now a queue forms to climb inside.

When the sleeping bag is occupied, a radiator will do...

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Festive bakes

A few Christmases ago, we attended a festive baking class at Richard Bertinet’s Cookery School in Bath. (Mr B serves a lethal ‘laced’ coffee as you bake, which could make you mislay your freshly made Stolen on the short walk home... not that that has happened to us, naturally.)

This year we attended a mince pie masterclass to learn the secrets of the thinest pastry and adding an almond creme topping. We did manage to make it home with a dozen mince pies.

Time for mulled wine

When we married, we both brought a copy of the same cookbook to our first home. To this day we rely on it for our Open Day mulled wine recipe. You may notice that it is rather well used.

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Christmas

2023

Decorating the tree

We like to add a little something to our decoration collection every year. For 2023, we are pleased to present Miss Austen. What could be more appropriate for a Christmas tree in Bath?

A trip to the market

Bath has hosted a Christmas market for the last 20 years. It has now grown to around 200 stalls spread through the main streets.

The trick is to go at twilight for the best festive atmposhere.

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Making wreaths

We usually gather friends at home to make welcoming wreaths for our front doors but this year thought we deserved a refresher course.

Thank you to Gabriella Knight for a wonderful class with so many ingredients to choose from.

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Christmas

2023

Step inside our

Christmas Showroom 10

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Christmas

2023

Bella

A personal favourite, this young girl has always proved popular in our collections...

All wrapped up in soft colours of linen and yarn – with the best fairisle hats knitted in the softest yarns.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2300

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Christmas

2023

Bella

A rare offer from our personal collection – Bella from our 2021 winter edition...

For 2021 Bella was dressed in a soft linen double-layered skirt, with cross stitches and running stitch embellishing the hem. The skirt colours are picked up in a deeper hue at the neck, cuffs and hem of her fine yarn cardigan.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands One available £2300

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Christmas

2023

Esme

Another outing for this favourite girl, all dressed up for winter...

Gingham dresses and petticoats fit beautifully under moss stitched coats with little pearl buttons. Fairisle hats bring together the colours in each outfit.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two available £2300

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Christmas

2023

Theo

Our most popular boy, Theo, was first created as a taller doll, then a smaller version as a playmate for Robyn & Elsie...

Large Theo

Dressed in knitted trousers and a fine wool baseball jacket featuring his traditional ‘T’ initial.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands One available £2300

Small Theo

A softly speckled denim yarn is used to create the baseball jacket to team with cotton trousers.

13.5in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands One available £2200 18

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Christmas

2023

Mira

A slightly older girl, created with a more slender body...

Dressed in a moss stitch coat with envelope-style pockets, Mira has possibly our favourite accessory this season – a floppy crocheted hat with a turned up brim.

17in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two £2300

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Christmas

2023

Elsie

Yarns chosen for their wonderfully rich colours are used to dress Elsie in a cosy knitted dress and short jacket. The outfit is topped off with a beanie hat with beaded holly trim.

14in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one £2200

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A smaller young girl originally created as a chum for Robyn...

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2023

Daisy Robyn’s younger sister, Daisy has a wonderfully old-fashioned look...

Layered linen dresses and lace-knit coats make up Daisy’s look for this year. Delicate flower details feature crochet flowers on her hat and little lazy daisy stitches to embellish her coat pockets.

12.5in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two £2200

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Christmas

2023

Robyn One of our most popular smaller dolls is back for 2023...

Mid-length cosy coats knitted in moss stitch are worn over cotton checked linen. Skirt edges and petticoats are finished with toning stitches.

14in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of two £2200

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Christmas

2023

Emilia A very luxurious new look for one of our older girls...

Emilia wears a complex patterned knit first designed for May Rose but now translated into richer colours. The off-centre fastening and generous collar balance perfectly with full linen skirts.

20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one available £2300

Lillian 1/1 28

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Christmas

2023

Lillian

Ever popular, Lillian is one of our classic dolls...

The same coat created for Emilia this year but with a seasonal twist of rich reds and greens. A matching crocheted hat tops off the outfit.

20in high, wood body, porcelain head & hands Edition of one available £2300

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Pippa

A new floral look for one of our most popular dolls from the 1990s...

A special festive look for Pippa, the most popular of our smaller soft-bodied dolls...

Dressed in cotton print dresses with petticoats, each has a fabulously festive tabbard with an appliquéd Christmas tree – and a pocket to hold a tiny fairy doll.

12in high, soft body, porcelain head & hands Edition of six available £725 See over the page for the edition numbers

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Christmas

2023

Pippa

Pippa 1/6

Pippa 2/6

Pippa 3/6

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Pippa 4/6

Pippa 5/6

Pippa 6/6

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2023

Past Editions

Only one doll is available in each of these rare editions...

Pink Bonnie Baby Artist proof £650

Bonnie Baby in turquoise knit £650

K*R 114

All bisque, jointed £350

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2023

Florence

A chance to share one of our very first dolls...

Among the first

Florence was one of the very first dolls we made in the 1980’s This one is in such nice condition and has the addition of a very sweet Grizzly cat. £1100

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Christmas

2023

Minet Cherie Another chance to see the girl who has everything...

Miniature marvel

Another early doll, Minet Cherie, in a leather trunk with all her lovely little accessories. £475

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Christmas

2023

Lynne’s Paintings Italy and – and especially Venice – have proved a huge source of inspiration for Lynne this year...

White Tree in Venetian Square 14 x 11in, oil on board £350

An Easel & Lens painting retreat in Umbria was a real highpoint of the year. Thanks to tutor Julian Hyzler for a wonderful week. This painting is worked from a photograph of one of our group outings. www.easelandlens.com

The Lunch Party

24 x 18in, oil on board £350 (£450 framed)

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2023

The Cellist

20 x 16in, oil on board £250 (£300 framed)

Porthscatho Pastel on paper NOT FOR SALE 44

Porthscatho sketch Pastel on paper NOT FOR SALE

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The Wine Shop in Arezzo 24 x 20in, oil on board NOT FOR SALE

Discover more of Lynne’s work Lynne has selected favourite paintings to turn into limited edition prints. She has a new range of greetings cards too. You can find out more about these and enjoy more of her artwork on her site.

Still Life Sketch (detail) Oil on board

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Christmas

2022

Name A new floral look for one of our most popular dolls from the 1990s...

The still life set up for Lynne’s painting – or not so still in the case Daisy the cat, who posed all of four seconds.

Lynne & Michael Roche

Dollmakers Celebrating over 40 years

©Yum Yum Books 2023 Doll photography: Lynne Roche ◼ Editing & presentation: Jenny Dixon