Twickenham Doll Sale, Huntsville, AL, Sept. 28, 2013

Tom Azuma's Pretty Reproductions

Some Minty Hard Plastic and Compos

My favorite booth

Something for everyone

Bears and dolls

Chinas, Gollies, etc.

Spiffy outfits

Great sale!

More Azuma Dolls

Dolls Used in Civil War

http://artdaily.com/news/42135/Two-150-Year-Old-Civil-War-Dolls-Get-X-Rayed-at-VCU-Medical-Center-for-Signs-of-Smuggling#.UkNHMeoo6Rt

 

240-Year Old Automaton Made in Switzerland

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/the-writer-automaton

Hitty Doll Carving Class in Vestavia, AL Feb. 27-March 3

February 27 to March 2, 2014, Doll Carving Class, Vestavia Hills , AL

 

 

Teacher:  Janet Cordell, Master Carver for the state of Arkansas .  To learn more about Janet and see her work go to http://www.janetcordell.com/ 

 

What We’ll be Carving:  Some people will be carving Hitty, a 6 1/4" wooden doll based on the book, Hitty:  Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field, and others will be carving their project of choice.   If you would like to carve something other than Hitty, this is fine, but please contact Janet ASAP to make arrangements for her to bring you a blank.  Janet usually brings extra blanks with her which will be available at an extra cost, and if you see a blank on Janet’s website that you would like to buy, please let her know in plenty of time to cut the blank and bring it with her.  Please note that due to time constraints, during the class, you are limited to one project only. 

 

When:  February 27 to March 3, Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 until 4:00 with a break for lunch (on your own).  You can stay later than 4:00 and carve, but Janet will not be teaching after 4:00. 

 

Where:  We will be carving at my house in my double garage in the basement.  We carve in the  garage and set up tables.  On this level, there is a finished room where we have coffee and snacks and a bathroom.  It’s very easy to get around if you have a handicap.  The garage is well lit, but there are plenty of outlets available if you would like to bring an extra light.  

 

Cost:  The cost for the four-day workshop is $250 with a $50 deposit which includes one blank.  Please note that there are a limited number of places available, so please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to take the class.  I will have a Waiting List if there are more people wanting to take the class after it’s filled. 

 

Contact Information: 

Sharon Kirby

barbiesr@mindspring.com

 

Janet Cordell

479-790-1872

janet_cordell@yahoo.com

 

September Meeting - Summer Finds

Sharon with Tonner Washington, D.C. Convention Doll

Dorothy and her Composition Sonja Heine

Dorothy's pretty Kestner

 

Debra's Small Bisques

Jill M.'s $5.00 yard sale Averill with Gibbs China, Repro French, and Kermits.

Barbara's Lovely French Reproduction

Jill S.'s Small Bisques

Billye's Carved Hitty with Musical Dress

             Martha's Fancy Hairdo Parian with inset Necklace and Flat Top China

German Doll Marks

Barbara found this while searching for German doll marks and as the person said whose article I was reading, "I can't read a bit of German but still a good site for identifying marks. "  Also if you follow the links on the site can find the doll hospital with examples of their work, and a few other interesting things. 

 

http://www.puppenmarken.de/kopfmarken.htm

UFDC Convention Competitive Exhibits - Modern

http://ufdc.org/2013/08/03/competitive-exhibit-pictures-modern/

Effanbee Babyette 1943, Composition Head Baby Doll

This doll was made in 1943 during WWII when supplies were scarce - hence the cloth body, painted hair, and eyes painted closed.  This is a sweet doll to collect.

Pretty Gotz Doll

I found her at the thrift store.  Can anyone identify her?

Colorado Doll Shop Video

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rriqdrJbzNs&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_embedded%26v%3DrriqdrJbzNs%20%3E

Bisque Baby in Peanut Shell (Occupied Japan)

Just bought this on ebay.  Why?  Because I had one exactly like it when I was a little girl.  Love it.

Miss Jenny, Doll in 1953 film "Night of the Hunter"

This film noir, unsuccessful at the box office at the time, has come to be known as one of the best movies ever made.  Starring Robert Mitchum as the evil preacher man, the movie's plot includes Miss Jenny, a rag doll, as an important part of the story.

Uneeda Baby Dolls in a Wicker Duck

Sweet Uneeda vinyl and cloth baby dolls in a wicker duck.  This company has made many kinds of dolls since 1917.  One of these is marked 1999 and another 2003.  Notice the different expressions.  They are stuffed with pellets for a realistic feel.

Rare Blue Bird Dress on Shirley Temple Doll

1930's Composition Shirley Temple Doll dressed in original and rare Blue Bird dress from her movie "The Blue Bird."

Photos of Shirley Temple Dolls at June Meeting (Click on photo to enlarge)

 Here is Michelle with her wonderful group of Shirley Temples from the 1930's to the 1970's. On the shelf in the back is a Shirley in a very rare Blue Bird dress (from the movie).

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Left to right Deanna Durbin Doll from Ideal Toy Company; Sonja Henning Doll from Madame Alexander (also famous actresses in the 1930's); middle taller doll is a Shirley Temple look alike-Miss Charming; Shirley Temple on the far right is from the 1950's

On the left is a vinyl Shirley Temple from the 1970's; in the middle is a composition Shirley Temple Doll in the red and white "Stand Up and Cheer" dress; the Shirley Temple in the pink dress is from the 1930's in the dress "Baby Take A Bow"; Shirley Temple in the peach outfit is a look alike similar to the dolls made from Blossom Doll Company; sailor Shirley Temple is from the 1930's and the brown complexion doll is made with the Shirley Temple mold-"The Marama Doll."  

These are dolls brought by members.  The middle one is Baby Shirley.

Shirley with trunk and wardrobe.

Composition Shirley in very good condition

Shirley Temple Dolls - Program for June

Michelle gave a fascinating program on Shirley Temple dolls, and brought a table full that she had collected. Below is a summary:  

 Shirley Temple was discovered at the age of three by a film producer named Jack Hays, who saw her taking tap dancing lessons. He was excited to have her star in a series of short films. 
She later auditioned for "Stand Up and Cheer" and "Baby Take a Bow." After the success of these two movies and many, many others Ideal Novelty and Toy Company gained exclusive rights to manufacture dolls using her name. 

The first Shirley Temple dolls were marketed in fall of 1934, at that time, "Stand Up and Cheer" had just come out, and Shirley was just beginning to gain popularity. These dolls were made of composition. Because Ideal (the ONLY company licensed to sell the Shirley Temple doll) did not know how successful the dolls would be, the first dolls, the "prototype" doll, were not marked Shirley Temple, and were only marked on the inside of the head "(C) 1934 Ideal Novelty and Toy Co."(also might be marked just Ideal on the head), these dolls had chubbier cheeks than the Shirleys made later in production, probably because Shirley was so young, and chubby herself. These dolls are slightly more valuable than the later Shirley dolls.  Once Christmas of 1934 came, and Ideal saw how successful the Shirley doll would be, they got a patent on the Shirley Temple doll. For the first year of production, the name SHIRLEY TEMPLE was stamped on the doll along with a COP, which stood for Copyright Pending. Once Ideal got the copyright, the dolls said SHIRLEY TEMPLE on their head and back. The markings came as follows:

1.SHIRLEY TEMPLE (in the shape of a half circle)
2.SHIRLEY TEMPLE (in the shape of a half circle) IDEAL N.&T.Co. (inside the half circle, usually written IDEAL, straight across, on one line, and N.&T.Co. on the next), this mark also came with COP (C with the O and P inside it), to stand for Copyright Pending
3.Shirley Temple
SHIRLEY TEMPLE (just as written)
4.Shirley Temple with IDEAL in a diamond below it, I have also seen just the Ideal in the diamond on the back of some Shirley dolls.

Many of Ideal dolls used the Shirley Temple body, and therefore just because a compo doll is marked SHIRLEY TEMPLE on her back does not mean that she is a Shirley Temple doll. Two Ideal dolls actually used the Shirley face mold as well, these were the compo Ideal Snow White doll, and the "Marama" doll, a cute doll with a brown complexion, long dark yarn hair, and painted eyes dressed in a hula skirt. These two dolls are also collected by some Shirley collectors because they were made with the Shirley mold and are slightly more valuable than if they had not been made with the Shirley mold.



In 1935-1936 came the Shirley Temple baby dolls. These dolls had a composition shoulder plate, head, legs, arms and a cloth body. Vinyl dolls were made from 1957-1963 during Shirley's popularity and during the Shirley Storybook Series on TV. They were made out of vinyl, with a smiling dimpled mouth and saran hair. In the 1970's Montgomery Ward came out with a Shirley doll. She was made of vinyl, with saran hair, curled in front and short in the back. In the 1980's the vinyl Shirley Dolls were made. They came in 8" and 12" sizes and in a variety of her movie costumes. These dolls have pale white skin supposedly because the actress Shirley Temple wanted them to look more like porcelain dolls. From 1986 to now, Danbury Mint makes Shirley Temple dolls. They are limited edition dolls with elaborate costumes.



Many parents in the 1930's could not afford to buy a Shirley Temple doll for their own children, because they were so expensive. So, many companies offered their own version of the Shirley Temple doll. Some of these dolls have the names: Miss Charming, Little Miss Movie, The Movie Queen and Little Sweetheart. These dolls are not marked.

Blog on Making 1" Scale Dollhouse Furniture

http://1inchminisbykris.blogspot.com/

Very interesting blog!

Happy Birthday, Janet Hoyle!

We hope you have had a Happy Birthday, Janet!  Here is an interesting old cloth doll for you.

Beauregard/Keyes House, French Quarter, New Orleans, with Doll Collection

Confederate General Beauregard lived here in the 1800's, and author Francis Parkinson Keyes lived here about 30 years (1940-s to 1970's), and wrote many of her 52 published books here.  Below are a few of the most interesting dolls from the collection - an SFBJ, a parian, a blonde common hairdo china, a wonderful dollhouse completely furnished, and a wax-over with pupilless glass eyes in a case.

2013 Annual Doll Sale B'ham Doll Club of AL

Note:  Click on photo to enlarge.

Here are some highlights of our Annual Doll Sale held in Vestavia Hills, AL yesterday.  We had a fun day selling and buying, and it is always educational.  I always find out something new about doll collecting and costuming.

Annual Doll Sale - B'ham Doll Club of AL

Antique and modern dolls and accessories

Free appraisals

May 4, 2013 from 8 to 2

1809 Mission Road, Vestavia Hills, AL

Happy Birthday, Michelle!

Happy Birthday, Michelle!!!  Here is a stuffed rabbit by Hansa for you.  Hope your day is great.

Happy Birthday, Dorothy!!!

Here are Md. Alexander Ginny dolls from the New Orleans UFDC Convention last year.

Teddy Bear Display

Here are some of my favorite bears - including artist bears, one offs (one of a kind), an antique, and a crocheted set of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, which makes me smile.  The bear on the bicycle won 3rd Place in his category at the United Federation of Doll Clubs Convention in New Orleans last year (out of 23).  Click on photo to enlarge.

Delicious Party Pound Cake

Besides giving a delightful program on small dolls, Debra served this delicious pound cake.

Kathy’s Party Pound Cake



1 box pound cake mix
4 eggs
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese

Have eggs, butter and cream cheese at room temperature.
Combine cake mix, butter, and 2 eggs.  Mix well (batter will be stiff).  Spread in a greased 9x13 pan.  Combine cream cheese, sugar (save enough to dust on top after baking), 2 eggs, and vanilla.  Spread over cake.  Sprinkle pecans on top.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Sprinkle sugar on top and cut into small squares.

April Meeting - Program on Small Dolls (8" and under)

COLLECTING SMALL DOLLS
PROGRAM FOR APRIL



Our program for April was about collecting small dolls eight inches and under.  There are a multitude of dolls made of various materials that fall into this category , but we focused on the original all bisque and subsequent bisque-head with composition body small dolls.

During the 1860’s and 1870’s there were already miniature dolls such as all-wooden dolls, bisque and china-headed dollhouse dolls, and china “frozen Charlottes.” However, in 1878 a different kind of miniature doll was born.  In that year an advertisement appeared in La Poupee Modele, a French children’s magazine.  It announced the birth of “poupees de poches,” or pocket dolls.  These little all-bisque dolls looked like a realistic child, with real wig and glass eyes.  They were fully articulated and could be dressed and undressed.  Earliest production of the little all-bisque dolls appears to have been French, but within two years the French doll shops started using German doll firms for their “French” all-bisque dolls.  The German firms of Simon and Halbig and Kestner made many of the early all-bisque dolls for the French trade.  The all-bisque dolls were immediately very popular, but for some reason the name “pocket doll” was not.  In 1880, only two years after their introduction, they were re-named “Mademoiselle Mignonette.”

Around 1900, the meaning of the word “mignonette” changed.  Instead of meaning only the all-bisque doll, a “mignonette” became any small bisque-head doll regardless of the body material or quality.  The doll firms began putting the bisque heads on small composition bodies and these were also known as “mignonettes.  These dolls were much less expensive than the all-bisque dolls.

We had the largest doll attendance we've ever had at a meeting, I think!  Sorry I couldn't post all the photos.  We had all kinds of dolls for show and tell including bisque, china, papier mache, cloth, composition, wood, and celluloid.

A great book

Bisque Kewpie, all bisque, Hitty, etc.

Some great small bisque heads with compo bodies

Cloth ethnic dolls

Bisque heads

A mix of bisue, cloth, and wood

Palmer Cox Brownies, cloth