My Dolls at a glance

This collage shows many of my favorite dolls

Some are by Peggy Nesbit

some are five inch porcelain Madame Alexander dolls

there are also my antique asian dolls

Two are my Lenci girls

and there are several dolls that I made during workshops at UDFC conventions

I love my dolls

Double left click on the picture to enlarge, then scroll up/down and across.

This is a picture of the Hitty doll I carved at Janet Denton Cordell's class in 2009 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sharon

3 FRENCH DOLLS DRESSED BY 3 GENERATIONS

These 12" half dolls on wooden bases are marked "France," and in the 1880's they were placed on mantels and pianos. These dolls are probably made of a substance called biscaloid, a ceramic or composition substance for making dolls, also called "imitation bisque." The bodies are smooth and hard.

The one on the left was owned and dressed in the 1880's by a member's grandmother. The other 2 were found at Trade Day at Scottsboro, AL, about 1966 when antique dolls were available for sale there in the Courthouse square. Her mother dressed the second one in the late 1960's, and the third was dressed by the member herself in 1973. We appreciate the sharing of this special story.

DOLL CARVING CLASS WITH JANET CORDELL

Here are photos that Sharon Kirby shared of the recent wood carving class with the famous carver Janet Denton Cordell in April 2009 in Birmingham. She said everyone thoroughly enjoyed the class and learned a lot. You can see what wonderful work they turned out, even though some are beginners.

The next carving class in Birmingham, AL will be April 9, 10, and 11, 2010. If you are interested in taking this class or if you have any questions, please email Sharon Kirby at barbiesr@mindspring.com.

You do not have to be a carver to take this class. Beginners are welcome!

TWO DOLL DISPLAYS

At the top is a very old wooden cradle (probably 1800's) used to display old chinas. The 4 "middle ones" are dressed as U.S. First Ladies, i.e. Mary Todd Lincoln, Dolley Smith Todd Madison, Abigail Smith Adams, and Jane Appleton Pierce. These four were found together in an antique shop in New Orleans. All these dolls range in age from 1840 to about 1900.

The second photo shows an early 20th century wicker doll buggy holding a blonde china from about 1880 and a "pumpkin head" papier mache with pupiless glass eyes and wooden limbs from the same time period. She wears a gold-filled woven memorial hair pin dated 1840.

VISIT TO TOM AZUMA'S

Here are some of Tom Azuma'a antique doll replicas, which are exquisite. The Birmingham Doll Club recently visited him at his home, admired, and bought many of his dolls. He has been doing this for 30 years, and dresses them authentically in old fabrics and laces. The doll at the top has a rubber band on to hold the pate, which had not been glued yet.

PART OF AN ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTION

Here are some of Tom Azuma's antique dolls. He has collected for years, but long ago, he decided that they are so expensive that he would make them himself. He began to make antique reproduction dolls and dress them in old fabrics. His work is exquisite, and is shown on another post on this blog.

DOLL COLLECTION MIRRORS HISTORY

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090506/NEWS/905059942/1007/NEWS02

RODDY WALKER DOLL, MADE IN ENGLAND

I found this sweet 8.5" hard plastic walker (when legs move, head moves side to side) doll at an antique shop in Philadelphia, MS. She is marked "Roddy" and "Made in England," and was probably made in the 1940's. She wears an original cotton print dress and has molded shoes, and has glassene sleep eyes.

ABOUT.COM: DOLL COLLECTING (WEBSITE)

About.com: Doll Collecting

Click on the above to see an interesting website about doll collecting. This page has information about French fashions, Barbies, and the legal problems of modern Lee Middleton dolls. You may get help with identifying dolls, etc.

STONE BISQUE DOLL WITH CREPE PAPER DRESS

I found this 6.5"sweetie at an antique shop. She has jointed arms. She's dressed in a crepe paper dress adorned with old metal tinsel and crepe paper underclothes. I didn't undress her to look for a mark, but it's probably "Made in Japan." I'd date her in the 20's or 30's, and her paint makes her appear to be brand new, which is unusual for these play dolls. The paint was applied after firing, not fired in, therefore, it will wash off or rub off if you're not careful.

Doll Shoes Pattern

CLICK ON THE ABOVE PICTURE TO GET THE FULL PATTERN.

Sharon

SMALL PORCELAIN NODDER

Haven't heard from Janet, but I think this one is about 3" tall. Cute.

GOOGLY AND NODDER (GERMAN)

Here are 2 recent acquisitions of a former Birmingham Doll Club member who decided to collect small dolls. She had run out of room for the large ones. Here are (top) a Goebel Googly with sleep glass eyes and possibly original clothes and on bottom a brown nodder. His head moves when touched, and the rest of his body is stationary. The Googly is 6" tall, and the Brown Nodder is 3" tall. Good choices, Janet!

jointed pictures by barbiesenior - Photobucket

jointed pictures by barbiesenior - Photobucket

Here are photos of a wooden doll Sharon carved in her carving class. Great, Sharon! Click on the above, and double click to enlarge.

BARBIE IN CHINA

BARBIE IN CHINA?

Click on the above to read about Mattell's Chinese venture.

UFDC REGION 9 NEWSLETTER, SPRING 2009

UFDC Region 9 Newsletter

Click on the above to see the latest Region 9 Newsletter.

Barbie, the Big 5-0

Barbie, the Big 5-0

Click above to see an interview with a Barbie designer.

BARBIE MILLICENT ROBERTS IS 50!

Barbie is 50 today! Happy Birthday, Barbie! Click on the line below to see a news article and a video.

Barbie is 50

Madame Alexander Dolls

Martha Ann, before any of your club members think I speak with a lisp, whistle show tunes, like Liberace and prance around at gay pride parades, let me settle on the basis for my question: my daughter told me that Madame Alexander dolls are very valuable collectibles — and that some are worth thousands. First, is this true? And, second, do you or any of your members think there is an investment value in acquiring one or more. You know, like valuable old coins, paintings, etc.

DOLL RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION

Below is the clickable site where I found this information on the internet. You may want to click on this to get more information than I was able to put in this post.


doll restoration


Doll Restoration and Conservation
What you need to know
"Conservation differs from restoration by aiming to preserve and clarify what survives, rather than replace what is missing."

"Conservation is a race against time"

"Do nothing that cannot be undone" (Bettyanne Twigg, UFDC President)

There is an epidemic in doll collecting--an epidemic of doll restoration. This epidemic has been fostered by the easy, open market of eBay and other online auction houses, which has allowed collectors to easily sell items from their collections (as well as their garage sale and estate sale finds). Naturally, a vintage or antique doll that is photo-ready with a perky dress, bright painted features and a neat hairdo is going to sell quicker than a doll with aged-looking clothing, faded paint and flaws. So, collectors by the thousands are taking their vintage and antique dolls that are not in mint condition, and they are doing everything in their power to make the doll and its outfit more perfect--they curl and style the hair, they wash, bleach and starch the doll costume (or replace it entirely, whether it is original to the doll or not), and they repair tears and repaint facial features.

Now, I am not NECESSARILY saying there is anything wrong with this....what I AM saying is that there is a right way to restore a doll that preserves its originality, historical value, and that does not damage a doll. On the other hand, careless restoration can actually damage the value of the doll, and also destroy any historical value it might have. I agree strongly with, and cannot emphasize enough, the importance of the UFDC motto on doll conservation and restoration: "Do nothing that cannot be undone."

Additionally, a vital aspect of doll collecting is often overlooked by eager doll collectors--conservation of their dolls. To conserve dolls is to preserve them--to fight against the damaging forces of temperature, light, insects, dirt, dust and time. Conservation, properly done and understood, will help your treasures last your lifetime, and hopefully to also last for generations to come.

This multi-part article will help you navigate the topics of doll restoration and conservation. There are sections on conservation/restoration of bisque dolls, vinyl dolls, doll costumes, doll wigs and paper preservation. There is also an extensive bibliography, and links to sites with further information on these topics. I have taken the information in this article from many sources--my own experience, the experience of my husband who has taken an in-depth course in porcelain and composition repair, and courses on restoration and conservation taken at UFDC conventions given by well-known doll conservationist (and UFDC president!) Bettyanne Twigg, and also given by the conservator at the Strong Museum in Rochester, NY.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions are not necessarily the ONLY ones--some people would call preservation and conservation the same process. I will use preservation and conservation interchangeably here.

Preservation: Protect a doll from destructive forces--heat, light, insects, dust and dirt.

Conservation: Treat something which already happened and HALT the problem (string a doll, treat an insect infestation, re-set eyes that have fallen out, stop further melting of silks, etc.)

Restoration: Replace or fix something NOT on a doll, or improve something on a doll. Cleaning dirty outfits, add a new finger, restyle/add a wig, repaint a doll.

General Principles of Doll Restoration

How Severe Should The Restoration Be?: I've mentioned it in the introduction, and I'll mention it here again--do NOTHING that cannot be undone--at least to any vintage or antique doll with historical value--most antique dolls, vintage dolls with original clothing an presentation, etc. Now, obviously if you have a vintage Barbie that is a basket case--no face paint, vinyl splits, hair a mess, no original clothing--the doll has little or NO historical (or other!) value, and that is a perfect candidate for no-holds barred restoration including perhaps treatments and repainting that cannot be undone! The only caveat I have here is if you DO restore a doll that is a total basket case, PLEASE employ the proper ethics and make sure that all such restoration is disclosed upon the sale of the doll.

Wash Your Hands! Wash your hands quite a bit while you are working with vintage or antique dolls-or wear gloves. Oils from your hands transfer to dolls and doll clothing. You don't SEE the oils, but the oils attract bugs, mold, and dirt. Some people use baby wipes to clean their hands--I use plain soap (such as ivory) and water only since I am worried about types of residue that baby wipes may leave on dolls and their clothes. Another reason to use gloves when working with dolls is to protect yourself from substances that can be ON new, unfamiliar your dolls--You should use gloves to protect yourself when working with unfamiliar dolls (you don't know if pesticides have been used, etc.) I will admit that I have a hard time following this advice, as I hate to wear gloves when I am working.

SEE What You are Doing: Use white cloths to clean dolls so you can SEE what the effect is--are you lifting just dirt from the doll, or also paints, too? And, only work in a very well lighted area; if you have daylight corrected bulbs, that is ideal.

Be Prepared: Have everything before you (tools, materials, etc). set out before you start. Don't eat/drink while you are working (bad things from the doll can get in your food and drink--bugs, chemicals, even pesticide residues--you DON'T know what treatments/problems a doll ahs before you get it!) AND, trust me, coffee spilled all over a composition doll or body you are working on WILL damage it.

Ventilation!: Only repair dolls with proper ventilation--some of the items that are used for cleaning and restoring dolls can give off harmful fumes.

Keep a Trail....If you take a doll completely apart, sketch things before you do this so you can get them back together again (this is particularly important for dolls with complicated bodies that need restringing).

Ethics of Selling a Restored Doll: If you sell a doll, you MUST disclose any changes made to the doll--any repainting, repairs, added materials (new eyes, wig). For certain vintage dolls such as vintage Barbie, even restyling the hair effects the value and should be disclosed; so does washing the clothing. However, you do not have to disclose basic conservation measures such as cleaning dolls. For antique dolls, washing of clothing and restyling of wigs is generally not required to be disclosed.

Don't miss the rest of the articles (below!) in this series--find out everything from how to clean a composition doll, to how to repair a split in a vinyl Barbie doll, to how to clean doll clothes safely, and also where to find LOTS of additional information!

Second Page > General Principles of Doll Conservation: How To Make Your Treasures Last! > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Third Page > Tips For Successful Doll Restoration > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Fourth Page > Tips on Doll Costume and Textile Restoration > 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Fifth Page > Special Tips for Restoration of Barbie and other Plastic Dolls >1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Sixth Page > Links to Suppliers of Conservation and Restoration Products; Links to sites About Conservation and Restoration > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Seventh Page > Bibliography: Books on Doll Restoration and Conservation > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

M and M's Miniature Baby Dolls, Ashton Drake

M&M's Miniature Baby Dolls

Click on the link above to see M&M's Miniature Baby Dolls. They are cute, and realistically detailed for such small dolls.

BABY LOVE N TOUCH BY MATTEL 1979

 

 

Here is a cute collectible 13" vinyl and cloth baby doll, which resembles the 1943 Effanbee soft, floppy, cloth-bodied Babyette baby doll. Love N Touch has a vinyl head with rooted hair and painted eyes, vinyl hands, and "bottom," which can be seen through the p.j. opening in back. There is also an African-American version. The doll feels "floppy," just like a real baby, and poses well. You can find them at good prices on ebay. The original outfit is an all-in-one footed yellow pajama with hood.

BASKET OF ANTIQUE GERMAN BABY DOLLS

 

Here are some antique baby dolls. There are 2 Bye-Lo babies on the left, and one on the right (made in Germany and designed by Grace Storey Putnam using a newborn as a model), a large K star R Kaiser baby 100 in solid cap on the left (so-called because he was named for the Kaiser's son who had a withered arm) and a smaller Kaiser baby to the right, a large Armand Marseiles baby with lower teeth in crocheted cap on the left and a large baby on the right with painted eyes marked only 3-11. Holding a greeting card is a small Heubach baby. There is an Armand Marseiles Dream Baby in front of the 2 on the left wearing caps. Comment below if you have questions. Remember to double click on the picture to enlarge it.

Raggedy Anns and Andy

 

 

Here is a "Mama-made" Raggedy Ann which took my fancy at the Huntsville Doll Show and Sale. She is my mascot during chemo; I love her expressive eyebrows, her surprised look, and crazy outfit. She makes me smile.

Here are a pair of Knickerbocker Raggedies from the 60's that I found at the flea market for $5.00 each. What a find for a collector! They are all original, even with ribbons and hat, and obviously never played with.

Raggedies are definitely collectible, and still can be found at reasonable prices.

DREAM COME TRUE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

 

 

Someone must have been good all year for Santa to bring this for a present! Here is "Angelique," a French Figure A Steiner, circa 1887 and made for 4 years. She has a creamy, flawless bisque surface, gentle shading and painting of features and plump molding. She has huge, blue paperweight eyes, a full-lipped closed mouth and an antique blonde wig. Her straight wrist excellent Steiner body encases a working "Mama/Papa" crier with the original pull strings. Angelique wears antique silk, an antique bonnet of silk and antique shoes of pale blue leather

INTERESTING CHINA AND BISQUE DOLLS

+++ REMEMBER TO LEFT CLICK TWICE ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE +++

 

 

 

If you have questions about these dolls, please comment below.

CHINA AND BISQUE DOLLS

 

 

 

 

Here are some very interesting chinas (shiny as opposed to mat) and a few bisque (unshiny) dolls - also a few compositions, including a Shirley Temple. The chinas with the blue bows are highly unusual for chinas; the bows and hairdos are different, and the sloping shoulders show they are early. If you have questions about them, please click on comment below.