UFDC Special Exhibits Convention 2012

The 2 Japanese dolls (about 36" tall) are 2 of 27 Friendship Dolls sent from Japan to the U.S. in the 1930's. During WWII they disappeared, and are gradually being discovered and restored.

UFDC Convention 2012 Special Exhibits

Here are a few pics I took at the special exhibits at the UFDC Convention in New Orleans.  More to come.

Rock Doll (Who Knew One Existed?)

Here is a rock doll (yes, that's right - made from a rock) that has won ribbons in competition.  Amazing.  It was made in the early 80's by a member's mother.

Finding a Doll Treasure, a Discarded Izannah Walker

While traipsing horseback through an open clearing on a hot Summer day in July of 1975, my sister, my cousin and myself stumbled upon an unusual sight—a ravine filled with treasures from days gone by. We couldn’t believe it; we climbed down into the opening and began a thorough search of its contents.

There were letters sent from family members from the turn of the century which warranted a few minutes of reading, but almost immediately my eyes caught on a dirty little doll that had been abandoned among all of these things and I knew it was my duty to rescue the poor thing. Unfortunately she was wearing a filthy little white dress and my Mother refused her entrance into our car for the drive home.

I managed to sneak the doll into the car as we were leaving and surprised my Mother with her when we reached home. I was given a reprieve and allowed to keep my new found doll. We discovered from my aunt that the property upon which we had been riding was being used to dispose of the contents of several older homes which were being torn down and replaced with apartments in Ft. Worth, Texas area.

A few months later my family moved to Amarillo, Texas. My Mom decided to surprise me and find out something about my newly acquired doll. The doll lady she consulted was so excited to see the doll. She told us that it was an Izannah Walker Doll.

At the time there didn’t seem to be too much information available on her, but the doll lady said she was worth several thousands of dollars. We couldn’t believe it! It was like I had found a real treasure! You can’t even imagine the surprise we experienced in our little family to have found something of such value. I was so excited to have rescued her!

The doll lady asked to take my doll—who by that time had been christened Tabitha-- to the UFDC Region Six Meeting in May of 1976. My Mom sewed Tabitha fresh new undergarments of batiste and a calico dress by hand. My doll won a second place ribbon at that meeting, but she has a first place spot in my heart even today. She has been a member of my family now for 37 years.

Sent in for the blog by reader and follower Kathy Bahlmann.


Note:  Several readers have noticed that this sweet doll has probably been repainted, but still a heart-warming story and a very loved doll.

FYI:  Izannah Walker made cloth stockinette dolls, with pressed mask face, oil-painted features, applied ears, brush-stroked or corkscrew curls, stitched hands and feet, some with painted boots. 1840's-1888, Central Falls, Rhode Island.

Carved Wooden Hitty Dolls by Sharon Kirby

We are so proud of our club member Sharon's wonderful carving and painting skills.  Here are 5 of her Hitty dolls, approximately 6 l/4" tall,  which are for sale at $350.00 each - 2 regular Hitty's (1st and last pics), one with stained instead of painted hair, an Asian Hitty, and Little Lulu.  Contact information:  barbiesr@mindspring.com

Old Doll Quilt (1903) from Penalosa, Kansas

Here is a very old (1903) doll quilt, 18" x 14".  It is a crazy quilt with embroidered letters "Penalosa, Kansas" and numbers "4" and "03".  Also something that looks like "8," which could be the age of the maker.  Her initials could be "E" and "W," which are also on the quilt.  I emailed the city officials (population about 20) to see if they know who made the quilt.

If anyone else has an old doll quilt for the blog, please send pics to me at hopkins.martha@att.net.

BTW, this old cradle is probably about 1880, and the twin Armand Marseille dolls, 8" long, are probably from about 1910..  

UFDC Convention Sales Room, Public Day

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=UFDC+dolls&oq=UFDC&gs_l=youtube.1.0.35i39j0l5j0i5.1696.2458.0.4485.4.4.0.0.0.0.81.272.4.4.0...0.0.5IMvRmLkR8g

Black Dolls from Africa

Here are 3 dolls from Africa made for tourist trade.  The first is straw-stuffed cloth, the second is cloth with bead decoration, and the third is carved wood.  

Chase Doll, Breakaway Dollhouse, Dollhouse Dolls

A Martha Chase cloth doll  in great condition with dog pillow

Dollhouse about 12" tall

Showing breakaway feature with furniture.

Tiny dollhouse dolls (about 2" tall).  

L: All Bisque wire strung

R:  Made by AL doll artist Florence Kegley

Black Dolls (Double click on photos to enlarge)

Here is an old cloth black doll with oil painted face, a baby composition, another old black handmade cloth doll, Florence Kegley bisque artist doll, and an English Gollywog.

Here is a closeup of this great cloth doll.  You can always double click on photos to enlarge.

Two old topsy turvy black/white dolls with a reproduction bisque doll, a nut doll, and above a shoulder head bisque by Florence Kegley, AL doll artist.

Here is a lovely doll of color, probably by Simon Halbig (bisque head).

Closeup of the Asian doll.

An Exhibit of Black Cloth Dolls 1870 - 1930 NO LONGER HIDDEN

http://www.blackclothdolls.com/web.pdf

Click on the URL above for a treat.

Collecting Black Dolls

Our June program was on black dolls and dolls of color.  Many doll manufacturers through the years starting in the 1800's have made black dolls in porcelain and other materials, including Bru and other French companies such as Lanternier, Eden Bebe, Jumeau, Steiner, and others.  Many German manufacturers also made black dolls such as Kestner, Simon Halbig, Heubach, K star R, and many others.  Some had black features and some used white doll molds painted black.  They have been made in every material imaginable, including cloth (Martha Chase, Alabama Baby, Bruckner, Steiff, etc.), composition (Effanbee, Horsman, Averill, etc.), hard plastic, vinyl, and rubber.  There are many fabulous homemade one-of-a kind cloth primitive black dolls that are fun to collect, especially the older ones with great character.  Also naturalistic and beautiful modern black dolls are now being made.

Here are 2 old dolls.  The one on the left is a nut (head) doll, and on the right is a bottle doll (bottle covered with same cloth as the dress.  In front are a tiny celluloid Frozen Charlotte and 3 soft vinyl babies.

Here is a Judith Condon (NIADDA) artist doll, all porcelain, dated 1981, dressed by owner.

Three Golliwog type dolls in cloth.  These dolls were popular for years in England, especially.  The features are usually exagerated, and by the 1980's they had waned in popularity with some considering them derogatory to people of color.

A wonderful old handmade doll, very sweet, probably 1920's.

Here are some that were brought for show and tell by members, including Mammy and Miss Prissy from Gone with the Wind, a beautiful Simon Halbig Japanese reproduction by Tom Azuma, and a few black/white topsy turvy dolls on the left.

A few New Orleans rag dolls on the left, black Raggedies, and a black Bye-Lo reproduction.

Here are 2 great cloth dolls on the left, and a printed Wade Davis (son of Aunt Jemima) cloth doll lying down.  Also a Beloved Belindy and stone bisque baby dolls and a composition Bye Lo in front.  

Here is a great old cloth black doll, origin unknown.

She was made by Florence Kegley, an Alabama artist and doll collector (all bisque - heavy).

A French  Paris Unis bisque head doll, very pretty.

Wade Davis printed doll (son of Aunt Jemima), 2 stone bisques from New Orleans, and a celluloid with sleep eyes and African costume and textured hair.

Last but not least, a closeup of the lovely Simon Halbig Japanese bisque reproduction, dressed authentically by Alabama doll maker Tom Azuma.