BIRMINGHAM DOLL CLUB OF ALABAMA

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Birmingham Doll Club October 11, 2015 Meeting

The October 11, 2015 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club was hosted by Linda Noland. Linda presented the Ginger doll by Cosmopolitan. Ginger, a popular small plastic doll of the 1950's, was a rival to Vogue's Ginny. Like Ginny, Ginger had many additional clothes and accessories that little girls could purchase for their dolls. Linda shared her beautiful collection of Gingers and gave pointers on distinguishing Ginger from the many look-a-likes that were on the market at the same time.

Cosmopolitan Ginger has a side seam running down the middle of her ear


Cosmopolitan Ginger has molded toes. Note the Ginger doll stand!

Many of the Ginger look-a-likes had molded shoes on their feet instead of molded toes.


Ginger had a variety of eye sizes and styles. The earliest Gingers had small to medium sized eyes with painted eyelashes.

Later Gingers might have medium or large eyes (like this doll) with molded eyelashes. Early dolls had hard plastic heads and bodies. Later dolls had vinyl heads.

Pretty harlequin costume

This Ginger is wearing a Girl Scouts uniform and Linda's own Girl Scouts pin!


Lovely!

Baby Ginger

Original Miss Ginger box

Miss Ginger and Linda's childhood Ginger doll. Cosmopolitan made matching dress sets for Miss Ginger and Ginger.

Ginger's trunk

Monday, September 14, 2015

September 13, 2015 Meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club

The September meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club was hosted by Barbara. The theme of this meeting was "Summer Finds" and we had a special guest, Mary Beth Newbil, from the Birmingham Public Library. Ms. Newbil updated us on Alabama's Japanese Friendship doll, Miss Iwate. Miss Iwate is currently in Japan undergoing expert restoration. Miss Iwate is expected to return to Alabama next spring and we will all be very excited to have her back.

Here are some of our summer finds to enjoy!

Jane Withers by Madame Alexander

Phillis Wheatly by Robert Raikes

Beautiful hand carved wooden doll

Flirty eyed celluloid baby

Dolls from the 2015 UFDC Convention and a Kathy Kruse Doll

Smiling Klumpe artisit

Dionne Quintuplets

Baps Simple Simon and the Pie man

Schoenhut

Sweet little Effanbee

What a beautiful smile!

Tom Azuma reproduction (gorgeous doll!!)

UFDC 2015 Convention Doll

Barbie!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

MAY 16, 2015 BIRMINGHAM DOLL CLUB ANNUAL SALE!!!!

Save the Date!!!!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Birmingham Doll Club

Annual Doll Sale

1809 Mission Road

9:00 am to 2:00 pm

There will be a variety of items including antique to modern dolls, collectible dolls, play dolls, doll magazines, and doll related items. Some proceeds to benefit charities. Bring your dolls for free ID and values.

Friday, March 27, 2015

February 21rst Montgomery Doll Club Luncheon

On February 21, 2015 a number of the members attended a very enjoyable Mother Goose Luncheon held by the Montgomery Area Doll Club. Attendees each received an adorable souvenir googly porcelain doll made by Glinda Martine and dressed by Sharon Strickler. There were numerous helper items and silent auctions of dolls. During lunch, there was a vintage clothing fashion show by the Goodwill Industries Volunteer Services auxiliary. A very good time!!!

Mary, Mary, how does your garden grow?

Thursday, February 19, 2015

February 8, 2015 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club

Janet S. was the hostess for the February 8, 2015 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club. Janet presented an interesting and informative lecture on Doll Cases. Janet displayed many cases from her collection that dated from the 1950's to the 1970's. The art work on these cases was often very beautiful and showcased the current fashions of the time.

Janet is holding a Betsy McCall case that she has had since childhood.

This is Janet's favorite and most unusual case, a Barbie case that was made in France.

Later cases (example of the left), had actual Barbie fashions displayed on the cover.

This cute case was from Sharon's collection

Friday, January 30, 2015

Ruth Gibbs Dolls

January 10, 2015 Meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club

Jill S. served as hostess and gave a presentation on Ruth Gibbs Dolls. Ruth Gibbs dolls were created and produced by Ruth Gibbs and her husband, Herbert Johnson. Ruth Gibbs was an antique doll collector who worked as a design stylist and merchandizing consultant for Dennison’s Department Store in NYC. The couple had a strong desire to produce a china doll that would not only be collectable, but could also be played with by little girls. Ruth Gibbs began making the dolls in the early 1940’s. In 1948 a patent was issued for “Ruth Gibb’s Godey’s Lady Book Dolls”. The dolls were produced in a factory in Flemington, NJ. Herbert Johnson managed the factory. The dolls had a china shoulder head, china lower arms, china lower legs, and a cloth body. There was wire inside the bodies to make the dolls easy to pose. The dolls were produced in 12” and 7”, with the smaller size being more popular. Early dolls had white skin and looked more like antique china dolls. Later dolls had pale pink or dark brown skin (rare) and a more modern, page boy hair style. The dolls are inscribed “Ruth Gibbs” on their back. Hair colors were brown, black, blonde, and red. Rare dolls had applied wigs. Most of the dolls had gold painted shoes, though other colors (to match the hair color) were made. The doll’s faces were hand painted. The dolls were sold in many different styles of clothes including story book and fairy tale characters, brides, and colonial ladies. The dolls were also sold undressed with a dress pattern so the new owner could sew for her doll. Production of the china head dolls ceased in the mid 1950’s. Plastic dolls were later produced for a short time.