Glad to Help

This authentic antique baby doll will be traveling to the United Federation Of Doll Clubs (UFDC) 77th annual convention in New Orleans to be a "helper." This donation by our club will be used to raise funds for UFDC. At the convention, the helpers are put on display and attendees buy raffle tickets and place the tickets in a box in front of the items they hope to win. 

The doll is Marked "Century Doll Co. Kestner Germany." It was produced by the renown doll firm of J.D. Kestner for the Century Doll Company, founded in 1909 in New York by by Max Scheuer. The company continued in business until 1928, when it was merged with the Domec Toy Company. This adorable infant has the cutest character face with sleeping blue glass eyes and full coral lips. The head is of rosy smooth bisque, with pudgy composition hands and a cloth body. Dressed in vintage clothing, this darling doll is 16 inches long.

 

June 7, 2026, Meeting

Elaine Jackson explained that her program was about two dolls in our collections; one that we wonder why we still have it and the other we would keep even if we had to give all our other dolls away. Her two examples were this Peruvian llama herder (Elaine gave him his little llama) and the wooden cowboy. She said that the llama herder has a ceramic head and a cloth body. Another club member, Jenell Howell, had acquired him when she purchased a doll collection and despite his traveling to several doll shows with Jenell, no one purchased him. Elaine was helping Jenell pack up her booth after one such show and Jenell gifted him to Elaine. Somehow, he is still in her doll cabinet. 

This cowboy however is the one doll she would always keep. Carved by Austin artist Nancy Grobe, he is all wood, even to his cowboy boots. Her husband had ordered him from Nancy some 40 years ago as a Christmas gift to Elaine. He even commissioned Nancy to dress the doll.

Sharon Weintraub told the club that this fashion doll by Francois Gaultier was her first French doll when she was a beginning collector. The doll has a repaired shoulderplate and was dressed by Ann Campbell, who was an early member of the club. Sharon said that she had traded her childhood Chatty Cathy and Madame Alexander Wendy dolls for it (both dolls and their wardrobes were in excellent condition because Sharon did not care much for dolls as a child). However, as Sharon became a more knowledgable and advanced collector, the doll is no longer one of the highlights of her collection but, for some reason, she is still there.    

On the other hand, Sharon said that this French type all-bisque doll is one she would always keep. Sharon told the club that her mother had always wanted to do to a doll auction and in 2013, when Theriaults held one in Dallas, Sharon and her mother made plans to go. Sharon had reserved a hotel room in Dallas and she and her mother would drive there and stay the weekend. However, on her way to pick up Sharon, her mother had a car accident. Although she was unhurt, the car was totaled. Sharon rushed to the scene and told her mother she would cancel the hotel reservation. Instead her mother insisted they were going and would take Sharon's car. So they went and her mother had a wonderful time. When Sharon was reluctant to bid higher on this doll, she told the club that her mother grabbed the bidding paddle out of her hand and held it up, resulting in the winning bid. 

Jenell told the club that actually she really likes this all-original 10.5-inch Toni doll by American Character, but that the doll just does not fit with the rest of her collection and Jenell has never found the right place for her in the doll cabinets.

This all-original Number 1 Barbie by Mattel is however the one doll she can always find a space for. She purchased the doll from her original owner. The owner's father was in the military and had brought it to her from Japan when she was a little girl.

Bette Birdsong told the club that she had always wanted a bebe from the French firm of Schmitt et Fils. To purchase this dog, Bette said that she traveled two days and nights by train. She loves the doll's fat, funny cheeks.

On the other hand, she found this black ramp walker doll at a doll show, It is missing its arms and she bought it with the idea that her husband would carve her new ones, but that never happened. 

Myrna Loesch would always keep her childhood Cissy by Madame Alexander. The clothes were made by her mother. Myrna told the club that her mother would bribe Myrna to take a nap by offering to make her new outfits for her dolls while Myrna slept.

However, she is not as enamored with this French S.F.B.J. 60, which has a cracked face, an oddly-made  body, and painted footwear. 

Sylvia McDonald said that this Käthe Kruse represents all the dolls she loves. This example dates from 2004.

Sylvia told the club that this little infant doll with a hard plastic head is far less special, although it has a sweet face.

Nancy Countryman brought her two childhood dolls, which were hand-me-downs from older cousins. She made the dress for the smaller doll.

David Craig brought this lovely lady. He told the club that after Mel Odom, the creator of the Gene doll line, retired, the dolls were re-introduced by JAMIEshow in 2013 as resin ball-jointed fashion figures. This is Madra and she has a magnetic pate, allowing her wig to be easily changed. David said that he loves the JAMIEshow clothing and accessories, which recall his favorite fashion era of the 1950s-60s.

David was not even sure how he ended up with this doll, Gigi by Ashton-Drake Galleries. He says that the doll just doesn't "speak" to him.

 

April 12, 2026, Meeting

David Craig did a program on D.A.E. Originals fashion dolls designed by his friend, David A. Escobedo.

In 1992, Escobedo began his career as a doll designer by repainting and dressing "My Scene" Barbie dolls (the two following dolls are examples).  He then worked for Mel Odem dressing the Gene doll line. In 1997, Escobedo decided to start his own doll company. D.A.E. Originals. 

The company began by creating limited edition and one-of-a-kind vintage-inspired outfits for Gene. In 2002, Escobedo introduced his own fashion doll, Vivian the Miniquin. According to her backstory, in 1943, the upscale Diamonds Department Store opened. The store became famous for its innovative and dramatic window displays. Vivian was a mannequin in the fine clothing department. She and her fellow miniquins, as Escobedo called them, could absorb the feeling and memories of any customer who touched them, giving the miniquins a glimpse of the outside world. At night the miniquins would come alive, sharing what they had learned and enjoying the department store's many amenities until morning came and they had to return to their places. 

David told the club that although the Vivian face sculpt has remained the same, the later editions are fully jointed. The company also gave Vivian a beau, Monty, in 2005. David said that Escobedo wanted to capture the lush fashions of the post-WWII era and was also inspired by clothing worn in movies from that period. The clothing is exquisitely proportioned and detailed, including the hats, shoes, accessories, and  undergarments. This Gene doll models some of the lovely lingerie made for Vivian.  David told the club that he is drawn to these dolls because they remind him of his childhood and watching his mother and grandmother getting all dressed up in their finest outfits. 

 

Jenell Howell continued the collectible fashion doll theme by sharing this example from the Deja Vu doll line by Tonner Doll.

She also brought two much earlier examples of fashion dolls. This flirtatious flapper is Mold 1159 by Simon and Halbig. Her slender lower legs have feet molded to wear heeled pumps.

Also by Simon and Halbig and produced for Cuno and Otto Dressel is this Mold 1469 with a slim composition lady body.  Her Edwardian outfit was created by Doug James for his 1470 line of dolls and clothing, modeled after the Halbig 1469 series.

Myrna Loesch shared this charming Gebruder Heubach character child.

Nancy Countryman brought this boxed fashion set for Barbie.

Sharon Weintraub shared two recent finds, This is a doll is from the Dunaev factory in Russia, which used a head from Kammer and Reinhardt as a mold for its terracotta heads. The dolls were made beginning in the early 1900s and were dressed in authentic Russian costumes. This doll represents a merchant's wife. The doll came with a tag describing only as "Strange Doll," but Sharon told the club that she likes strange.

Also on the strange side was this wind-up automaton monkey by the French maker Roullet et Decamps. Originally, the key was jammed, but Sharon was able to access, clean, and oil the mechanism, so now the monkey musician plays his accordion, turns his head, and opens and closes his mouth while a cheerful tune plays. 

 

March 8, 2026, Meeting

Member Myrna Loesch did a program on dolls modeled after celebrities and famous people. She explained that "celebrity" refers to someone who is a recognized public figure in the media, often in the entertainment industry, while a famous person is generally known for an achievement, skill, or historical importance.  As early as the 1830s paper dolls were created in the images of famous performers, such as the renown ballerina, Marie Taglioni, as well as historical figures and royalty With the advent of silent films, companies such as Louis Amberg began producing celebrity dolls based on movie stars like Charlie Chaplin. Dolls were also made of sports figures, such as the early doll produced by the Ideal Toy Company modeled after the baseball player Ty Cobb. Movies inspired ever more celebrity dolls, as did the coming of television. 

Myrna said that from 1934 through 1938, Ideal produced composition Shirley Temple dolls. The child actress was so popular that almost a third of the dolls produced in the United States were Shirley Temple dolls. Numerous companies also made Shirley knock-offs. This vinyl Shirley by Ideal is from Myrna's childhood and dates from the late 1950s to 1960s.

The doll in the blue dress, Myrna said, is a composition Shirley knock-off.  The doll in pink next to her is another vinyl Shirley. Behind them is a hard plastic doll based on the actress and model Roxanne from the television show, "Beat the Clock;" the dolls was issued in 1952 by Mona Lisa Dolls, a subsidiary of Valentine Doll, Inc.

Another television personality, this cheerful child represents actress Angela Cartwright from the show "Make Room for Daddy" and was introduced in 1960. 

This trio of lovely ladies represent the skating and movie star Sonja Henie. An Olympic medal winner and a world champion, Henie retired from competition in 1936 to star in movies and ice shows. She transformed figure skating by incorporating dance moves intro her routines and wearing short skirts and white figure skates. These composition dolls were made by Madame Alexander in the 1930s and 40s.

Puppeteer and ventriloquist Shari Louis had her own show on television from 1960 through 1963, performing with puppets such as "Lamb Chop." The show was a hit and Madame Alexander made a number of dolls based on Lewis. 

Myrna ended her presentation with a more contemporary example of celebrity dolls, five male dolls modeled on the boy band "New Kids on the Block," introduced by Hasbro in 1990. 

Jenell Howell brought this  doll by Peggy Nesbit representing actor Bob Hope from the movie, "The Road to Morocco."

Jenell also displayed this Jane Withers doll by Madame Alexander. Withers was a child star in the 1930s and 40s, and in her adult life collected dolls. Jenell purchased this doll when Wither's collection was auctioned off and discovered that it has a note from Withers pinned under her clothing.

Produced by Ideal as part of its bendable Flexy line, this doll represents singer and comedienne Fanny Brice as her character "Baby Snooks."

Visitor Pam Matthews shared this example of a celebrity doll based on a cartoon character, in this case, Betty Boop. All original, this composition cutie is "Baby Betty Boop," made by the Cameo Doll Company in the 1930s.

She also brought this all-original doll representing the child actress Margaret O'Brien by Madame Alexander.

Elaine Jackson shared this Davy Crockett doll carved by Helen Bullard. Crockett was the star of a 1950s television series by Disney and was played by the actor Fess Parker. Elaine told the club that Bullard made only 40 of these dolls. 

Davis Craig displayed this Madame Alexander doll from the 1990s representing the television actresses Lucille Ball. He said that he had bought the doll for his mother, who was a big fan of the red-headed comedienne, but that it was given away. David later found the doll on eBay and was able to repurchase her; he said that his mother's initial's were on the doll's box.

Bette Birdsong told the club that in 1952 she saw a Madame Alexander doll representing Queen Elizabeth in a store. She asked for the doll for Christmas, but Santa failed to deliver.  Bette was able to purchase this example years later from Jenell.

Sylvia McDonald shared her childhood Shirley Temple doll in a dress made by her mother.

She also brought these Madame Alexander dolls dressed as Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabela.

Sharon Weintraub displayed this all-bisque doll based on the famous English clown, Joseph Grimaldi. Grimaldi is considered the father of the modern clown, as in the early 1800s, he performed in white face, dressed in colorful costumes, and was known for his acrobatics and exaggerated facial expressions. Today, in England, clowns are still known as "Joeys."