Pflugerville Public Library, September 2012

Members Myrna Loesch and Sylvia McDonald created a display of some of their delightful dolls for the Pflugerville Public Library.  

The dolls ranged from the 1880s through the 1940s and were made of a variety of materials, including bisque, composition, and hard plastic. Some  of the bisque heads were on jointed composition bodies and some dolls had bodies of cloth or kid leather with bisque or composition heads.

Some of the earlier dolls were made by German companies, such Simon and Halbig, Shoenau and Hoffmeister, Armand Marseille, Heubach Koppelsdorf,  and J.D. Kestner, while later dolls were produced by American companies, including Effanbee, Cameo, and Madame Alexander.  Below, you can see examples of the popular Kewpie and Patsy dolls.

The solemn little boy is a cloth doll stuffed with deer hair and hand painted by German artist Kathe Kruse, dating from the early 1900s.  His female friend cheerfully clad in red and white is McGuffy Ana by Madame Alexander, made in the 1930s and 40s, and the wee baby in the buggy is a Bye-Lo Baby designed by American doll artist Grace Putnam in 1923.

The display was well received and Myrna and Sylvia plan to do another display next September. 

September 3, 2012, Meeting

This month's program was about the United Federation of Doll Clubs annual convention in New Orleans.  Jean Cassel created this scrapbook to preserve all her convention memories.

Sallie Howard displayed some of the dolls she received at convention luncheons and events.

She also showed off some of her winning dolls from the convention competition room.

As well as some of her convention purchases.

Myrna Loesch displayed the diminutive doll dressing table she made at a convention workshop.

These dainty little doll boots were crafted at a convention workshop by Beverly Evans.

Lynda Marks displayed some of the dolls she acquired at the convention.

Jean Cassel showed off several Bleuettes and their outfits from the convention.

She also acquired this darling doll with her many outfits and accessories.

 

 Jean told the club about a convention program she attended on the Japanese Friendship Dolls.

Tracy McClain showed the club some dolls she found during a recent vacation jaunt.

August 6, 2012, Meeting

Member Nancy Choate presented a program on Schoenhut dolls.

She brought many examples of the Schoenhut Circus performers and animals.

Nancy also shared examples of beautiful Schoenhut character dolls from her collection.

 

Some members showed off their newest treasures from the United Federation of Doll Clubs convention.

There was a wide variety of dolls brought by members to share or to sell.

 

 

 

 

 

July 2, 2012, Meeting

Elaine Jackson's Schoenhut dolls, all ready to celebrate the Fourth of July, welcomed members.

Sue Smith (holding dolls) gave a program on foreign costume dolls, assisted by Beverly Evans.

Beverly Evans displayed a trio of 1950s plastic dolls that she had restored and redressed.

Pam Wolf brought her Ginny travel doll, who wears pins from all the places she has visited.

June 14, 2012: Patsy Taylor, Requiescat in Pace et in Amore

Member Patsy Taylor passed away today from pancreatic cancer.  There will be a memorial service for Patsy on Monday, June 18, 2012, at the Rosedale Baptist Church, 4400 Maybelle Avenue, Austin, Texas, at 10:00 AM.  Patsy was a vivacious and vital member of our club and she will be deeply missed.  Our thoughts and sympathy are with Patsy's family and friends.

May 7, 2012, Meeting

Members were greeted by this colorful and charming Maypole.

After the business meeting, Sharon Weintraub did a program on German mermaid figurines.

This marvelous mermaid by William Goebel was designed to cling to the side of an aquarium.

Catherine Wright told members about attending Kewpiesta, an annual convention of the International Rose O'Neill Club (IROC) in Branson, Missouri, which took place this year from April 18th-22nd. She displayed many of her Kewpie dolls and Kewpiesta souvenirs.

This cute little celluloid girl has a secret. . . .

 

when she is turned around, she becomes a Kewpie doll!