November 7, 2021, Meeting

The theme for the November meeting was dolls dressed in fall colors. 

Member Jenell Howell brought her all-original Sasha, made in Germany in the 1970s.

The 1953 Ginny in her pineapple print dress was purchased by member Sylvia McDonald when she was in high school. The Muffy belongs to member Myrna Loesch and dates from 1955.

Myrna also brought this reproduction doll made by former member Mary McKenzie. Another member, Jan Irsfeld, embellished her outfit.

This somber child is by artist Helen Kish and belongs to Sylvia,

Another artist doll, this one created by Sylvia Natterer. Sylvia McDonald added the teddy bear because it matched the doll's original dress.

This doll is entitled "The Frog Prince" and was created by Maggie Iacona. The doll holds a pillow with a fabric frog. Jenell said that this doll was an early attempt by the artist to created a ball-jointed felt doll. 

This quartet belongs to member Elaine Jackson. The two pilgrims have already been featured on our blog. They represent John Alden and Priscilla Mullins and were created circa 1950 by Helen Walker of Just Folks Doll House of Staunton, Virginia.  The cloth doll was made in the 1950s from a pattern created by writer and doll artist Edith Flack Ackley.

 

This Hitty is cast of resin by artist Sara Cole and was dressed by Elaine in a vintage child's handkerchief. 

Fall also means Thanksgiving with its images of Pilgrims and Native Americans.

The taller doll belongs to member Sharon Weintraub. By Gebruder Heubach, she is a portrait of "Princess Angeline." Born Kikisoblu in 1820, she was the eldest daughter of Chief Seattle, leader of the west coast Suquamish and Duwamish peoples.  In 1855, when the Duwamish Indians were forced to leave their land for reservations, she insisted on remaining in Seattle, living in a small cabin and supporting herself by doing laundry and selling handwoven baskets. 

This Ginny dressed as a Native American dates from 1952-1953 and belongs to Jenell.

 

Trick or Treat!

The witch thought that Hansel and Gretel would be her Halloween treats, but they tricked her! It is never a good idea to run out of candy on Halloween night when you live in a cottage made of cake, sugar, and gingerbread. . .  The witch is Hexe, a German character doll made by Simon and Halbig for Cuno and Otto Dressel, and her hissing cat is a German bisque toy with jointed legs.  Hansel and Gretel are German all-bisque dolls in their original crocheted costumes. 

 

'Cause It's Witchcraft. . .

That crazy Witchcraft

And although I know it's strictly taboo

When you arouse the need in me

My heart says yes indeed in me

Proceed with what your leading me to

… It's such an ancient pitch

But one that I would never switch

'Cause there's no nicer witch than you

"Witchcraft," Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh,1957

These bewitching beauties from member Jan Irsfeld's collection of Madame Alexander Cissy fashion dolls certainly cast a spell. Dressed in their Halloween best, these sultry sorceresses do not need a magic love potion to charm and enchant. 

 

October 10, 2021, Meeting

Member Elaine Jackson did a program on the scarce and unusual composition dolls by the Raleigh Doll Company, founded by Jessie McCutcheon Raleigh in 1916. The Raleigh dolls were only produced until 1920, when the factory was sold to the Pollyanna Doll Company. Elaine described Raleigh was an entrepreneur and her first successful venture was a statuette called "The Good Fairy." She hired others to design the statue, which was extremely popular and was produced in a variety of materials. Raleigh started her doll company shortly thereafter with the intent of creating dolls with faces and bodies that resembled real children. She had a special composition formulated for her dolls and used a unique system of spring joints. The dolls are quite heavy for their size and their realistically modeled feet and legs prevent them from standing on their own.

Elaine explained that the dolls' faces were painted by students from the Chicago Art Institute. She said that the special composition commissioned by Raleigh appears to be more resistant to crazing than that used in other composition dolls. Most Raleigh dolls have molded hair.; this little girl has molded hair under her wig. 

Elaine told the club that the dolls come in a variety of sizes and with several different body types. The dolls are not marked, but their unique faces make them stand out.

Member Myrna Loesch displayed this beautiful bride doll dressed by the very talented Jan Irsfeld. The silk gown was copied from a fashion plate and is fully lined. The doll is a reproduction of a French fashion and was made by former member Mary McKenzie.

Another doll shared by Myrna, "Butch," a composition doll first produced by Madame Alexander in 1936.

Member Elaine McNally displayed examples of the cloth reproduction Izannah Walker that she makes and markets. Elaine told the club that someday she hopes to own an authentic antique Walker doll.

 

NO DOLL SHOW

Some events sites have posted a listing stating that our club is having a doll show on October 9, 2021. We are NOT having a doll show. Some of these sites, to fill their calendars and attract readers, take past event listings, update them, and post them without authorization. We have tried to have these listings removed, but it is not easy. Again, there is no doll show on October 9th.

September 12, 2021, Meeting

The Austin Doll Collectors Society had its first in-person meeting in over a year, congregating at member Sharon Weintraub's home. Sharon gave a program on Asian character dolls by German and French bisque doll makers. She explained that although the spice trade between Asia and Europe dates back thousands of years, by the 16th century European merchants, often with military support, had seized control of the trade routes, gaining a foothold in the East. The Chinese Qing dynasty losses to Britain and its European allies in the First (1839-42)  and Second Opium Wars (1856-1860) forced China to grant Western companies favorable trade concessions and concede territory to their control. In 1853 American Commodore Mathew Perry sailed into Tokyo harbor, beginning the re-establishment of trade and contact with Japanese, who had closed off their country to most foreigners in 1639. By the 1870s, these trading concessions had expanded into colonial control, with Britain, France, and the Netherlands claiming territories throughout Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The explosion in magazines and newspapers helped bring images and stories of Asian nations and people to the average European. Schoolchildren learned about their countries' colonies and their peoples. Advances in printing made colorful children’s books widely available and affordable and fanciful stories and characters from the East began to appear in the pages of children’s storybooks. All of the interest in the East inspired both French and German doll companies to create dolls representing Chinese, Japanese, Burmese, and other Asian peoples. In some cases, the dolls were little more than colorful stereotypes while other manufacturers strove for more ethnically correct features and clothing. 

The cheerful Asian infant doll belongs to member Jenell Howell. He is by J.D. Kestner and is on a ball-jointed toddler body, rather than the more typical bent limb baby body. Next to him is Mold 1329 by Simon and Halbig, dressed in an antique outfit of a Manchu noblewoman, including the unusual platform shoes.  

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Another Asian baby by Kestner, this time in a diminutive all-bisque version. He wears his original, but now fragile, silk outfit. His "slippers" were created by painting the soles of his bare feet black and gluing cord around the edges.

Two more Asian characters by Simon and Halbig. The smaller doll is all-bisque and dressed in an antique embroidered kimono.  She has molded blue slippers with upturned toes.  The other doll is Mold 1129 and is all original.

These 4.5-inch high charming cherubs are Chin-Chin Baby by Gebruder Heubach. Each carries the Heubach square mark faintly incised on the soles of the feet. Made to compete with the popular Kewpie doll, the Chin-Chin Babies came in a variety of headdresses. The girl in the center has her original paper tags.

Another Chin-Chin Baby in a bright orange and blue cap next to a Queue San Baby by Morimura Brothers of Japan.  The two dolls are often confused, as the Queue San is clearly a copy of the Chin-Chin. However the Queue San Baby is larger, with rougher bisque and with less distinct modeling.

All original, this beautiful baby is by Armand Marseille. Incised on the back of the head is the name "Ellar" inside of a six-pointed star. Marseille produced heads for other factories and distributors, but just who "Ellar" is remains a mystery. 

German companies produced a variety of all-bisque Asian dolls. The little lady is the crocheted blue kimono is by Carl Horn and is just 1.75 inches high, including her yarn wig. The minute man in the red cap is by Hertwig and Company. He has a painted dropping mustache and has a little yarn queue inserted in the back of his cap.

French doll makers also produced Asian dolls.  The largest doll is a bit of a mystery. He has a French fashion style shoulder head on a fully jointed twill-covered body with bisque lower arms and lower legs with bare feet. The clothing is old and fragile.  The two tiny dolls are Lilliputiens. Just 2.5 inches tall, these all-bisque dolls were available in a wide variety of costumes, including French regional and historical dress, storybook characters, and ethnic dolls. Like all Lilliputiens, they have swivel necks with a molded loop and painted features.  The pair wear their original costumes and the man has a braided queue inserted into the back of his bald pate.

Elaine Jackson brought her 1950s Kathe Kruse doll to share.

Baby Beans Comes Home

Member Michele Thelen has this picture of her taken during Christmas at her grandparents' home in 1973, when she was two yers old. She wondered what happened to the bonneted baby doll she is embracing with such joy and started looking for a similar doll. 

Her quest has been met with success! Here is the long-sought doll, part of the Baby Beans line produced by Mattel from 1970 through 1984. They were soft bodied dolls stuffed with polystyrene bean bag balls and had plastic heads with character faces (and in some models, plastic hands as well). The original Baby Beans, three adorable infants, were Bitty Beans, Booful Beans, and Bedsie Beans. The dolls were so popular that the Bean family expanded to include a wide variety of dolls, including storybook characters, mothers and babies, pets, and even babies that came in their own bean cans! Michele's doll is Talking Baby Beans, first introduced in 1972. Activated by a pull-cord on the back of her neck, the doll could say one of eight random phrases (considering that this little doll is nearly 50 years old, Michele says that she is scared try the pull-cord!). Michele states that because of the accompanying childhood photograph, the doll holds special sentimental value.

 

Countdown to World Doll Day; Friendly Folks

by Kellogg.

 Dolls throughout history have served many roles, from children's toys to religious or ritualist figures. More recently, they have played a new part--advertising. The 1890s saw the first commercial advertising dolls, printed cloth mascots for products such as cereal, flour, and pancake mix. This cute quintet from member Michele Thelen's collection was issued by the Kellogg Company to promote its breakfast cereals. Each is just 2.5 inches tall and simply constructed out of wood and cloth. They include Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes), Ogg the Caveman (Cocoa Crispies) and Snap, Crackle, and Pop (Rice Crispies).

Underneath they carry a 1972 copyright by Kellogg.

This little advertising ambassadors were called "Friendly Folks."  The set of five figures was yours for two Kellogg cereal box tops and $2.00. Friendly Folks were promoted as both "fun to play with" and "conversation pieces to decorate your room or den."

Countdown to World Doll Day; Kokeshi Dolls

We continue our countdown to World Doll Day with the kokeshi dolls of Japan. These wooden folk dolls originated near the end of the Edo era (1603-1868) in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, renown for its onsen (hot spring spas). Woodworkers began carving these wooden dolls on lathes to sell to visitors at the onsen. Although the dolls from different regions had their own characteristics, they all shared the same minimalist style of round heads, limbless bodies, and simple colorful decorations. They are typically carved from cherry, dogwood, and maple. Some were created out of one piece of wood, while others had heads that wobbled or turned. The dolls were popular souvenirs and children's toys. At the end of WWII, other regions of Japan began producing their own versions of kokeshi dolls for collectors and the growing tourist trade. Known as "creative" kokeshi dolls, they come in a wide range of styles, often with more detailed decoration and added wooden hair and accessories, representing everything from traditional samurai warriors to contemporary cartoon characters. This charming collection of kokeshi dolls is from member Michele Thelen. They range from 2.5 to 5.5 inches.

This family of kokeshi dolls belongs to member Sharon Weintraub. They were given to her when she first started collecting dolls by family friend who had received them as a gift from her Japanese pen pal in the late 1940s. Each doll contains a tiny bell. The larger dolls are 2.75 inches tall.

This is another gift to Sharon by a friend who taught English in Japan in the 1970s and received this doll as a parting present from her students. The doll is 9 inches high.

This cute kitty kokeshi is "maneki neko" (beckoning cat).  Known as the "lucky cat" or "welcoming cat," the maneki neko is supposed to bring good fortune into a home or business. The oval medallion around his neck represents a koban, a gold coin used during the Edo period. This mini-maneki is only 2.25 inches tall. 

However, hidden underneath are two even smaller kokeshi dolls, each a mere half an inch tall.

Countdown to World Doll Day

June 12th is World Doll Day. World Doll Day was established in 1986 by doll collector and artist Mildred Seeley. To celebrate its 35th anniversary, some club members will be sharing special dolls. This cherubic child was purchased by member Sylvia McDonald's daughter, Shelley, and is posing with Sylvia's beautiful blooming orchids. She is Mareike, issued by the Gotz Company in 2002 and designed by doll artist Joke Grobben of the Netherlands. The doll is modeled after a member of Grobben's family and portrays a little girl about three years of age. She has the soft hair of a toddler and is fashionably dressed in her pleated smock, cropped pants, and animal-print shoes. Mareike holds her cuddly soft toy and, like many young children, carries it with her everywhere.

Intriguing Infants

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Member Jenell Howell shared these two beautiful babies she recently acquired. Entirely of leather, with swivel necks and beautifully painted faces, these dolls are each 16 inches high. Their ethnic outfits are original. She had no information regarding where or when they were made.

One clue to their origins may be the metal amulets in the form of a stylized hand each wears.

Known as the hamsa, this symbol is found widely throughout the Middle East and North Africa, where is appears in jewelry, wall hangings, and other decorative motifs. Tracing its origins back to ancient Mesopotamia, the amulet is thought to bring protection and luck, as well as to deflect the evil eye.

Another clue may be that the nation of Morocco has long been renown for its fine leather crafts, including dolls. Using a special process she developed in 1921, Gertrude Arnall founded the Arnall's Moroccan Craftsmen of Tangier, producing handmade leather dolls representing everyday citizens of that country. It is said that these are the first commercial dolls produced in Morocco. Doll-making was considered a breach of Islamic law, which prohibited the making of images, but Arnall convinced Moroccan authorities that the dolls were not idolatrous and would be generic characters, not portraits of any specific individual. The dolls were sold to tourists and exported through the 1940s. They may have been sold through Kimport Dolls as well. Although most of the labeled Arnall dolls represent adult men and women and range between 8 to 10 inches in height, like these babies, they are finely crafted entirely out of leather, with detailed costumes, expressive faces, and large solemn painted brown eyes. Perhaps these charming children were a special order by Arnall's atelier or another Moroccan leather craftsman was inspired by the success of Arnall's enterprise.

Until an example is found with its original label or other identification, it is a solid educated guess that these darling dolls are from the Middle East or North Africa, most likely Morocco, and were made somewhere between the 1920s through the 1940s.