July 12, 2026, Meeting

The theme for the program was "Patriotic Dolls. It would be hard to find a more patriotic outfit than this sparkling red, white, and blue ensemble worn by this doll brought by David Craig. He told the club that the doll is by JAMIEshow USA and that she is wearing an outfit made earlier for the Gene doll line created Mel Odom.

Kathie Tovo shared several examples. This tiny trio of all-bisque dolls by the German firm of Hertwig and Company play vintage American flag party favors.

An antique bisque-headed doll with a composition body is decked out in red white and blue with her original matching box, but Kathie stated that the doll may be in fact be a representation of France.

However, there is no question that this paper cutout represents the all-American Miss Columbia.

Sharon Weintraub displayed this bisque Uncle Sam. He is actually a German naughty novelty known as a squirter; one time he had a rubber bulb on top of his top hat and when he was filled with water and the bulb squeezed, the water came out of the appropriate orifice.

This sweet boy in a sailor suit belongs to Sylvia McDonald. He is a reproduction of a character by Gebruder Heubach and was made by Jenell Howell. His outfit is based on an antique costume and was made by the Gabriella Doll Clothing Company.

She also shared this doll representing Betsy Ross by Madame Alexander.

Also natty in her nautical-themed outfit is this German bisque-headed doll on a ball-jointed body. She is Florodoro by Armand Marseille and belongs to Myrna Loesch.

Jenell shared this all-original doll made by Effanbee and designed by the American doll artist Dewees Cochran. 

Elaine Jackson brought this cloth doll, Miss Columbia. She is modeled after the Columbian cloth dolls manufactured by Emma Adams from 1891 to 1910 and was created by doll artist Connie Tognoli as a souvenir doll for the United Federation of Doll Clubs annual convention in 2000. Her straw hat was purchased by Elaine at a Native American reservation.

Nancy Countryman brought this supersized Barbie doll by Mattel in patriotic apparel.

 

September 8, 2024, Meeting

This month's meeting had a special guest, United Federation of Doll Clubs Region Three Director Karen Allen.  Members were asked to a bring a newly acquired doll or a doll with special meaning to them. This composition bride doll belongs to Myrna Loesch. She won her at a raffle in 2023 at a luncheon held by the Fort Worth doll club. The beautiful bride in Mary Ann by Madame Alexander and dates from the 1940s.  The dress is original, but Myrna made her veil.

Sylvia McDonald shared this handsome lad, made by German doll artist Käthe Kruse. He was the childhood doll of her great-aunt, who was born in 1902. Sylvia thinks her aunt received the doll around 1912. He still has his original box and a wardrobe of clothes, including this spiffy sailor suit.

Jan Irsefeld brought this stunning Cissy by Madame Alexander in her trunk filled with gorgeous gowns, all created by Jan.

This blond china head doll belonged to the collection of Pam Hardy's mother. She told the club that her mother kept the dolls packed away, allowing them to be seen only on New Year's Day. 

This terrific trio was created by Elaine McNally. The larger cloth doll is her interpretation of dolls made by Izannah Walker in the 1800s. The smaller pair are carved wood.

Also of wood is this Bébé Tout en Bois belonging to Elaine Jackson. Despite the French name, the dolls were made in Germany.

Sharon Weintraub shared two new acquisitions. This all-bisque cutie with an unusual swivel neck is by German doll maker Gebruder Heubach. She is faintly incised "Igodi" on her lower back; this was the trademark for this patented neck joint system invented by Johannes Gotthilf Dietrich.

This 11-inch tall 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 detailed and authentic costumes representing different regions of Russia. This doll carries a label, "Made in Soviet Union," indicating that it was made following the 1922 Russian civil war. The factory was seized by the state in 1929 and doll production ended by 1937. His costume is all original, including his wonderful lapti shoes, woven from birch fiber. 

Nancy Countryman brought two well-loved dolls from her childhood.

She made the dress for this doll.

Ann Meir displayed this colorful quilt she had crafted,

Member Jenell Howell brought these two example of dolls created by Dewees Cochran for Effanbee. The one in the striped dress is all original.  

Bette Birdsong shared this wistful French doll by Jules Steiner. She is a Series C and her eyes open and close by a lever on the back of her head. 

This doll is modeled after "Wingy" Plenty, a character from the Dick Tracy cartoon strip.  Bette had a similar doll as a child.

Karen surprised the club with a door prize.  Sue Smith was the lucky winner of this appealing antique bisque baby doll.

 

May 7, 2018, Meeting

Member Jenell Howell gave a program on the creations of American doll artist Dewees Cochran.  

Cochran, born in 1892, was educated at the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.   Beginning in 1933, she started selling cloth dolls in Philadelphia and New York City. Her career as a maker of life-like portrait dolls began  when Mrs. Irving Berlin saw an example of Cochran's work and commissioner her to make portrait dolls of her two daughters. Cochran's early portrait dolls have heads carved of balsa wood,  stuffed jointed silk bodies, and are marked with Cochran's name under the arm or behind the ear.  Cochran realized she needed to speed up production if she was going to keep up with demand.  She developed six basic face types and began using a “plastic wood” that could be poured into a mold. Cochran could then create a portrait doll by select the correct face type and matching the model's hair and eye color.   She began using latex in 1940 to 1941.  

In late 1935, Cochran began to design dolls for Effanbee.  Produced in 1936, these dolls were 21 inches tall with a body designed by Cochran to resemble that of an 8 year old child. The dolls were composition and had painted eyes and human hair wigs. The hands were of  molded rubber or latex hands and had spread fingers so they could wear gloves. These dolls are typically marked "Effanbee American Children" on the heads and "Anne Shirley" on their bodies. While the early boxes and advertisements state “designed by Dewees Cochran, ” her name does not appear on the dolls themselves.   Cochran had decided she did not need an agent when dealing with Effanbee and failed to copyright the head or body design.  This is one of the first dolls that Dewees Cochran designed for Effanbee. She 21 inches tall and is marked "Effanbee American Children" on her head and "Anne Shirley" on the body. The doll has been redressed as Alice in Wonderland.

In 1938, Effanbee added a boy head which was sold for only one year. This handsome lad is 17 inches tall and unmarked. 

Effanbee also commissioned Cochran to create a doll with sleep eyes, an open smiling mouth, and body of five or six year old child.  First produced in 1938, these dolls were originally were initially 15 inches tall, but later 17-inch and 21-inch dolls were included. This winsome child with her original box is marked "Effanbee American Children" and "Anne Shirley." 

In 1939 to 1940, Effanbee created a historical doll series. The dolls used the head mold for the company's "Little Lady" doll, had painted the eyes similar to those on the dolls designed by Cochran dolls, and used the Anne Shirley body. Below is an example from Jenell's collection.

In 1947 to 1948, Cochran contracted Molded Latex Company to make a 16 inch doll named "Cindy."  Only around a 1000 dolls were produced, which were marked “Dewees Cochran Dolls” on the left side of the torso along with a production number.  Cochran ended her partnership with company because the dolls did not  meet her high standards, but the company continued to produce unmarked Cindy dolls.  This is an example of an unmarked doll.

Jenell said that this doll is a mystery. The head is marked Effanbee and uses Little Lady head mold, but is on a cloth body and is lavishly dressed in a Middle-Eastern style outfit.

Jenell stated that while this doll is similar to those designed by Cochran, she is unmarked. One doll collector speculated that this doll was made in the likeness of Sybil Jason, a child actress of the 1930s.

Cochran continued to make dolls until she was in her 80s.  She died in 1991.

Other member brought example of Cochran-related dolls.  In 1976, Effanbee invited Cochran to design a doll for their limited edition series. This 1977 limited edition quickly sold out.  

These dolls being to member Elaine Jackson.