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.

 

Wee Wooden Doll

With events and meetings cancelled, social distancing, and many people staying close to home, the Austin Doll Collectors Society has challenged its members to engage in a virtual doll meeting by sharing their doll activities on-line, from rearranging their collections, showing off their repair or redressing projects, or simply displaying their latest treasure.  We start off with this marvelous miniature belonging to member Sharon Weintraub.

Just 2.75 inches high, this diminutive wooden doll is jointed at the hips, shoulder, elbows, and knees.  The little guy came in an old New Haven watch box with the fragile fragments of his original suit of aqua silk trimmed with tiny tarnished golden cord; all that remains intact is a cream silk shirt front, lace underpants, and his delightful hat. This type of antique jointed wood doll is most likely from the Grodnertal region of Germany and dates from the early to mid-1800s.  Collectors sometimes refer to these dolls as "peg woodens" because of the wooden pegs allowing their joints to move.  He is what some collectors call an "alien head," as his head appears to be molded papier mache or composition instead of carved wood. 

Black History Month; Hanna

This tropical tot is Hanna by Schoenau and Hoffmeister. She is all original and is 7.5 inches with a fired bisque complexion. Hanna came in her original box with the palm tree, which is stamped "Germany" on its composition base. She is incised "Hanna" on the back of her head, as well as with the Schoenau mark of a "S" and "H" separated by a star.