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.

 

August 11, 2024, Meeting

Members Jenell Howell and Myrna Loesch gave a report on the United Federation of Doll Clubs Convention, held July 23rd through the 27th in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Jenell's convention find was this dashing Puss in Boots by doll artist John Wright.

Myrna shared the convention souvenir doll, "Miss Unity" designed by Helen Kish,

this all-bisque reproduction doll by Darlene Lane from the Fourth of July Luncheon, 

this fashionable femme from the Doug James 1470 line with multiple detailed outfits and accessories (the doll is a James' interpretation of the antique Mold 1469 by German maker Simon and Halbig), and

this vintage composition Madame Alexander Madelaine Du Bain she found in the convention sales room.

Also in keeping with the convention's Wizard of Oz "There's no place like home" theme is this Connie Lowe doll dressed as Dorothy.

The 2025 convention will be in Norfolk, Virginia, home to the Barry Art Museum and its collection of dolls and automatons.

Member Sharon Weintraub shared her purchases from the sales room. The spotted dog is "Rag," an all-bisque dog designed by Georgene Averill, who joins his companion, "Tag," the white kitten already in her collection. The little antique china doll has a squeaker in its cloth torso.

Member Elaine Jackson displayed this souvenir doll, Rosita, from the 1984 convention in San Antonio. 

Member Sylvia McDonalds shared these two Käthe Kruse dolls from previous conventions. This is "Fritzel," a special limited edition doll made for the 2000 convention.

 

Gretel was made for the 2007 convention. She is stuffed with reindeer hair and is dressed in a traditional Austrian outfit.

Member Jan Irsfeld displayed this Madame Alexander Cissy doll in an elaborate equestrian outfit.

This vintage Cissy belongs to Member Pam Hardy. Jan made the dress and Myrna her shoes.

Member Elaine McNally shared this charming cherub.

November 13, 2022, Meeting

Member Sylvia McDonald gave a program on dolls designed by artist Sylvia Natterer. She began with a short history of the artist. Natterer was born in Switzerland in 1949. As a child she made her own dolls and dollhouse and later won awards in drawing and painting. She became a creative design teacher and taught students how to make puppets. Natterer became a member of the Munich puppet theater and made puppets to sell. However, Sylvia said that Natterer decided to cut the strings off her puppets and began selling dolls both as children's playthings and collectibles. In 1972 Natterer began creating dolls from wood composition or resin.

Sylvia discussed the doll artists who inspired Natterer, with examples of their dolls. These included Käthe Kruse (the tallest boy in the back in the green hat and the little girl in front of him in the red and white dress and pinafore), Elizabeth Pongratz (the girl in the navy blue knit dress with blond pigtails), and Sasha Morgenthaler (the remaining dolls pictured). Sylvia stated that Natterer was impressed by the design of the Sasha dolls and how their neutral expressions allowed children to project a wide range of emotions on to their dolls. She noted that in 1979 Natterer met Kruse's daughter Hanne Alder-Kruse and a friendship developed that led to Natterer designing two dolls for the Kruse company. Natterer was also close friends with Pongratz. 

Sylvia told the club that Natterer moved to Munich in 1975 and began creating her own molds and porcelain dolls. In 1982, she collaborated with the German company Zapf. Inspired by her own infant children, Natterer designed a large baby doll. In 1989, Natterer partnered with the German company Götz for the production of the Fanouche and Friends line. Sylvia stated that just prior to this, Natterer created an exclusive line of vinyl dolls, hand painted and dressed by her, for The Toy Shoppe in Richmond, Virginia. She explained that Götz agreed to this arrangement because it was seen as free publicity for the upcoming Götz collection. Natterer moved again in 1991 to a historical old schoolhouse in Tyrol, Austria, where she lives and works. 

Sylvia stated that Fanouche and her twelve friends were an immediate success when they hit the market in 1990. Natterer also produced other dolls for Götz. She said that the dolls are of the highest quality, with rooted hair or wigs, hand-painted features, and finely-made clothing designed by Natterer. The dolls carry the Götz mark and Natterer's "SN" signature, and came with a certificate of authenticity. In addition to her work with Götz, Natterer designed special collectible dolls with Franklin Heirloom Dolls as well as for an Italian and a Japanese company. From 1999 to 2003, Natterer designed a line of dolls for the Spanish company White Balloon as well.

Sylvia explained that Natterer's partnership with Götz ended December 31, 2003, and the artist began working with Zwergnase to continue the Fanouche line. However, because Götz would not release the doll molds to Natterer, she had to recreate the dolls, so that the two lines look very different from each other. From 2006 to 2014, Natterer collaborated with Kruse on the Minouche line of dolls. When the Kruse company was sold in 2014, the French company Petitcollin took over production of this line. 

Sylvia displayed her collection of winsome Natterer dolls.

Member Jenell Howell shared several of her Natterer dolls as well, with examples by Götz, White Balloon, and Petitcollin.

Jenell also shared this beautiful brown-eyed girl designed by Dewees Cochran. She said that this is one of the dolls she has been dreaming of adding to her collection.

Another doll from Jenell, a little Madame Alexander Alexander-kin found at the recent Settlement Home Garage and Estate Sale.

Member Bette Birdsong showed off two of her recent finds from local antique malls, a pretty-in-pink Toni doll by Ideal and a Honey walker doll by Effanbee.

Guest Jeremy Jones shared these two more contemporary porcelain clown dolls.

Member Jan Irsfeld brought this Cissette by Madame Alexander dressed as "Madame X" from the famous 1884 portrait by artist John Singer Sargent.

 

August 14, 2022, Meeting

This month's theme was the souvenir dolls produced for the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC)  conventions.  For every convention a limited edition doll is produced as a souvenir for the convention itself, but special dolls are also designed for luncheons and other events. Member Elaine Jackson brought two examples of UFDC souvenir dolls. This doll is Rosita, the souvenir doll for the 1984 UFDC convention in San Antonio. 

This charming child is Baby Stuart and was the souvenir doll for the 1996 UFDC convention in Dallas.

These are the UFDC souvenir books from these conventions.

Member Sylvia McDonald brought two examples of dolls produced for other events at a UFDC convention. The taller doll is Fritzel, a Child of Fortune, designed by the German doll company of Käthe Kruse. He is 13.5 inches tall and has a soft body and vinyl head with a hand-painted face. Originally he also came with pajamas, bathrobe, slippers, and a blanket. As is typical of these luncheon dolls, there were other accessories, such as a little wooden dog, that were given as table favors. Sylvia received a note from Marion Hohmann at the Käthe Kruse company stating that Fritzel was made in 2000 as a limited edition of 260 dolls.

The smaller girl is Gretel, made exclusively for a Käthe Kruse luncheon at the 2007 UFDC convention. The luncheon theme was "The Sound of Music" and the doll is dressed like the youngest daughter of the Van Trapp family in a traditional Austrian outfit. She is 11 inches tall and stuffed with reindeer hair.

This Cissy by Madame Alexander belongs to member Jan Irsfeld. Jan explained that the doll was a limited edition made for the UFDC in 2001 in a special blue version of an outfit known to collectors as "On the Avenue," inspired by a vintage advertisement for Yardley of London fragrance featuring a Cissy doll.  Jan created this lovely lilac and white outfit for her doll. 

In edition to the various souvenir dolls, a wonderful selection of antique, vintage, and modern dolls is offered for sale at the UFDC sales room, a major attraction at every convention. Member Sharon Weintraub bought this unusual googly-eyed Gebruder Heubach character cat at the 2022 UFDC convention in St. Louis.  

Members also brought dolls to share for show and tell. This doll has head and hands carved from walnut wood by doll artist Floyd Bell and represents Miss Jane Pittman, the heroine of the 1971 novel The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. The doll is beautifully dressed by Charlotte Semple.

Nancy Countryman brought these unique dolls from an unknown artist, dubbing them the ugliest dolls in her collection.

Member Sue Smith shared this handmade doll representing a man from the Native American Sioux tribe in traditional dress. She said that the doll is around 200 years old.

She also brought this doll representing an Apache woman, which Sue said dated from the late 1800s.

Guest Pam Hardy brought this sweet Cissette doll by Madame Alexander. Pam told the members that this is a childhood doll that she received for her birthday in 1956.