Holiday Party, 12/10/2023

Member Jan Irsfeld generously opened her lovely home for our club's holiday party. The club provided a variety of pizzas and members brought many tasty sides and desserts. Jan's halls were definitely decked out for the holidays!

Several members brought dolls to share. Pam Hardy displayed this beautiful reproduction Bru by famed doll artist Patricia Loveless.

Elaine McNally brought this sweet carved wood Swiss doll she recently purchased at the auction of the Jonathan Green Collection. The smaller wooden doll sitting on her lap is one of Elaine's own creations.

Elaine's daughter, Allie, brought these two well-loved antique teddy bears. The larger one is by the English company Merrythought and carries the firm's label on the sole of its right foot. The other bear is an early Steiff.

This German character baby is a family heirloom from Sylvia McDonald's daughter-in-law's grandmother. The pretty pink sweater was made by Sylvia's grandmother in the 1940s for Sylvia's childhood dolls.

Myrna Loesch brought this Gene doll ready to hit the slopes in her fashionable ski outfit.

Jan dressed this Madame Alexander Cissy in an outfit inspired by the fashions of the early 1900s.

Speaking of inspiration, Jan recreated an entire ancient Egyptian burial chamber using her imagination, staging and seamstress skills, and several Cissy dolls.

This is the top of the sarcophagus.

Inside is a Cissy elaborately dressed as Egyptian nobility. 

Beneath her is her gem-bedecked mummy. 

This Cissy represents Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh who reigned in the fifteenth century B.C.E.

In 2016, researchers recreated the face of a mummified head of a young woman found in the archives of the University of Melbourne in Australia, whom they named Meritamun. This Cissy is Jan's own recreation of Meritamun. In front of her are four canopic jars topped with heads of Cissette dolls. In Egyptian tombs, the four jars held the stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver of the deceased, and each jar lid was carved with the head of the specific deity assigned to guard them.

This purple robe was displayed by Jan Irsfeld at the club's September 11, 2022, and was made by Alexander to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elizabeth's coronation. Jan now has the version of the Cissy who would have originally worn this robe.

Jan also allowed members to peek into her meticulously organized workroom.

 

September 11, 2022, Meeting

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In memory of Queen Elizabeth II, this month's theme was queens. 

Member Sharon Weintraub displayed two doll heads, one of fine bisque and the other of carved wood. Both heads had the hair tucked into a snood, with a scarf draped over on side of the head and a plume on the other.  She explained that this style of head is known to collectors as Empress Eugenie. Empress Eugenie was the consort of Napoleon III, who reigned as the emperor of France from 1852 until 1870. Sharon stated that there is no evidence the head is actually a portrait of the empress, but that this is just a name given this type of head by early doll collectors. The wooden head was found in an antiques market in Barcelona, Spain, and is expertly carved. 

She also shared this French fashion doll by Francois Gaultier on a jointed wooden body. The doll is dressed in an old beautifully tailored and hand sewn outfit, including layers of undergarments. Pinned to the back of her slip is a yellowed note declaring in French "Margueritte of France, Sister of Francis the 1st." This would indicate that the doll represents Margaret of Valois, who became Queen of Navarre upon her marriage to Henry III of Navarre in 1572 and then rose to Queen of France at her husband's 1589 accession to the latter throne as Henry IV. Sharon pointed out that the doll should be more properly dressed in Elizabethan garb rather than a romanticized outfit of the Middle Ages.

Sharon displayed this 9.5-inch tall bisque-headed doll representing Queen Victoria. The doll is part  of the "Femmes Célèbres" ("Great Ladies") series produced by Société Française de Bébé and Jouets (S.F.B.J.) in the 1940s. Her round paper tag reads "Fabrication Jumeau Paris Made in France" on one side and written in ink on back of label is "Victoria I Reine d Angleterre Cirque 1860." 

Member Sylvia McDonald brought this 1992 Madame Alexander doll dressed in a coronation outfit, complete with crown and velvet robe

On one side of the doll are dolls in elaborate uniforms by English doll artist Peggy Nesbitt.  The older man represents a yeoman warder, who guards the Tower of London and the crown jewels displayed therein. The other man represents a palace guard wearing his signature "bearskin" helmet. The actual helmets are made of Canadian bear skins and were originally intended to make soldiers look taller and more intimidating in battle. 

A doll peddler, also by Nesbitt, admires the pomp and circumstance.

Member Myrna Loesch brought this collection of Madame Alexander Cissy and Cissette dolls in coronation gowns. The lovely lady in the purple robe dates from 1955. Myrna pointed out the doll's "ruby" and "diamond" bracelets, explaining that the jeweled cuffs worn by Queen Elizabeth during her coronation were a symbol of her sovereignty. The other Cissy dates from 1957 and wears a replacement crown made by Myrna. The purple robe, large golden crown, and specter belong to Member Jan Irsfeld and were made by Alexander to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elizabeth's coronation.

The Cissette in the golden floral dress is from 1958. The doll with the red sash dates from 1972-73.

Member Elaine Jackson shared this book, first published in 1950, written by Marion Crawford, who was the governess to Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret.

Member Elaine McNally displayed some of her latest wood and cloth creations.

Guest Pam Hardy brought this artist doll to share. She purchased it on a tour of Germany. The doll has a handwritten paper tag that says "matrosen mädchen," or "sailor girl."

 

February 4, 2019, Meeting

 These two vintage sweethearts exchanging valentines greeted members at the refreshment table.

Member Jan Irsfeld gave a program on the Madame Alexander Cissy doll entitled "How It All Started and How It Destroyed My Bank Account!"  She said that in 1955, Madame Alexander introduced Cissy, a glamorous fashion doll with a shapely female figure, feet molded for high heels, and a sophisticated wardrobe. The first Cissy was produced through 1962, with a vinyl version reintroduced in 1996.  In 2011, Cissy was redesigned with additional jointing, including at the wrists, allowing her to maintain more realistic poses.  Jan told the club how as a little girl she coveted a Cissy owned by a playmate and saved her allowance until she could buy one of her own.  Sadly, her much-loved childhood Cissy was later given away.  Jan created an impressive display of her vintage and modern Cissy collection.

This vintage Cissy wears a form-fitting black velvet elegant evening gown from 1956.

An extraordinarily skilled seamstress, Jan created her own version of this gown, adorned with elaborate hand-beading.

Jan brought many examples of modern Cissy dolls.  This Swashbuckler Cissy comes with her own parrot.

These two Cissy dolls model fashions from past eras.  

Another historically-inspired outfit called "Seventies Strut."  The beaded gown in the foreground is another example of Jan's creations.  

Madame Butterfly.

Renaissance Garden.

This doll wears a daring Egyptian outfit of Jan's own design

Sibylla.

The center doll represents Marilyn Monroe as she appeared in the classic comedy "Some Like it Hot" and the doll in red and cream models a courtier outfit from 1999.  The third lovely lady models a creation made by Jan.

The reintroduced Cissy includes African American models.

In 1997, Madame Alexander issued "Cissy's Secret Armoire," a trunk filled with exquisite undergarments.

Some collectors might call Cissy the queen of the fashion dolls and she often was garbed as royalty.  This vintage Cissy represents Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation.

Madame Alexander's update of the coronation doll includes a velvet robe with a long train.

These dolls are part of a limited edition designed by Tim Alberts representing Madame 

Pompadour in the court of King Louis XV of France.  Here she is dressed for spring. . . 

summer. . . 

and fall.

Jan reinterpreted the outfit designed for winter, using lush black velvet, faux fur, and and detailed hand beading.

Two more Cissy dolls dressed as queens by Jan.  This is Elizabeth I.

This royal beauty models a golden gown with elaborate beading and embroidery.

Members also brought examples of Cissy dolls from their own collections to share.  This bevy of vintage beauties belongs to member Myrna Loesch.

Bridesmaid from 1957.

Lovely in lemon tulle from 1958.  

A belle in blue camellias, also from 1958.

Pink camellias with a velvet stole, also from 1958.

These two all-original lovely lasses are from the collection of Jenell Howell.

A pretty Cissy belonging to Michele Thelen.

"Ribbons and Roses" ensemble from 1956.