The Wide World of Dolls

Member Sylvia McDonald created this colorful display incorporating international dolls from her extensive collection for Friendship International. The dolls in the center represent countries where the attendees originated from while on the sides are dolls from every continent--even penguins for Antarctica.

May 6, 2019, Meeting

Dressed in springtime finery, these Madame Alexander dolls greeted members at the refreshment table.

The program, given by President Faydra Jones, was about dolls that bring us joy.  Faydra said that many dolls bring happiness and that these are dolls we enjoy, but are willing to pass on to others.  She explained that when a person has a doll that brings joy, the person forms a deep and lasting connection with the doll and will always keep it.  Members were asked to share examples of dolls that bring them joy.  Brenda Kay White brought this doll, which she admitted is not her prettiest or rarest doll, but is the one that brings her the most joy.  She told the club that when she was in third grade, money was tight, but her mother did her best to ensure that Brenda and her brothers received gifts for Christmas, In addition to making each child a stuffed animal and a set of pajamas, their mother had saved enough S&H Green Stamps so that each child could select one toy.  At the stamp redemption center, Brenda saw this doll and fell in love, but her mother did not have enough stamps to get this doll and toys for her brothers.  While they were there, another shopper became angry with the center staff because they did not have a blanket in the color she wanted.  This shopper turned to Brenda's mother, handed her a bag full of Green Stamp books, and told her that she could have them because the woman was never coming back to the center again.  So Brenda was able to get her doll and has treasured her ever since.  Her nose is dented and her dress has been replaced, but Brenda said that this doll still brings her joy.

Bonnie Burch brought this Bonnie Braids doll.  As a child, she had a Bonnie Braids doll, but her mother gave it away while she was in college.  Bonnie bought this doll in memory of her childhood doll.

Bonnie told the club that she treasures this doll because it was given to her by a friend, who is now deceased.

Bonnie told the club that this doll is the first doll she made to win a blue ribbon.

Bette Birdsong bought this cloth doll by Martha Chase.  She said that she saw this doll at another member's home and each time she felt a need to pick it up and hold it.  Bette told the club that looking at the doll makes her happy.

Sylvia McDonald told the club that when she was a child, she had a beloved Patsy doll with a trunk full of clothing made by her mother.  The green sweater is the only piece remaining.  Sylvia said that after many years she has finally replaced her Patsy doll.  The Patsyette in red was purchased from the club's charity booth at its last doll show.  Sylvia described how other members found the perfect dress, shoes, socks, and other accessories for this little doll.

Elaine Jackson brought her childhood Toni doll.  When she was 10 years old, Elaine's mother told her that Santa could bring her either a new bicycle or a Toni doll.  Elaine could not decide which she wanted and Christmas day found she had a new bike.  After Christmas, her mother took her to the store and using money saved from her allowance, Elaine bought her own Toni doll.  Even though the doll was on sale, Elaine did not have enough money, so her mother helped her pay for it, but afterward deducted the debt from Elaine's allowance.  

This is the first Schoenhut doll Elaine purchased, after finding it at a United Federation of Doll Clubs convention.  Elaine said it was the first Schoenhut she had ever seen in person.

Jenell Howell brought this early Käthe Kruse doll.  She had spotted the doll tucked in the corner of a massive doll collection.

This doll was made by a friend of Jenell's.  After her friend died, Jenell helped the woman's daughter arrange her mother's dolls at the memorial service and the daughter told Jenell to take one of the dolls in memory of her mother.

Sallie Howard brought this doll by Robin Woods.  She said that looking at her always makes her happy.

Michele Thelen brought this bevy of Barbies.  She told the club that Barbie was her first doll.  Michele explained that although many of the dolls are reproductions, their outfits are authentic.  She said that they bring back childhood memories of playing with her Barbie dolls.

Beverly Evans said that she likes dolls that speak to her and have expression, such as these smiling children.

Jan Irsfeld brought two examples of Madame Alexander Cissy dolls.  The one in the bead-encrusted gown is called "Crystal Elegance" and is a limited edition.  Jan said that she was drawn to the exquisitely detailed outfit.  The doll in blue Jan dressed herself, copying the dress from a picture in a fashion magazine.

Sharon Weintraub brought two examples of dolls she always wanted to add to her collection.  She said that she admired the French Fashion dolls on jointed wood bodies, but most were too costly and many did not have especially pretty faces or expressions.  Then she found this early example by Francois Gaultier.  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, but Sharon pointed out that if so, the doll should be more properly dressed in Elizabethan garb rather than a romanticized outfit of the Middle Ages.

Sharon also collects all-bisque animal dolls by Hertwig and Company of Germany.  She told the club that these tiny dolls came in several sizes, ranging from 2.5 inches to 1.5 inches.  Sharon said that the smallest sizes can be hard to find, especially for the rarer animals, like the glass-eyed cats.  Finally, after many years of searching, she found this tiny 1.5 inch "kitten" to add to her cat family.

Faydra wound up the program by talking about her favorite dolls.  She said that she was always drawn to the looks of the Patsy dolls, like this tiny wee Patsyette.  The other dolls she created.  The little bunny-eared babies she named "Bitty Bit Cuddle Dolls"   Faydra told the club that she posted the pattern for the baby dolls for free on the Internet and that it brings her great joy when people contact her and tell her how much they enjoyed making these dolls.  

Faydra said that this Black doll is the second doll she ever made.  She spun the wool for the hair and hopes someday to give the doll to a grandchild.  

April 1, 2019, Meeting

In honor of the month a cadre of cuties in spring finery or Easter outfits greeted members at the refreshment table.

Festive centerpieces adorned the tables.

This endearing toddler with her basket full of springtime blooms is by the German company of Armand Marseille and belongs to member Myrna Loesch.

Member Sharon Weintraub did a program on half-bisque and all-bisque dollhouse dolls by Hertwig and Company, which was located in the German town of Katzhutte.

In 1910, Hertwig received a patent for a dollhouse doll with a torso and head of bisque.  Slots in the shoulders allowed the insertion of fabric arms ending in bisque hands and the dolls had cloth legs with bisque feet.  In 1914, these half-bisque dolls were featured in the company's anniversary catalog.  One set represented a peasant family, including the grandparents, the mother, a young son and daughter, a teenage maidservant, and a mustachioed father (who is missing from this group).  The grandfather in his fez is 6.5 inches tall and all the dolls are incised "Germany" on the back of their waists.  Hertwig was very clever when it came to cutting costs, so the dolls' cloth arms doubled as their sleeves and the fabric lower bodies as the men's pants (the girls and women came in simple cloth skirts and aprons).  Over the years, collectors have often updated the dolls' rather drab outfits by adding sleeves and fancier outer garments, as with the little girl in this picture.

This modeling on the dolls is realistic and detailed.  The adults were only available in sets, but the children could be purchased separately and in a variety of sizes.  For this reason, the adults dolls are much harder to find. 

Known to collectors as the city boy and girl, these child half-bisque dolls did not come with any corresponding adults.  They can be found in a variety of sizes and even as doll heads. 

Hertwig produced a variety of little all-bisque dollhouse dolls in precolored bisque.  Beginning around WWI, German companies began experimenting with a bisque that already had a pink tone, eliminating the need to pad on a complexion.  Hertwig made extensive use of precolored bisque for its small dolls and figures.  The dolls could be purchased nude or simply, but effectively, dressed in inexpensive materials such as felt and rayon ribbon. The black and white picture is a copy of a page from the Hertwig 1938 catalog.

These little dolls in their original box represent an entire dollhouse community, from the grandparents to the children, including a maid in her white cap.

Also in their original box, as well as their original outfits, are this bride and groom.

This pair of Hertwig dollhouse girls in their original dresses belongs to member Bette Birdsong.

Sallie Howard brought adorable Addy Joy by artist Judy Porter for show and tell.

March 4, 2019, Meeting

In honor of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day, these cute colleens greeted members at the refreshment table.

These stunning Cissy dolls, dressed by member Jan Irsfeld were also "wearing of the green"

A delicate dainty damsel of Irish Dresden also adorned a table.

Member Beverly Evans demonstrated how to make a decoupage doll box.

Members were each provided with a wooden box.

A table was spread with plenty of pages from doll magazines for members to pick out pictures for covering their box.

Beverly made sure there were ample brushes, glue, and other necessary supplies for crafting and creating.

Soon everyone was busy at beautifying their box.

For show and tell, President Faydra Jones displayed her newest doll, an all-original composition "Baby Genius" by Madame Alexander.