Memoir; Writing your Life Story: My Book Guide

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: My Book Guide: Guide for Buying Professional Books, Reference Books, Law Books, and URLS for College Students by Ellen Tsagaris Map Quest. www....

The Story of Josephne, an Heirloom

The pictures that follow are of Josephine, a family heirloom belonging to Kelli H. The doll belonged to Grandmother Grace, who painted her hair brown and made her slippers into highbutton shoes. I think that she should stay this way; this is the way Grace loved her. Even if Kelli removes the paint, she should keep a card with the story on Jo somewhere. Jo could be an 1870 China head, fancy do with blonde hair, or she could be an Emma Clear artists' version c. 1940s, very desireable, and written up by Janet Pagter Johl and Eleanor St. George. Enjoy, and we thank Kelli for sharing her lovely photos and her charming friend.

Darlene's Dolls, an Auction inventory, and Josephine

I will cover these topics in three separate posts over the week or so. Auction Antique & Collectible Dolls, Inventory From Former Doll Hospital Sunday, August 26, 2012 Below is an ad for a typical country auction in the Midwest. It gives collectors an idea of the types of dolls available regionally and currently. Holiday Barbies often appear and are bid on fiercely. Time 11:00 A.M. Bisque & Other Dolls: 16” Oriental Baby marked JS, solid dome, Door of Hope style clothes; 24” Simon Halbig CBM w/ pierced ears; A & M ‘Darling’ doll; 28” A & M #390 doll; A & M 2894 mold, comp. body; 26” Gerbruder Kuhnlenz #5; 15” German black doll; 9” doll marked 301 Paris 3/0; 8” Doll w/ leather hands; German solid dome ; 10” Solid dome; Other bisque dolls; 15”, 16”, 17” Celluloid dolls; 2 – Paper Mache heads on old bodies; Nippon doll; 14” Flat top china head; Several other china head dolls; 80+ - 1½” to 6” bisque jointed dolls, some German, all dressed, some glass eyes (adorable); Frozen Charlottes; Wax doll; ½ Dolls; 20+Ginny dolls, 11 are Doll Club dolls, only available to members NIB; Ginny doll clothes NIB; Barbie Dolls are NIB & include: Happy Holiday series 1988 to 1997; 29 – Dolls of the World; 5 – The Wizard of Oz series; Complete Enchanted Seasons Series; 3 – Gone With The Wind; 4 – Special Edition Hallmark (1994-97); 7 – American Stories; 17 – Kira dolls; LE 1989 Golden Greeting; 2 – Great Eras; Many other Barbie dolls, accessories & clothes; 20+ Hallmark ‘Barbie’ ornaments; 9 - Madam Alexander Dolls: including Trick & Treat, Russia w/ Large wooden nesting doll; Several years of Madam Alexander McDonald dolls; 30+ Coleco Cabbage Patch Kids, OB w/ papers; Other Dolls: Oriental dolls include Japanese Warrior, Princesses & several in glass cases; Pleasant Valley doll w/ trunk of clothes; 2 – Susan Wakeen; Mary Engelbreit, 1995 Chris Miller’s Mary’s Secret Garden & trunk of clothes, Mary Treeter, Mattel Pocahontas series, Lawton, Ideal, Effanbee, Kerner plus more. Uncut Paper Dolls; Little Golden books; Baby & Doll Furniture: Antique baby cradle, bed, wicker rocker & carpet rocker; Antique doll bed; Wicker doll buggy, lawn swing, fainting couch, carriage w/ umbrella & German stove NIB; Ertle Multi Motor washing machine NIB; 1950’s Metal doll house & furniture; 6’ Curio cabinet; Inventory from Former Doll Hospital: 100’s of old bisque, composition & celluloid doll parts; Original comp. doll bodies; Some antique bisque & china heads; Wigs & doll stands; Antique & replacement glass eyes & jewelry; Antique & NIB clothes; Many antique doll clothes patterns; Fabric; Largeamount of lace, vintage, crocheted & tatted; 100+ Books; Books on antique & collectible dolls, doll makers, toys & other collectibles; Set of Swedberg’s Furniture books (1 autographed); Series of Schroder’s Price Guides. Many other items. Dolls of the Nations [Barbie] Native American I, 2, 3, 4, French, Arctic, Russian, Nigerian, Mexican, Irish, German, Japanese, Dutch, Malaysia, Norwegian, African, East Indian, Polynesian, Kenyan, Chinese, Ghanaian, English, Russian, Puerto Rican, Thai, Chilean, Polish, Princess of the Navajo. American Stories American Indian, Pioneer, Colonial, Indian, Patriot, Pilgrim, Civil War Nurse. Kira Splash n Color, My First Tea Party, My First Barbie Princess, Glitter, Sparkle Beach, Wet n Wild, Sun Sensation, Sun Jewel, Tropical Splash, Hawaiian Fun, All American, Summit, Flying Hero, United Colors, Ocean Friends,, Movin Goovin Pearl Beach. Hallmark Ornaments 1993 Holiday Barbie, 1994 Springtime Barbie, 1994 Debut 1959, 1994 Holiday Barbie, 1995 Springtime Barbie, 1995 Holiday Barbie (2), 1995 Solo in the Spotlight (3), 1996 Springtime Barbie 1996 Featuring the Enchanted Evening (2) 1996 Dolls of the world ‘Native American’ (2), 1996 Holiday Barbie (3), 1996 Silken flame, 1996 Dolls of the World, ‘Mexican’, 1997 Dolls of the World, ‘Chinese’, 2000 Busy Gal Barbie, 2003 Celebration Barbie, 2003 Swan Lake Barbie. Ginny Dolls: First Secret, Pink Confection, Dress Me Vintage, Dress Me Boy, Dress Me African American, The Doll Collector, Rag Doll , August, Happy 100th Teddy, Black Ginny at the Beach. Doll Club Ginnys 1999 Logo Ginny, 2000 The Land I Love, 2001 Dinner at Eight, 2003 Crib Crowd Baby Pink, 2003 Paper Dolls, 2004 Kindergarten Afternoon, Linda, 2005 Beauty Pageant, 2006 For Rain or Shine, 2007 Breast Cancer Awareness, 2008 Blue Satin Sweetheart. Ginny Clothes Luck of the Irish, Winter Wonderland, Days of the Week, Sand box Ginny, Sail Away, Ginny’s Trip Mates. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic Television: Cult-TV Theme Watch: Dolls, Dummies and Puppets

John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic Television: Cult-TV Theme Watch: Dolls, Dummies and Puppets: Automatonophobia is the (irrational?) fear of anything that falsely represents a sentient human being.  A resident, perhaps, of the Unca...

Doll Museum: Dolls by famous author?

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Olde Time Dolls: Queen Anne Style Doll in Mourning Dress For Sale

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~Plain-N-Simple!: Still working on my witch doll , and my Izannah do...

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Olde Time Dolls: An Izannah Walker Inspired Witch Doll For Sale~Bet...

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MoonStruck Gift Shop - Decorating Ideas & More!: Witch Collector’s Open House

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Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: A 5 star review! I'm very pleaseantly surprised!

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: A 5 star review! I'm very pleaseantly surprised!: Visit our other sites: Alibris U.K.Alibris for Libraries Sell at AlibrisEllen M.'s account. Not Ellen M.? WishlistHelp0SHOP BY CATEGORY SA...

So, when is it an addition, cont'd

When is a hobby too much? Anyone ever read "A Gentle Madness," about collecting in general, or hobbies in particular, or "Magnificent Obsessions?" Is it when we run out of space? Mary Randolph Carter, author of American Junk, Garden Junk, Big City Junk, etc., would say of a true collector, "Never ask, "where are you going to put it?" She was also a vice president for art/marketing, etc. for Ralph Lauren.

Me, I'd say it's when your family, not you alone, mind you, but your family, has to eat ramen noodles every night because you blew the family savings on a doll, or whatever you collect. Disappointment notwithstanding, when you are so upset at losing a doll at auction, or when someone bought it before you could, that you get depressed, can't eat, don't enjoy anything, cry repeatedly, and are in general, too disconcolate to function. Of course, business people might be excused for feeling this way if their livelihood depended on one big find or pick, but CF "The American Pickers' Guide to Picking" by Libby Calloway and Maureen Stanton's "Killer Stuff, Ton's of Money" on this last point about getting sold out or bought out from under.

Personally, I think when people collect dolls and think they talk to them, or that the dolls talk back, it's time to stop. And, that is a collection of a different category. When the dolls tire us, when we no longer like them or get pleasure out of them, it's time to stop.

Just my thoughts.

There is a difference between passion, and addiction. Passion leads to educational opportunities and new discoveries. It promotes life long learning, and can lead to a business. Collectors are considreed merchants, and thus, experts under the UCC. Passion can lead people to become writers, and can inspire their imagination. In a world of economic recession where the mantra has become, "simplify, simplify," collectors are looked at askance. Collecting anything today is not waht it was sixty years go, or even 40 years ago. I've seen doll collecting go from a growing hobby, still within most peoples' financial reach, to a fad, to the insanity of the 80s which encompassed the CPK mania, to a highend investment goal for French Bisque dolls and other antiques, to a steady decline in some categories due to eBay and the need for many dealer/collectors to downsize. Also, I think the hobby has changed because most collectors are aging, and many famous collectors and even dealers, have died or retired. Too many doll museums have had to close, and not enough younger people are interested. I attended one of our regional shows this weekend, and there was a good crowd, but it was very small. There were great selections, and still lots of variety, but I saw many old, familiar faces missing. The buying crowd was mostly over 40. Vinyl dolls and Barbies were doing very well. Two years ago, the last time I was there, there were dealers with various ball-jointed dolls, like Pullip and Dalfie. There were a lot of 20-somethings and younger children looking at the toys, too. This time, I didn't see any modern ball jointed dolls, and no teens and 20s running around. The toy dealers were gone, too. This, I think, made a difference in clientele.

So, is there a future for us who want to collect, and keep our collections, long term, or...forever? How do we get younger people and kids interested. It is true that most kids are plugged in and prefere gadgets to toys. The rest of their lives is "hands on," with play dates, and clubs, sports teams, and competetitions.

My old sport and other great love, gymnastics, is by itself a death knell for many childhood pastimes, including collecting. The nuclear family itself shifts for these young athletes, who must now start from the cradle if they wish to be Olympic quality or set for international competition. I watched the homecoming of one of them on Dateline, and I had to think if it was all worth it. Too much too soon; our definition of childhood itself may be reverting to 18th c. and earlier conceptions of the child as a miniadult in training for adult roles and responsibilities. Yet, see our other blog, Doll Museum, there were dolls, as toys, even then, and into prehistory.

I would be interested in hearing readers thoughts. Happy Dolling!!

You know you're addicted when... and other Musings

Finally, it is cooler, and now, really almost autumn. We expect some 40 degree evenings after highs that hit a dangerous heat index. I apologize for not posting very nuch on all my blogs; working many nights, M. starting high school, a husband roofing our house, 3 conference papers, and work, work, work! I am so tired it isn't funny. I also need to start eating right again, and walking, but that is for my other blog! I thought I would post some photos from my files that I enjoy; some dolls are mine, some are not, some are from Pinterest, which I enjoy very nuch. I have six boards, one called Doll Collection. I also have more articles and Writing Worlds. We bless our new followers, here and on Twitter and Pinterest, and bless those who comment here and on the other blogs. We love our 20,000+ readers and the thousands who read our other blogs, too. Please keep reading. You are my "people of the page," as Anne Rice would say, and these blogs are the Museums mainstay spiritually and morally. Also thanks to the Likes on Dr. E's Doll Museum Facebook page. Reading a lot about American Pickers, especially Calloway's American Pickers Guide to Picking, and other articles about pickers and antiques. Watch Market Warrior when I can.

Metal Doll Information from doll reference site

Metal Head Dolls | Metal Doll Makers 1861-1930s Doll Makers by Country: | American USA | Doll Makers World | English UK | French FR | German DE | France has the first patent recorded by René Poulin in 1861 for making dolls heads and limbs of metal. In 1876 Lucien Vervelle, also of France, secured a patent for dolls heads made of metal, too. Beginning in 1886 the majority of metal head dolls were made in Germany. The German metal heads were made from stamped sheet metal, that were welded together and then painted. They seem to be made primarily as a replacement head for bisque or china doll heads that were easily broken, so the heads were sold separately from the body, which is why today the body material varies. The trade name Minerva, over a helmet symbol, was used by the German doll maker Buschow & Beck from 1888-1930s, their USA partner was Alfred Vischer with George Borgfeldt and Louis Wolf as distributors and Minerva heads are also found in old Sears catalogs. Karl Standfuss 1898-1930s used the trade name JUNO. Alfred Heller 1901-1910 used trade name DIANA, both German doll makers, for their doll metal heads. Aluminum Doll Head Works 1919-1920 USA, made aluminum doll heads and hands on composition ball jointed or cloth stuffed bodies. Atlas Doll & Toy Company 1917-1930 USA, made all metal dolls, also dolls with metal heads, sleep eyes, wigged and metal arms on cork stuffed bodies, Atlas doll mark or trade name are A.D.T. Co and 1919 Hug Me Kid with sleep or stationary eyes, molded hair or wigged. Giebeler Falk Doll Corporation 1918-1921 of the USA, used the trade name Gie-Fa, they made an aluminum head with a wooden body phonograph doll named Primadonna, who has a clockwork mechanical mechanism in the dolls torso, a crank handle in the neck works the turntable located in the top of the head, dolls with a metal head, hands and feet with wooden or composition bodies and entire dolls made of all aluminum. Doll marks Gie Fa Trademark New York, NY., Aluminum Heads ~ Hands Guaranteed Unbreakable or the initial G inside a six pointed star symbol U.S. Pat. Armor Metal Toy Stamping Company, 1922 of Bayonne, NJ USA, made metal Armor heads on composition jointed or cloth stuffed jointed sanitary bodies and walking dolls, doll sizes 14-22" tall, doll marking unknown. Horsman made a metal head marked Horsman doll on a composition jointed body, but we have been unable to find any reference documentation, other than the boy doll shown at the top of this page and below. Metal Doll Company 1902-1903 USA, made entire dolls of thin steel sheet metal with a fully jointed steel body, some of the dolls have jointed wrists and ankles too, strung with steel springs in 12 and 18" tall. Ebay, Antique Metal Head Dolls For Sale, use the search box to type (or swipe and paste text from this page) for a specific doll, this is a category site wide ebay search, so be sure to include your search term + doll. Note; this is a free To Go Ebay Widget, not an affiliate paid program, we do not receive any remuneration for purchases thru this Ebay widget, it is solely for the enhancement of this page and convenience to you, hopefully. Metal Dolls. http://dollreference.com/metal_head_dolls.html

Doll Museum: French Fashion Dolls

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What's so Special about Dolls and Toys?

What's so special about dolls and toys? As collectibles, of course we know they are a good investment, and they are miniature time capsules of cultures and customs long gone. Certainly, they are sometimes beautiful, and they invoke nostalgia. As I cruised the yard sales and one rummage sale, it hit me. I did well today, with a Steiff Afghan hound for one dollar, and a miniscule doll from Brittainy displayed inside a seashell, and of course, my loved Barbies, some comic characters the Museum doesn't have. It dawned on me then that what makes dolls and toys special, especially the loved ones that aren't mint, is that a child loved them. That is their value, and their power.