Children of Japan

Children of Japan
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Hinges and Hearts

Hinges and Hearts
An Exhibit of our Metal Dolls

Tuxedo and Bangles

Tuxedo and Bangles

A History of Metal Dolls

A History of Metal Dolls
Now on Alibris.com and In Print! The First Book of its Kind

Alice, Commemorative Edition

Alice, Commemorative Edition
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Translate


Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory

Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory
Her Grace wishes us all a Merry Christmas!

Annabelle

Annabelle

Emma Emmeline

Emma Emmeline
Our New Addition/fond of stuffed toys

Cloth Clown

Cloth Clown

Native American Art

Native American Art

the triplets

the triplets

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby
Bought Athens on the street

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Sand Baby Swirls!

Sand Baby Swirls!
By Glenda Rolle, courtesy, the Artist

Glenda's Logo

Glenda's Logo
Also, a link to her site

Sand Baby Castaway

Sand Baby Castaway
By Glenda Rolle, Courtesy the Artist

A French Friend

A French Friend

Mickey

Mickey
From our friends at The Fennimore Museum

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll
British Museum, Child's Tomb

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll
Among first "Toys?"

ushabti

ushabti
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Popular Posts

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase
Courtesy, Antique Daughter

Judge Peep

Judge Peep

Hakata Doll Artist at Work

Hakata Doll Artist at Work
From the Museum Collection

Japanese Costume Barbies

Japanese Costume Barbies
Samurai Ken

Etienne

Etienne
A Little Girl

Happy Heart Day

Happy Heart Day

From "Dolls"

From "Dolls"
A Favorite Doll Book

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Jenny Wren

Jenny Wren
Ultimate Doll Restorer

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

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Baby Boo 1960s

Baby Boo 1960s
Reclaimed and Restored as a childhood Sabrina the Witch with Meow Meow

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum
L to R: K*R /celluloid head, all bisque Artist Googly, 14 in. vinyl inuit sixties, early celluloid Skookum type.

Two More Rescued Dolls

Two More Rescued Dolls
Late Sixties Vinyl: L to R: Probably Horseman, all vinyl, jointed. New wig. R: Effanbee, probably Muffy, mid sixties. New wig and new clothing on both. About 12 inches high.

Restored Italian Baby Doll

Restored Italian Baby Doll
One of Dr. E's Rescued Residents

Dolls on Display

Dolls on Display
L to R: Nutcrackers, Danish Troll, HItty and her book, Patent Washable, Mechanical Minstrel, Creche figure, M. Alexander Swiss. Center is a German mechanical bear on the piano. Background is a bisque German costume doll.

A Few Friends

A Few Friends
These dolls are Old German and Nutcrackers from Dr. E's Museum. They are on loan to another local museum for the holidays.

Vintage Collage

Vintage Collage
Public Domain Art

The Merry Wanderer

The Merry Wanderer
Courtesy R. John Wright, The Hummel Collection

The Fennimore Doll Museum

The Fennimore Doll Museum

Robert

Robert
A Haunted Doll with a Story

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

The Cody Jumeau

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Long-faced or Jumeau Triste

German Princesses

German Princesses
GAHC 2005

A Little PowerRanger

A Little PowerRanger
Halloween 2004

The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls
Shrine to Dolls in Mexico

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death
Doll House murder

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A lovely dress

A lovely dress

Raggedy Ann

Raggedy Ann
A few friends in cloth!

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI
Pixar Animator's Collection

Little PM sisters

Little PM sisters
Recent eBay finds

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Really old Dolls!

Really old Dolls!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Pink Lusterware Does have Metallic Elements and Gold

I was recently attacked by one KT on Facebook, who is a doll dealer.  Her basis for the attack was that while there is such a thing as pink luster, it is only used as an embellishment on doll heads, there is no gold in it, etc.  Not true.  I direct readers to Helen Young's "The Complete Book of Doll Collecting", to her chapter on china heads.

Unfortunately, in a lifetime of collecting dolls, I've met several "doll divas", who are in it solely for the money, which is fine, but who know enough to be dangerous.

Courtesy, Theriault's.com



The Coleman's refer to "Pink Tinted" heads in "The Collector's Encyclopedia of Dolls", Volume I.  See, pp. 408-409. The entry on p. 118 on china head refers to pink tinted dolls, and there are B/W photos of them on p. 120.  Others call these pink tinted dolls pink lustre, also spelled "luster." To make an allusion to Gertrude Stein, "a rose is a rose is a rose."

From Theriault's.com comes a doll that is pink tinted and has pink luster trim.  https://www.theriaults.com/node/800621

See, also below:   "Peonies and Orange Blossoms: Beginner's Guide to Lustreware China." Retrieved from http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com/2015/05/beginners-guide-to-lusterware-china.html

Luster Trim:  Luster Trim - metallic or pink color over glazed porcelain.  Retrieved from:  http://www.dollreference.com/doll_terminology_glossary.html

On Pinterest, see the following pins:

 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456130268485413154/

Pink Lustre China Dolls. Retrieved from:  https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=pink%20lustre%20china%20dolls&rs=remove&term_meta[]=pink|typed&term_meta[]=lustre|typed&term_meta[]=china|typed&term_meta[]=dolls|typed&remove_refine=head|typed

Lusters, china paints, and overglazes.  Retrieved from http://pottery.about.com/od/overglazes/tp/lusterover.htm

I have seen this term used in reference to dolls in many other books, but noted authors and authorities who were scholars and collectors in their fields, not just merchants.

Miss Turner felt the need to slander and attack me, and she didn't let go.   So, I'm responding.  Once again, I stand by my sources.

Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Doll Displays; Ideas from our Readers Wanted!

Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Doll Displays; Ideas from our Readers Wanted!: With the new year, many collectors become inspired with ways to display their treasures.  We'd love to have our Readers share their disp...

Friday, January 22, 2016

Orphan Dolls; We Need a Home

Please see below the email from this hospice social worker trying to find a good home for a doll collection of 5,181 dolls.  A separate collection includes around 250 bears by the same owner.  The dolls are mostly modern, many are modern porcelain or Walda types, but there is a nice Alexander Pussycat, at least wo Dolls by Pauline, a vintage Kewpie and Patsy type, many international costume and folk dolls.  There are also Shirley Temple items, musicals, and 331 thmbles. I do not have the brick and mortar facilities yet, or I would offer to take them.

I think they could be donated to a museum.  These dolls are all part of doll history, and need to be preserved by someone.  50 + years from now, they will be vintage and antique.  Already, not many are made.

This lady is terminally ill, and her dolls mean a lot to her.

She has carefully cataloged her collection.  See below:

Greetings:
I obtained your email from the Doll Show USA website.
I am the social worker for the OSF Richard L Owens Hospice Home in Peoria. I have a patient who is trying to place her vast doll collection before her death. I am trying to facilitate this. If you know of any person or organization who would be willing to accept this collection please let me know. Below are a couple of links from media stories about this collection. Since the video tape the collection has grown by another 20%. I will be happy to assist in coordinating etc. Please do not hesitate to call.
Chuck Wilcox, MSW LCSW
Medical Social Worker / Chaplain
OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home
8630 N. IL Route 91
Peoria, IL 61616
309.683.8444 voice 309.683.8282 fax
 
One of the news stories:
 
By Phil Luciano
May 01. 2011 12:01AM

Luciano: Dolls are all dressed up with nowhere to go

Wilma Schubert is crabby with the Peoria Riverfront Museum. So are her roommates.

And she has a lot of them. To be exact, 4,715.

They are her dolls, which fill most of her sharp ranch home in Far North Peoria.

"They're beautiful," the 80-year-old widow says matter-of-factly. "If you have dolls, you are never lonely."

But they need a new home. Schubert has run out of room for them, and she would like to find a suitable spot to which she could will her collection. Her first choice would be the new museum, but the dolls have been turned away.

"They told me it doesn't fit the motif," Schubert says, voice rising. "It just kind of burned me up to have Richard Pryor in the museum and not my dolls."

You can decide whether the museum would be the right spot. I don't know if that's the type of attraction that would lure tourism. Still, you have to admire someone who gets so feisty over her hobby that she is willing to yell at politicians and business executives, even going so far as to bark at the City Council.

Doll collecting is a latter-day hobby for Schubert. Six years ago, she had just 100 dolls - a sizeable number for most people, but just a few shelves' worth of space at her place.

But in 2005, her second husband passed away. Though an active gardener and seamstress, she started to find enjoyment in dolls. She bought some at stores, but many at yard sales and second-hand shops.

By her admission, it became an addiction. Slowly, dolls took over her home. They fill couches, shelves, floors, beds, counters and any other available space throughout the house.

There are celebrities: Princess Di, Michelle Obama, Marie Osmond. Cartoons: Minnie Mouse, Raggedy Anne, Betty Boop. Miscellaneous: a surfer, a mermaid, Kabuki dancers. Ninety-two Barbies. Sixty Cabbage Patch dolls. Several Elvises (Elvii?).

At a small table, two cats drink tea while two dogs play poker.

A few are an inch tall. Some are as big as children.

The only doll-less rooms are the kitchen and one bathroom; Schubert even shares her bed with dolls.

(But not teddy bears, which are downstairs. She has 200 of them, but they're not part of the official doll count because they're bears not dolls.)

Most of the dolls are girls. A pair of naked, beat-up baby dolls survive from her childhood. Two porcelain dolls date to the 1800s.

Her favorite is a Katherine Anne doll, a brunette the size of a toddler, which she got in 1962 for $300.

"I had a little girl who passed away," she says, lightly brushing the doll's hair with her hand. "So I saw this doll in Peoria in the window at Block and Kuhl's. It looked just like her. So this is her."

Though room is at a premium, everyone is happy with the set-up - except Schubert's Pomeranians, Lil Leo and Leo. The pooches, which won the Journal Star's Pet Idol contest in 2008 and 2009, would love to tear into the dolls. So, Schubert takes great pains to keep the dogs away.

"They have a separation issue," she says with a laugh.

Schubert sometimes takes dolls out for visits. She often will visit nursing homes, bringing her dolls and lecturing on their history.

"The residents enjoy it," she says.

By the beginning of last year, Schubert had amassed 2,600 dolls. The house growing cramped, she vowed to stop buying more. She failed.

"I was gonna quit, but I couldn't," she says with a smile. "I just couldn't."

The house now brims with 4,715 dolls, as of Wednesday. But she swears she is done buying more. She might have little choice this time.

"I've run out of room," she says with a shrug.

Schubert says she doesn't have an estimated value for the collection. But she is willing to give them away free - to the right place.

Her three adult children don't want the dolls. So Schubert wants to find a new place. She says there are no doll museums in the state, and she wants to keep them in Illinois.

So, she has pushed to put the dolls in the new museum. She has spoken loud and long before the City Council. She has called Caterpillar Inc. She has talked to Lakeview Museum.

The response every time: thanks, but no thanks.

The riverfront museum will have a set criteria for exhibits, says Nikki Cole, Lakeview's vice president of development. Right now, Lakeview accepts donations of fine art, decorative art and folk art, along with examples of natural science. The dolls do not fit within those parameters.

Schubert finds that view shortsighted.

"What are they gonna have that's beautiful?" she says. "What are they gonna have for children to look at?"

Meanwhile, perhaps there is a better solution. Ideas? Again, Schubert wants to keep them local, so keep that in mind. "I want them to stay in Peoria," she says.

PHIL LUCIANO is a columnist with the Journal Star. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, 686-3155 or (800) 225-5757, Ext. 3155. Luciano co-hosts "The Markley & Luciano Show" from 5:30 to 9 a.m.




Tuesday, January 19, 2016

January 17th Newsletter; Doll Poems and More

Reading "Creepy A**ed Humans, the Dolls Reply."
January seems to be flying by us; from my perspective, this has been a very mild one.  This week, I am sharing my experiences with The Princeton Women's Club, where I read from an upcoming book of mine, titled as above.  These are poems about historical dolls like Letitia Penn as well as doll auctions, museums, puppets, and doll hospitals.  Even a Teddy growls here and there!  We have more on Happy Meals, revisit a favorite collection, and more. Remember, I'd love to hear your ideas!  Write anytime!  Look for upcoming reviews of doll movies, dolls on Flickr, Tumblr, and more, and reviews of individual vintage, collectible, and antique dolls.  Happy Collecting!
Ellen Tsagaris
Doll Collecting Expert
Old Rag Doll
Reading "Creepy A**ed Humans, the Dolls Reply."  
Reading poems about dolls and showing dolls to doll aficionados makes for a perfect afternoon.
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Some Great Collectors were Only Children  
Only children who collect dolls are my soul sisters in doll collecting. Read about a variety of antique and collectible dolls, and their amazing owner.
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Barbie, Monster High, plus International Toys  
Get McHappy! Happy Meal Toys updates; a great way to start a popular, but inexpensive collection.
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Dolls from the land of the Olympians  
A variety of cultures influenced the creation of Greek Dolls, many of them ancient. See how Greek dolls rocked the cradle of civilization.
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Cotillion Marque Brings $280,000!  
One of my poems is about a Marque; review a story about the monetary respect these dolls command!
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Thursday, January 7, 2016

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

A Few of the Celebrity and Historical Dolls in my Collection

There are more than this, but you get the idea!!




Shirley Temple

Aunt Jemima

Mrs. Butterworth

Jane Withers

John Travolta and Welcome Back Kotter

Fonzie

Mash

Daisy Duke

Lil Abner

Lucy

Brook Shields

Farrah Fawcett

Sonny and Cher

Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan

Laura Ingalls Wilder and Family

Marie Antoinette

Six Wives of Henry VIII and Henry

King Arthur

King Tut

Joan Collins

Mother Theresa

Princess Diana

KISS

Universal Monsters

Elizabeth Bathory

Aimee Semple McPherson

Donald Trump

Jesse Ventura

Bob Hope

Genl. MacArthur

FDR and Eleanor

Mark Twain

Louis Armstrong

John Wayne

George and Martha Washington

Jenny Lind

John Wayne

Mae West

W.C. Fields

O.J. Simposn

Sadaam Husseun

Barak Obama

Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln

Benjamin Franklin

Sara Lee Baby

Scajawea

Pochohontas

John Smith

Anastasia

The Czar, Nicholas II

The Kaiser

Kaiser's Mother

 Hans Christian Andersen

Kate Winslet, Titanic

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

Prince Charles

Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth I

Mary, Queen of Scotts

Anne Rice and Lestat

McKinley Soap Doll

President George Bush

Bill and Hillary Clinton

Mary Poppins

Dr. Doolittle

Buffy and Mrs. Beaseley

Family Affair

Nixon

LBJ

JFK

Jackie Kennedy

Alexander First Ladies

Effanbee First Ladies

Josephine Baker

Marie LeVeau

Sojourner Truth

George Washington Carver

The Three Stooges

Deanna Durbin

Madame Alexander

Peggy Nisbe

Pope John Paul II

Linda Evans

Vivien Leigh and GWTHW

Tasha Tudor

Barbara Pym

Charlotte Bronte

Jane Austen

Leonardo da Vinci

Gen. Norman Schwarkopf

Gen. Colin Powell

The Beatles

Sonia Henie

Charlie Chaplin

Lauren and Hardy

Napoleon

Queen Louise of Prussia

China Poblana

Amalia of Greece

Victoria and Albert

Baby Peggy

Amelia Earhardt

Jackie Coogan

Carolyn Jones and Addams Family

The Munsters

Davey Crockett

Ellie Mae Clampett

Bewitched Samantha

Honey West

Molly Brown

Lon Chaney

Leather Face and Hell Boy

Freddy, aka Robert Englund

King Arthur

Rose O' Donnell

Star Trek

Star Wars

Battlestar Galactica

Marcia Brady

Austin Powers

Marilyn Monroe

James Dean

Elvis Presley

Nadia Comaneci

OJ Simpson

Olga Korbut

The Shah and Empress of Iran

Rose O'Neil

Einstein

Buddha

Jesus and Mary, Saints

Dionne Quints

Full House

Hanna Montana

Twilight

Bozo

Ronald Mcdonald and characters

Muppets

Charlie McCarthy

Howdy Doody

Captain Kangaroo

Lampchop

Peanuts Gang

Ninja Turtles

Mr. Ed

Chief Black Hawk

Rasputin

Billy the Kid

Jack the Ripper

Pavarotti

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Frida Kahlo

Kokopelli

Jimena

Don Quixote and Sancho

Julia

The Nutcracker

Betsy Ross

Deborah Sampson paper doll

Molly Pitcher Paper doll

Kateri

St. Theresa

St. Francis of Assisi

Sally Field, The Flying Nun

Jetsons and Flintstones

Hanna Barbera Characters

Looney Tunes

Disney

Munchkins, signed

Judy Garland as Dorothy

Wizard of Oz

Walking Dead

Fat Albert

Stephen Bathory

Wonder Woman

Beatrix Potter

Emmett Kelley

Carol Burnett in GWTHW Dress

Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare

3 Little Nixons Paper Doll

Gild Rander paper doll

Henry Kissinger paper doll

Hobbit and Lord of the Rings

Elvira









Dolly 2016 Resolutions from About.com Doll Collecting

A Million Dolls Cheer! Happy New Year 2016!
What are your dolly resolutions?  I'd love to hear them; we could feature an advice column with readers' tips!  We preview a rare Checkeni doll head prototype this week from the upcoming Forever Young auction by Theriault's, as well as another glimpse at Monster High pending a reboot of the MH dolls that is proving to be a little controversial. Also, more on toy soldiers, those symbols of Christmas and Babes in Toyland, and the story of my fabulous Bebe Reclame, in time for Etrennes, or New Year's Gifts. Also, look for posts on my site of my favorite dolls, and McDonald's is featuring Shopkins and Rabbids at some locations. Write to me at etsag1998@aol.com, and may we have peace in 2016!
Ellen Tsagaris
Doll Collecting Expert
Checkeni
Forever Young Rarity  
This upcoming Theriault's auction includes a very rare prototype multi faced head by Domenico Checkeni.
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Jumeau Bebe
Bebe Reclame; A Fabulous Bebe by Jumeau  
Bebe Reclame, just in time for Etrennes gift giving; read her story and how she came to live with me.
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Faked and Fabulous Military Miniatures  
Toy soldiers were so popular during the 19th century that older sets were often faked or reproduced. They are traditional icons of the holiday season, and fun to revisit.
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Series 2 Monster High Charms  
Time to revisit some Monster High dolls and products in light of the the "reboot" of MH, including that of Frankie Stein.  More to come on redesigns of MH Dolls. It's a doll accessory, it's a miniature, it's a charm! Monster High Ghouls got Charms, Series 2
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Bargains and Doll collecting Under $50.00, Part II  
   So many dolls, so little time, and after the holidays, so little money for some!  Never fear, more on bargain doll shopping, and don't forget those sidewalk sales!
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