Doll Bytes, II

Doll Bytes:


Living Dead Dolls and co. continue to put out new dolls and action figures, and also have promotions.


Theriault's has a great Rendezvous auction tonight.


Mattel.com has specials on Barbie gift sets, Hotwheels, and Fashionistas.


Goth dolls, animated scary dolls, and Halloween dolls and figures abound at Halloween Express and Spirit of Halloween stores.  Both chains are giving coupons and offer deals in store.  Goth rag doll costumes, Raggedy Ann, doll masks, and other doll items are hot.  Wigs for kids like Lollaloopsy dolls and Monster High are cute and well made, and about $9.99 each.

Here is some interesting information I have picked up from various doll magazines and books I thought I would share.  This is a little doll candy to help us into fall.

The “Among Friends” auction spawned a cover for “Antique Doll Collector” with a very rare German character doll, a little stern, a little witchy, that fetched over $40,000.  This auction took place the day after “Love, Shirley Temple.” By the way, there will be another Shirley Temple auction soon.  Information is at Theriault’s.com.  I was able to find treasures at both auctions,  a knitted doll of Shirley Temple’s, two brown bisque babies and a miniature wax doll scene under a dome from “Among Friends.”



German dolls have done very well lately, both at auction, and at competitive exhibits.  Bonham’s, of course, auctioned the super rare K*R 108 mold doll for nearly $400,000, and the current “Antique Doll Collector” features many rare German bisque dolls that were UFDC blue ribbon winners.  Many are early 20^th century dolls. Therefore, not all doll production suffered during World War I, in fact this was the time when Bleuette became an all French-made doll. In his article, Samy Odin, our Facebook and Pinterest friend of the Musée de la Poupée-Paris, presents many of the costumes preserved by the family of the publisher of La Semaine de Suzette, which are presently on display at the museum. Copies of this publication are often available on ebay. What I find interesting is that dolls similar to Bleuette, some with a similar mold number, are made in different sizes, including one that is over 24 inches. Samy writes wonderful articles on dolls and has a great site online, as well as instructive YouTube videos.



Coburg, Germany was the birthplace of Prince Albert, husband to Queen Victoria. It is also the birthplace of my friend, Ingrid, who is an artist with an interest in my dolls.  One Christmas, I made ornaments from luggage tags, and hers had Prince Albert and Queen Victorian showing an early Christmas tree decoupaged on it.  It was serendipity and sheer luck of the draw that she got this ornament, but how appropriate.  Coburg is also home to the Coburger Puppenmuseum which yours truly visited last year on the TLC Grand Tour. You’ll see some of the highlights from this important museum. “Antique Doll Collector Magazine”takes tours to this site.

There are also great YouTube videos about doll museums, including one on the restoration of Queen Victoria’s Dolls.  



My friend Mary Hillier shows dolls in “Dolls and Doll Makers” that are not only the famous peg wooden dolls dressed by Queen Victoria, but also Victoria’s doll houses and other wax dolls that belonged to her.  Mary also discusses many dolls made in the image of the queen.  Even today, The Victorian Trading Company produces bisque doll house dolls in their likeness.

Finally, I have found some interesting finds here and there in my travels I’d like to tell you about.  Last week, I picked up Mrs. Littlechap at Goodwill of $1.88.  Plush Yoda holding a pumpkin came from Walmart for $19.99.  There are other Star Wars characters, Little Kitty, and Peanuts characters in the series, too.  Some Family Dollar Stores are selling Monster High Dolls for around $7.00.  Hallmark is creating  Merry Miniatures again.  Though it is still summer weather and only late September, many stores are full of not only Halloween merchandise, but also Christmas merchandise involving dolls.  Take advantage of the good weather, and do some “doll stomping” for new finds and new doll reads!