These are gifts from the estate of a lady who died a while back at a very great age, and her daughter gave me custody. These were her mother's dolls, and the outfit on the bisque doll she made herself, very nice work indeed.
She needs a little work, but I have a bag with the eyes in it, maybe need replacing, not sure, but I have friends to consult about this. And if you can help me identify it beyond knowing it's bisque, with a sort of leather like body, Japanese made in German style, please do! No idea about date.
Here's the mark on the back of her neck. You can see that the wig might have been cut by a little girl playing with her doll. This doll was played with, no staying in the box for her, I'm guessing.
The Nippon collectors' site gave a similar mark but said they didn't have information.
The other is what I think might be called a bed doll? big sweeping skirts, flirty hat, highly colored face. Mrs Slocum would love her. And so do I in fact.
The Dollivers were a little intimidated by the size of these newcomers, but soon made their peace when they realized the newcomers already had their own outfits and wouldn't fit into D clothes anyway, so they were safe. I must remember to ask my friend if they had names, if she knows them.
Meanwhile, I really love this addition to the dollerie. Now I have to see about how to display all the various sizes and kinds of dolls. I'm not really a collector, but they just sort of show up and ask to be mine. Not unlike the way all my pets have come to me. I did make the Dollivers on purpose, with a career in mind for them, but all the tiny ones made from buttons and cotton reels and pipe cleaners just sort of found their way in. And now this great new branch of the family.
Entirely possible they may have a role in the Land of Blog, too, come to think of it. But for now they have homes
one surveying the whole place
the other ensconced in her position as matriarch of the Dolliver clan. Thanks so much, Sue! they fit in already.
Rosalind Russell's character in A Majority of One is named Bertha Jacoby. She's a Jewish widow from Brooklyn who goes to Japan and meets Sir Alec Guinness who, it's a 1961 movie, plays a Japanese businessman. All of this was just to tell you the name Bertha Jacoby. Hint.
ReplyDeleteOh I remember that very well. His saying the hardest word in English was lollipop! Yes I don't think that could be done now. I used to work with her real life nephew. Irrelevant detail but I think of Sean whenever I see her mentioned. Anyway I will take the name under advisement.
ReplyDeletethey are looking very much at home. dare I tell you I have at least 3 pot doll kits bought at least 20 years ago to make, if you were local I would have passed them to you
ReplyDeleteSo long since I heard the term pot doll! My childhood pot doll, Trixie, came to mind while I was unwrapping the bisque. I think Trixie was probably composition, really. Sounds like I dodged a bullet when you were too far for me to find myself the mom of even more dolls from you! You really should assemble them though. It's fun. Just think of the clothes you can make from quilt scraps!
ReplyDeleteif you were to put the image of the back of the neck of the japanese doll into Google images (they show you how, if I can do it anyone can) it can show you all the images similar to that, often with descriptions.
ReplyDeletebarring that, a brief notation in Google Images of the exact wording there, and hit "images" and you might find something valuable that way.
I have a lot of strange bits around here, things no one wanted but no one wanted to pitch, and when Im in doubt I head for Google Images. I can almost always find similar if not exact. Including a picture of Charlie's twin, a siberian forest cat. =)
What I like about these new dolls is the sense of scale I now have for the Dollivers. They are really much larger than I thought but don't tell them, they'll all want to go on diets...
Great reminder about the image search, thanks. The Ds are wondering about the size issue, since they point out they are perfect! 16in tall, exactly how they oughta be!
ReplyDelete