Milliner's Models Dolls - Fashion Model or Toy?

Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

When I saw the "Milliner's Models" Doll Illustration, shown in the picture above, from the Dolls from the Index of American Design at the National Gallery of Art I was curious as to exactly what a "Milliner's Models" doll was.  I'd never heard of them.

Here's their description for that doll: This doll is one of the loveliest of the so-called "milliner's models." The term is actually a misnomer, for such dolls were meant to be used as toys. Many early nineteenth-century paintings show children holding such dolls. There may have been actual milliner's models before the toy doll of that name came into use, but we do not know how close the resemblance between the two may have been. This doll is dated about 1834. The costume is simple and beautifully made; the hairstyle is that of a young girl of the period. Pantalettes are typical for this sort of doll.

Credits: Eugene Croe (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), Ruth E. Whittier (object owner), Doll--"Betsy", c. 1937, watercolor and graphite on paper, Index of American Design, 1943.8.15453.

Image Courtesy  National Gallery of Art, Washington.

The next slide for the Dolls from the Index of American Design at the National Gallery of Art was another "Milliner's Model" doll.  She's shown in the picture above.

According to their description: This milliner's model doll is a much sought after type with a knot at the back of the head. Because her ears show, this doll is particularly interesting to collectors. Most milliner's model dolls are from the first half of the nineteenth century. This one, dating from 1843, wears a muslin dress and muslin pantalettes.

Credits: Elmer R. Kottcamp (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), Mrs. E.B. Wierman (object owner), Doll, c. 1940, watercolor and graphite on paper, Index of American Design, 1943.8.16647.

The dolls were from 1843 and were much sought after.  I had to know more.  Here's what I found:

Milliners dolls heads, arms, and legs were made of papier-mâché during the 1820's - 1860's.  They usually had molded black hair with other painted features and were used as fashion dolls or models for shopkeepers.

I found a wonderful Milliner's Models or Varnished Heads Article by Gregory LeFever .pdf article that said: Contrary to their name, these papier-mâché dolls were never intended as fashion models for shopkeepers but simply as children's toys.

The article goes on to explain about the history of these beautiful dolls and contains many images of them.  It's a wonderful article to read.  If you'd like to read more of that article please click here.

I loved all the pictures in his article and wanted to see more.  I began my "Milliner's Model" doll online search.  Here's what I found:

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The GERMAN PAPER-MACHE LADY DOLL KNOWN AS MILLINER'S MODEL c. 1850, shown in the picture above, is from Theriaults.com.  I love this dolls face and her beautiful outfit.

According to their description: 13" Paper-mache shoulder head of adult lady with oval face and elongated throat, black sculpted hair waved behind her ears into two long finger curls,with the remainder of her hair drawn into a tightly-braided chignon at the back, painted blue eyes, painted facial features, closed mouth, slender kid body with wooden lower limbs. Condition: generally excellent, very minor craquelure on shoulders, cheek paint rub. Comments: Germany, circa 1850....

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The GERMAN PAPER-MACHE LADY DOLL KNOWN AS "MILLINER'S MODEL" IN ORIGINAL GOWN c. 1860, shown in the picture above, is from Theriaults.com

.  The outfit and buttons are definitely unusual.

According to their description: 20" Paper mache shoulder head with rounded facial shape, black sculpted hair arranged in uniform size finger curls, painted blue eyes, black upper eyeliner, painted brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth with center accent line, blushed cheeks, slender kid body with paper banding at elbows and knees, wooden lower arms and legs, painted flat green shoes. Condition: generally excellent, light craquelure to original finish. Comments: Germany, circa 1860.....

I just love the hair and expression on the Papier-mache Milliner's Model Type Doll c. 1840 on the SkinnerInc.com website.  Check her out.  You will, too.

I don't know about all of you but it really doesn't matter to me whether these dolls were actually early fashion models or toys. I just love their hair and find them all quite charming.

First Presbyterian Church Rag Dolls Otherwise Known as Presbyterian Rag Dolls

Image Courtesy of Toy and Miniature Museum

The beautiful "Little Doll On The Prairie" Presbyterian Rag Doll c. 1880, shown in the picture above, is part of the Toy and Miniature Museum doll collection.

Credits: Little Doll on the Prairie, PRESBYTERIAN RAG DOLL c. 1880, MANUFACTURER Ladies Sewing Committee of the First Presbyterian Church,  MATERIAL cotton, oil, wool

From what I understand the women of the First Presbyterian Church of Bucyrus, Ohio launched a fundraising campaign in the 1880's.  They decided to make and sell handmade rag dolls which  have become known as 'Presbyterian Rag Dolls." The dolls were all handmade with painted faces, gusseted bottoms, clothing, and shoes for both boy and girl dolls.

It seems that many generations of church women made these dolls in the early 1900's, again in the 1950's, and again in the 1980's.

According to Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern by Linda Edwards: The First Presbyterian Church of Bucyrus, Ohio started making rag dolls in 1885 as a fund raiser.  These  dolls measure about 17" and have hand painted faces.  The bodies are made of unbleached muslin which is stuffed with cotton and they are jointed at the hips and shoulders.  The mitten shaped hands have fingers indicated by stitching. Their feet are stub shaped.  The dolls and their original clothing, consisting of an ankle length dress and prairie bonnet, are all hand sewn.  

They sound darling, don't they?  Can you imagine seeing a tableful of dolls back in the 1880's when they had all been finished.  I would have loved to see that.

Debra Hoover wrote a book entitled "The Doll That Built a Church: Uncovering the Story of the Presbyterian Doll" in 2009 which is: A factual account of a century of doll-making by the women of a small church in Ohio, and a collector's field guide to the Presbyterian Doll.  Her book is here.

So far we've learned the dolls were made in the 1880's, like the one in the picture at the beginning of this post from Toy and Miniature Museum.  I wanted to see there were any other pictures of the dolls from the 1880's and was only able to find a few. Here's what I found:

Image Courtesy of Liveauctioneers.com

The Rare Early Presbyterian Rag Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the  Liveauctioneers.com website.

According to her description: The First Presbyterian Church made cloth dolls for a fundraiser. This head is pie shaped, and painted face, gusseted body, flat face, and mitten hands 17" - Condition: This is a very RARE Doll, very good condition for age.

Image Coourtesy of Prices4antiques.com

The Presbyterian Type Cloth Doll c. 1876-1900, shown in the picture above, was from the Prices4antiques.com website.

According to their description: Cloth Doll; Presbyterian-Type, Lady, Gusseted 1-Piece Head, Oil Painted Features & Hair, 31 inch. Category:  dolls , Origin:  America, Type: cloth, Year: 1876 - 1900, An oil-painted, Presbyterian-type cloth doll with painted head and chest, having soft brown hair and eyes, gusseted one-piece head and torso, and attached limbs.;

The First Presbyterian Church produced a .pdf May 2015 Newsletter that included a picture of an Presbyterian Rag Doll c. 1885.

Here's what they said about that doll: Barbara Weber’s mother gave her this doll when she was a

young girl. The card says: This is the PRESBYTERIAN DOLL made by women of the First Presbyterian Church, Bucyrus, Ohio, and painted by artist Mrs. Millard Tupps. It was first made by the Women’s Church Society about 1885 and the money made helped build the present church. The project was revived in 1966 and since then Presbyterian Dolls have been sold to doll collectors, sent abroad, and sold to people all over the United States to make little children happy.

If you would like to read that .pdf and see the picture please click here.

That was all I could find so, I decided to see if there were any pictures of dolls from the early 1900's, 1950's, or later.  Here's what I found:

Image Courtesy of Under the Lilacs on Rubylane.com

The Vintage Original Presbyterian Hand Painted American Folk Art Rag Cloth Doll c. 1956-1963, shown in the picture above, is from Under The Lilacs on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: An uncommon find, is this charming and artistically hand-painted little rag American Folk Art doll with appealing blue eyes and dark brown hair with oil painted features dates from 1956-63. She measures approximately sixteen inches (16") in height....This beautiful vintage Folk Art doll is one of the dolls made circa 1956-63, and her body is almost pristine- so well was she treasured.....

Image Courtesy of Worthpoint.com

The VINTAGE DOLL PRESBYTERIAN CLOTH PAINTED FACE 1950 OHIO, shown in the picture above, is from the Worthpoint.com website.

According to their description: This beautiful doll is one of the dolls made at some point in the 1950s from my understanding.......

Image Courtesy of Romancing The Doll On Rubylane.com

The Neo-Presbyterian Cloth Benefit Rag Doll All Original 1982 Bucyrus Ohio c. 1982, shown in the picture above, is from Romancing The Doll on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: Neo-Presbyterian doll is dated 1982 on her back, and sewn to her back is a label which reads "An Original By Presbyterian Women Bucyrus, Ohio." Neo-Presbyterian doll is a later benefit doll that was handmade by the women of the First Presbyterian Church of Bucyrus, Ohio, to raise money for special church projects.....

Once again, there wasn't a lot out there about these dolls. I did, however, learn that several doll makers and doll clubs have been making Reproduction Presbyterian Dolls during the last decade. I'm sure that would put a smile on the faces of the original 1880's doll makers.

Izannah Walker Dolls

I'll bet that back in 1873 Izannah Walker would have no idea how popular her dolls would be for art doll artists and doll collecting enthusiasts in the 21st century.

If you don't know who Izannah Walker is she was the first person to patent a doll in the U.S. It is thought she made or gave away over a thousand dolls molded with multiple layers of cloth and paste then painted.

In 1873 Izannah Walker filed the patent, shown in the picture above, with the U.S. Patent Office - N0. 144,373. Patented Nov.4,l873.

According to Jan Foulke's Guide To Dolls: This very desireable American doll has the look of a primitive painting.  Hair styles with painted long side curls or short brush strokes are preferred. 

The muslin body dolls have stockinette pressed heads with facial features, oil-painted hair, applied ears, and painted bodies and limbs.

According to Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern by Linda Edwards: The heads for her dolls are made of a cloth which was coated with paste and pressed in a die.  The molded head then has a layer of cotton batting and a layer of stockinette applied to the outside after which it is re-pressed in the mold.  The inside of the head was then stuffed quite firmly.  This technique gave the doll's head the ability to give slightly when under pressure which helped prevent the finish coating of  oil paint from pealing or chipping.  The ears were not molded as part of the head but rather were applied separately.

Yankee Magazine created a .pdf article entitled "The Holy Grail of Early American Dolls" by Catherine Riedel about Izannah Walker and her dolls here.

According to her article: By 1855 Walker had a thriving business making dolls, and in 1873, she patented the design for an unbreakable doll that was “inexpensive, could be easily kept clean, and
was not apt to injure a young child.” Her process included fusing several layers of fabric with glue or paste and pressing them into a mold to create the doll’s face and head. Once dry, they held their shape and could be sewn together, then stuffed with horsehair, cotton, paper, or rags and covered with a layer of stockinette. Cloth ears were attached, and Walker and her three sisters painted the dolls’ delicate faces and dabbed on curls of hair. Finally, the heads were sewn to cloth bodies featuring stitched fingers and toes, applied thumbs, and sometimes painted-on boots.

If you would like to know more about Izannah Walker there is a wonderful document entitled "Izannah Walker's Iconic Dolls" written by Edyth O'Neill and Dixie Redmond about Izannah's life and dolls.  Their article is available here.

Edyth is an artist and writer who has studied antique dolls for over 50 years and is also the author of the My Red Cape blog which is here.  Dixie is an artist and author who creates antique inspired dolls as well as intently studying Izannah Walker.  She is the author of the Izannah Walker Chronicles which is here.  She is also the author of  the Northdixie Designs blog which is here.

Dixie is also the author of the MAIDA Today (Making Antique Inspired Dolls & Accessories) website which is here and the leader of the MAIDA Today Facebook Group which is here.  

Online Collections (The Strong) / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The Strong National Museum of Play has several Izannah Walker dolls including my favorite, the Doll c. 1870, shown in the picture above which is here.

Credits: Doll ca. 1870, Manufacturer Izannah F. Walker, Material fabric | painted, Origin Central Falls, RI, Object ID 79.9926

According to their description: Izannah Walker (1817-1886), artist, doll maker, inventor, and businesswoman, received a U.S. patent in 1873 for the method she used to produce a durable, but soft-to-the-touch cloth play doll. Walker, of Central Falls, RI, ran her doll business at a time when few women owned any property of their own. She developed a cottage industry to produce a doll that was "inexpensive, could be easily kept clean, and was not apt to injure a young child." Walker made her dolls by pressing several layers of fabric soaked with glue into molds. As the fabric dried, it retained the shape of the doll face and head, which she then sewed together and stuffed with cotton. Walker and her three sisters painted the distinctive and sweet doll faces that some folk-art specialists suggest resemble the primitive portraiture of 19th century New England artists.

The Strong National Museum of Play has five other amazing Izannah Walker dolls here, here, here, here and here.  They are all exceptional.

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com 

The 13" EXTREMELY RARE SMALL SIZE OF THE AMERICAN CLOTH FOLK DOLL BY IZANNAH WALKER circa 1870, shown in the picture above, was for sold on Theriaults.com for $38,000 which tells you the high value Izannah Walker dolls and especially early Izannah Walker dolls command these days.

For more information on this doll please click here.  

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com 

The 18" FINE AMERICAN CLOTH DOLL BY IZANNAH WALKER WITH RINGLET CURLS AND RARE PAINTED SHOES circa 1865, shown in the picture above, is another example of the high value of  Izannah Walker dolls and was sold on Theriaults.com for $29,000.

For more information on this doll please click here.  

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com 

My favorite Izannah Walker doll from the Theriaults.com website is the 18" AMERICAN CLOTH DOLL BY IZANNAH WALKER WITH RINGLET CURLS circa 1865, shown in the picture above.

For more information on this doll please click here.  

There are several other Izannah Walker dolls on the Theriaults.com website here, here, here, here and here.

If you would like to buy a reproduction Izannah Walker doll or make an Izannah Walker doll of your own there are many websites that can help you with this.

If you would like to read a blog post entitled “Jubilee,” my Handmade Doll Inspired by Izannah Walker by Robbin Atwell which details how she made her Izannah Walker reproduction antique doll please click here.

Dixie Redmond has a very detailed e-book for making an Izannah Walker Doll for sale here.  Her handmade dolls are for sale here.  If you want to see more examples of Dixie's antique dolls please click here.

Gail Wilson offers several handmade Izannah Walker dolls in various sizes, patterns, and kits for making her dolls on her Gail Wilson Designs website here.  Just scroll down until you see all of them.

Lynda Hampton has an Izannah Walker reproduction doll pattern and kit which includes an unpainted composition head on her The Little Hamptons Etsy shop here.

Paula Walton of A Sweet Remembrance has a Izannah Walker  class by mail here and sells her reproduction Izannah Walker handmade dolls here.

Sonia Krause sells her reproductions handmade antique dolls, including Izannah Walker's on her NewEnglandDolls blog here.

There are many blog posts out there with pictures of reproduction Izannah Walker Antique dolls that were made based on doll group challenges over the years.  Just Google reproduction antique Izannah Walker dolls.

Last year I bought Dixie Redmond's pattern for making a reproduction Izannah Walker antique doll but have yet to find the time to make her. She's on my list and, for sure, I'll let you know when I do.

Polly Heckewelder Moravian Rag Dolls - Loved and Made For Over 140 Years

Image Courtesy of the Moravian Church in North America

You certainly have to admire a doll that is so well loved that she is made over and over for 140+ years.  Such is the case with the Moravian Rag Dolls, shown in the picture above, otherwise known as Polly Heckewelder Doll. This doll is the oldest continuously made cloth doll in America.

I think she's just beautiful and hope you would agree.  Based on the picture above it's not hard to understand why this doll is loved so much.

Given her 140 year history, it seemed like there might be a lot of information about this doll so I decided to do a little research. I was wrong.  There's not a lot of information on her out there.  Here's what I found:

According to Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern by Linda Edwards: A charming little doll called Polly Heckewelder has been made by members of the Moravian Church since 1872.  The dolls namesake was the daughter of Moravian missionary John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder.  His daughter Polly was born in 1781 while he was working with the Delaware Indians and she is believed to be the first child born in the Ohio territory.

Also: The Ladies Sewing Society of the Moravian Church Guild in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, first made these dolls for the aid of wounded Civil War soldiers.  After the war the funds were used to help former slaves and eventually to aid Moravian ministries for their other charity work.

From what I understand the dolls were all handmade as a means to benefit the Moravian Church sisters, members of the Ladies Sewing Society of the Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem Pennsylvania.  The dolls that were dressed like young girls were called Polly Heckewelder, in honor of Johanna Marie Heckewelder (known as Polly) the daughter of the Reverend Heckewelder.  The dolls have been made for over 140 years.

The dolls are 16" to 18" and have hand painted faces and hair, cloth bodies jointed at the hips, knees, and shoulders.  They have mitten stitched hands with separate thumbs.  They have both a lace and outer crocheted bonnet and they are wearing an 1870 style dress blue or pink checked in color with a lace apron, white stockings, and black shoes.

Image Courtesy of the Moravian Church in North America

The Polly Heckewelder doll, shown in the picture above, is from the Moravian Church in North America article entitled "Polly Heckewelder: A History-Making Doll Still Making History" Jan/Feb 2014 newsletter.

According to their article: The Polly Heckewelder doll, the oldest continuously made American doll, is made in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Made and sold by the Moravian Ladies’ Sewing Society since 1872, this doll carries the memory of the real Polly around the world. “Polly” dolls tell more than the story of Polly Heckewelder. The story of the doll includes the story of its creators, the Moravian Ladies’ Sewing Society and how she came to be.

It seems that Johanna Maria Heckewelder (who was called “Polly” later in her life) was born April 16, 1781 and her parents were missionaries to the Indians in Ohio and lived there for several years. In 1782 the Indians made her a cloth doll with a hand painted face, ball like head, and European style colonial clothing,  This doll is now in the doll collection of the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem, PA.

According to the article: The Moravian Ladies’ Sewing Society was established by Polly Heckewelder in 1861 and was known as the Soldier’s Relief Society of Central Moravian Church to do war work during the War Between the States.

After the war ended in 1865, the Society became the Freedman’s Aid Society and in 1869, it became the Moravian Ladies’ Sewing Society and so it remains to this day. At that time, it was decided by the group to make dolls in honor of Polly Heckewelder. Perhaps Polly’s own childhood cloth doll influenced this decision as an appropriate way to honor her. The ladies could still have a sewing group and do useful work by making and selling dolls.....

The first Polly doll was made and sold in 1872. That doll was about 19 inches tall and dressed typical of a little girl of the 19th century. She had a ball-shaped head and hand painted face.....

Also: The importance of the Polly doll is that she represents a labor of love and dedication of many Moravian women working together through a period of more than 140 years to tell the story of the real Polly, and her role in Moravian history. Over the years, it has been estimated that more than 6,000 dolls have been made and shipped to different countries around the world.

If you would like to read more of their article and a little bit about how the dolls have changed and how they're made please click here. 

If you would like more information on how the dolls are made today and to order a Polly Heckewelder handmade doll from the Moravian Ladies Sewing Society please click here.  

If you'd like to see an amazing amount of pictures of beautiful 19th century dolls Theriaults has a wonderful "The Backler Collection" October 2014 Theriaults issue on Issuu.com.  There is a wonderful picture of Moravian Society Dolls on Page 172.

Image Courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com

The Early “Polly Heckewelder" Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the LiveAuctioneers.com website.

According to their description: Moravian cloth doll with hand-painted face (somewhat darkened) and hair made by the Ladies Sewing Society of the Central Moravian Church of Bethlehem, PA beginning in 1872 and still being made. This is an early model with antique replaced dress and underwear, no shoes and stockings, Also included are an original dress (fading, soil and wear) an antique pinafore and a reproduction bonnet. Very desirable early model........

Image Courtesy of MorphyAuctions.com

The Vintage Moravian Cloth “Polly Heckewelder" Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the MorphyAuctions.com website.

According to their description:  Made by the Ladies Sewing Society of the Central Moravian Church of Bethlehem, PA, beginning in 1872. All cloth with beautifully hand-painted face and tan hair, gray eyes; all original clothing with crocheted cap, pink checked cotton dress, dimity pinafore, cotton shift, slip and panties, white stockings, pink leather shoes. Also included is a lacy Moravian Haube or prayer cap......

Image Courtesy of MorphyAuctions.com

The Vintage Polly Heckewelder Moravian Cloth Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the MorphyAuctions.com website.

According to their description:  Made by the Ladies Sewing Society of the Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, PA from 1872 on. Hand-painted face and hair, stitched on under bonnet with fabric matching dress. Original blue cotton dress and dimity apron, white cotton underwear, white crocheted outer bonnet is correct style but appears to be newer, missing stockings, black oilcloth shoes. A little fading to face, light soil and lower arms and legs.....

Image Courtesy of American Beauty Dolls and Antique Vintage Jewelry on Rubylane.com

The Moravian Church Benefit Cloth Rag Doll Polly Heckewelder Painted Face 18 Inch c. 1872, shown in the picture above, is from American Beauty Dolls and Antique Vintage Jewelry on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: This is a wonderful 1800s Moravian Church Benefit Cloth Rag Doll “Polly Heckewelder” dating from 1872, when the dolls were first produced, to about 1900. She is one of the earliest handmade and hand painted face dolls, and has a seam jointed very firmly stuffed cotton cloth body with stitched mitt hands and formed feet. Her 18 inch body is in excellent condition with overall age staining appropriate for her age........

For a doll to be loved and made for over 140 years is quite a feat. Wouldn't you agree? I just wish there were more pictures of her and more information.

Wax Dolls, Montanari and Pierotti Dolls - Gotta Love The Beauty of Wax

Slide #24 -  Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art,Washington.

Two of the slides from the Dolls from the Index of American Design  at the National Gallery of Art that I loved were Slide #24, shown in the picture above, and Slide #25, shown in the picture below.  I was drawn to them due to the dresses and when I read their descriptions I found out they were wax dolls, which piqued my curiosity.

According to their description: Wax dolls have been made from very early times — by the ancient Romans, for example, on through the first quarter of the twentieth century. This wax doll was probably made in England, which was noted for its wax dolls in the last half of the nineteenth century. This doll dates from the 1870s, and her elaborate costume is typical of the period. The dress is of blue taffeta trimmed with white organdy lace. The doll's childlike face and hairstyle might seem better suited to a child's body, but the true child doll was not yet common. Not until the 1880s was there a change from predominantly adult dolls to dolls representing children and babies. Many collectors still prefer dolls with features of a child but dressed as an adult.

Credits: Lillian Causey (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), The Baltimore Museum of Art (object owner), Doll in Blue Dress, 1935/1942, watercolor and graphite on paperboard, Index of American Design, 1943.8.7734.

Slide #25 -  Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art,Washington.

According to their description: This beautiful wax doll of about 1871 is named "Belle Hervey." She has real hair embedded in her wax head. This was an expensive process, characteristic only of luxury dolls. Belle's arms and legs are also wax, while her torso is made of cloth. Her eyes are glass. The overdress with postillion is of black taffeta trimmed with pale pink silk ribbon and black lace; there are pink buttons on the basque, or bodice, and the shoes are bright red and buttoned. Her underclothes are trimmed with bands of tucked muslin and lace; there is a pink edge on the dainty lace hose.

Credits: Edith Towner (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), Mrs. F.C. (Vernette Snyder) Ripley (object owner), American  Doll--"Belle Hervey", c. 1937, watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper, Index of American Design, 1943.8.15468

The two dolls above were definitely beautiful wax dolls.  It would have been nice to have seen the actual dolls. I decided I had to know more about wax dolls in general. Here's what I found out:

Germany began making wax dolls in the 17th century, but they didn't really become popular until the beginning of the 19th century. English doll makers started putting glass and china eyes in their wax dolls heads.

It seems that between 1870 and 1900 some English companies started adding wax over composition for doll heads and limbs with stuffed cloth bodies.

As far as wax dolls are concerned supposedly there are 3 types of wax dolls: poured wax dolls ( from ancient times until the 1800's), wax-over dolls (1800's until the 1900's), and reinforced wax dolls (from 1860 until 1890).  If you would like to know more about the three types of wax dolls the Small Treasures Doll Collectors Association has an article entitled "Complete History of Wax Dolls" on their website.

Also, according to their article: Madame Augusta Montanari may be the best known wax doll-maker of all time, but not much is known about her or her wax sculpture studio. We do know that she and her poured wax works first attracted attention at London’s Crystal Palace Exposition in 1851. There she and her winning exhibit of dolls created a sensation that led to imitation, the sincerest form of flattery.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

The Victorians had an unusual mourning practice involving wax dolls.  They would create a mourning doll as a keepsake to remember young children who had passed away.  Families who could afford it would have a wax effigy made of the child which would be dressed in the child's clothing. Tufts of the child's hair would also be used to make the doll more realistic.  They would put the effigy doll on display at the wake, sometimes they would leave it at the grave site, and sometimes they would keep them as a keepsake.  This practice actually dates back to the Romans.

For more information on Victorian mourning dolls please visit the Wikipedia.com page here.

It's highly unlikely that any of these burial wax dolls survived to present times. I was intrigued by the wax dolls and wanted to find out more. Here's what I found out:

Image Courtesy of Victorianna.com

The Montanari Poured Wax Doll, shown in the picture above, is a Montanari Poured Wax Doll from the Victorianna.com website and was included in their Antique Montanari Poured Wax Doll article.

According to the description under the photo: English, Circa 1850-1860. This is a rare 21" antique doll marked Montanari, still retaining its original "Montanari" ink signature on the lower front torso on its original cloth body, superior modeling of poured wax shoulder head with a very expressive face, poured wax limbs, original inserted blond human hair, blue set glass eyes, stunning silk costume and hat (possibly original). From a private collection. Was for sale on Debra's Dolls and Collectible Dolls - $4,950.

There is a beautiful Doll in 18th century style clothing; wax; Germany; 1800-1825 on the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London here.

There is picture of a Queen Victoria 19th century Augusta Montanari doll at the Museum of London website here.

There is also a beautiful Wax Bride Doll on the Victorian and Albert Museum (V&A) website here.

There is also a beautiful Caucasian Wax Doll In Welch Costume from the Victorian and Albert Museum (V&A) website here.

Another famous wax doll maker was the Pierotti family who were in business from 1793 (starting with Domenico) until 1935 (ending with the grandson Charles).

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The VERY BEAUTIFUL ENGLISH POURED WAX PORTRAIT LADY IN ORIGINAL COSTUME c. 1870,  shown in the picture above, is a Pierotti wax doll from the Theriaults.com website.  How beautiful is she?

According to their description: 21" Poured wax shoulder head with inclined side-cast pose ,oval-shaped face, light blue glass eyes, modeled eyelids with fringed lashes and brows, accented eye corners and nostrils ,inserted blonde hair, closed mouth with center accent line, hand-sewn original cloth body, poured wax lower limbs, bare feet. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: attributed to Pierotti, circa 1870,likely designed as a portrait model which was a specialty of the firm, but subject is unknown. The doll was shown in the article "The Wax Dolls of Queen Victoria's Reign" by Estelle Johnston, Doll News, Summer 1979. Value Points: very beautiful doll with exquisitely- shaded complexion and lips, wearing original gold silk gown with lace trim, undergarments, matching cap, jewelry, brown kid slippers. Realized Price: $2,800.

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The FINE ENGLISH POURED WAX CHILD,PROBABLY FROM ROYAL BABY SERIES OF THE MID-1800'S, shown in the picture above, is a Pierotti wax doll also from the Theriaults.com website.

According to their description: 26" Poured wax shoulder head depicting a round-faced child, blue inset eyes with heavily-modeled eyelids ,delicate inserted lashes, closed mouth with defined space between the lips, defined ears, delicate blonde hair inserted into scalp, glazed muslin torso and upper limbs, stitch-jointed upper legs, grommet-edged sew holes with original cord attachments. Condition: generally excellent, some hair sparseness, quarter-size reglue at back sew hole. Comments: English, probably Pierotti, and believed to be from the series of Royal Babies offered by Pierotti beginning in 1849,to celebrate the young children of the beloved Queen Victoria. Value Points: outstanding quality of sculpting depicting a gentle-faced child, fine original finish and painting, original body, exquisite original bonnet and matching bodice. Realized Price: $2,500

How beautiful is her face?

Image Courtesy of Carmel Doll Shop

The amazing 18th Century Continental Wax doll, shown in the picture above, is from the Carmel Doll Shop website.

According to their description: 18th century Continental Wax (attr. Augsburg) featuring a poured wax head with much character, on a hemp-covered wire armature that is fitted with carved wood arms and feet. Beautifully costumed in period silks, this older lady of nobility is suitable for use in an early dollhouse, or vignette. Measures: 9 1/2" tall

I just love her face and outfit. She's really quite amazing. Don't you think?

Image Courtesy of Carmel Doll Shop

There was an exquisite German Wax-Over Papier-mâché from the Carmel Doll Shop that I loved. She is shown in the picture above.  Isn't she exquisite?

According to their description: 25-1/2" German wax-over Papier-mâché with wonderful bright blue sleep-eyes, lovely painting, pierced ears, and her original wig. On her original body with wax-over limbs including fabulous molded high-button boots, she wears a classic drop waist dress of navy silk faille with details that include a cream faille sash, tatted lace, and red silk bows. Her matching chapeau is the perfect finishing touch on this charming early child.

While, generally, wax dolls are no longer made you have to admit that when they were made they were quite beautiful. Gotta love the beauty of wax.

Babyland Rag Dolls With Painted Faces Versus Babyland Rag Dolls With Lithograph Faces

Image Courtesy of  Theriaults.com

I used to think that there isn't any doll on the planet I wouldn't like. That is generally true except I did run across a few lithograph Babyland Rag Dolls whose outfits I loved, but I wasn't totally crazy with their faces.

Now you might think I'm saying I don't like the Babyland Rag Dolls.  That would be incorrect.  I'm just not keen on the Babyland Rag Dolls with lithograph faces, but love the Babyland Rag Dolls with painted faces like the AMERICAN CLOTH DOLL BY BABYLAND RAG c. 1890, shown in the picture above, from Theriaults.com.  She is just darling

According to their description: 15"  All-cloth doll with flat-dimensional face, painted facial features, large brown upper-glancing eyes, thick brown upper eyeliner, red eyeliner accents, one-stroke brows, outlined nose, painted closed mouth, blushed cheeks, blonde mohair wig, muslin stitch-jointed body, mitten hands..... Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1890....

Online Collections (The Strong) / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The Babyland Lady Doll c. 1912-1914, shown in the picture above, is part of The Strong National Museum of Play doll collection.

I just love her painted face and sweet outfit. She is just pain adorable.  Wouldn't you agree?

Credits: Manufacturer E. I. Horsman & Co., Material cloth, Origin New York, NY, Object ID 79.9967

According to their description: With the development of chromolithography, in the late 1800s, doll makers appropriated the technology to create life-like faces for their dolls. Albert Bruckner, a lithographer by trade, made a cloth mask with a lithographed face to apply to doll heads. A number of his dolls sold through E. I. Horsman as part of its Babyland Rag Doll series.

The doll in the picture below is an example of a Babyland Rag Doll with a lithograph face.

Online Collections (The Strong) / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The Automobile Girl /Babyland Rag Doll c. 1907-1916, shown in the picture above, is part of The Strong National Museum of Play doll collection.  She has a lithograph face.

Credits: Manufacturer E. I. Horsman Co., Material cloth. Origin New York, NY., Style rag, Object ID 73.1725

I absolutely love her bonnet, coat, and outfit, but don't really like her face.

Image Courtesy of Theriaults

The AMERICAN CLOTH LAUGHING CHILD BY BABYLAND RAG IN ORIGINAL COSTUME c. 1912, shown in the picture above, is from Theriaults.com. She also has a lithographed face.

According to their description: 15" Silk screen lithographed face depicting a laughing child is stitch attached to a muslin head form, with muslin torso, and stitch-jointed muslin arms and legs, mitten hands with defined thumbs, blonde mohair curls framing the face......Comments: Babyland Rag Series by Horsman, circa 1912......

Once again, I absolutely love her outfit.  Not the face.

If you'd like to see an amazing amount of pictures of beautiful 19th century dolls Theriaults has a wonderful "The Backler Collection" October 2014 Theriaults issue on Issuu.com.  There are some wonderful pictures of Babyland Rag Dolls on Page 153, Page 154, and Page 173.  The Babyland Lithograph Rag Dolls can be seen on Page 66, Page 67, Page 71, Page 82, Page 83, Page 88, and Page 113.

The cropped image above is a picture of the ad for "Babyland Rag Dolls" in The Pittsburgh Press. Thursday Evening, December 2, 1902.  You can see the whole page here.

What's interesting is that the ad is for "Babyland Rag Dolls - Neatly dressed with painted life-like faces - practically indestructible.  Dresses are made to put on and take off."  The price of the dolls was from 50 cents to $2.98.  I dare say if a relative of yours bought several of these dolls back then and passed them down through the family your family members would be very happy with their value now - indeed!

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The adorable AMERICAN CLOTH BOY WITH PAINTED FEATURES BY BABYLAND RAG, shown in the picture above, is also from Theriaults.com.

According to their description: 14" All-cloth doll with flat-dimensional sewn-on face, painted facial features, shaded blue eyes, blushed cheeks, closed mouth, blonde mohair crown ruff of curls, -jointing at shoulders and hips.....Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1910,from the early hand-painted series.....

He is totally irresistible.  Wouldn't you agree?

Image Courtesy of  Theriaults.com

The AMERICAN BROWN-COMPLEXIONED CLOTH DOLL BY BABYLAND RAG c. 1890, shown in the picture above, from Theriaults.com.

According to their description: 14"  Flat-dimensional brown muslin cloth doll with hand-painted facial features, brown eyes, outlined eye sockets, brows, nose and mouth, red lips, blushed cheeks, fleecy black hair, brown cotton stitch-jointed body...... Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1890....

How beautiful is she?  Just darling as far as I'm concerned.

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The PAIR,AMERICAN CLOTH BROWN-EYED AND BLUE-EYED SISTERS BY BABYLAND RAG Dolls c. 1890, shown in the picture above, are also from the Theriault.com website.

According to their description: 21" Each has cloth face stitched onto firmly stuffed muslin head form, with hand-painted facial features, outlined eyes, outlined nose, closed mouth with coral-shaded lips, attached mohair wig, muslin stitch-jointed body, antique costumes may be original....Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1890....

Baby dolls couldn't get much cuter than these two.  Wouldn't you agree?

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The totally charming AMERICAN CLOTH DOLL "LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD" BY BABYLAND RAG c. 1905, shown in the picture above, is from Theriaults.com.

According to their description: 15" Having sateen face with printed/hand-painted facial features that is stitch attached to muslin head form, brunette braids at side seams of head, muslin body with stitch-jointed arms and legs, mitten hands with separate fingers....Comments: Babyland Rag, circa 1905,the doll was marketed in their line as "Little Red Riding Hood"....

I would love to have a Little Red Riding Hood doll like this.  Wouldn't you?

Dixie Redmond uploaded an original Babyland Rag Doll Horsman catalog, which she had purchased on Ebay, to one of her Picassa albums.  If you were like to view it please click here.  Dixie is an amazing artist and folk art doll maker.  She is also the writer of the Izannah Walker Chronicles, MAIDA Today, and the leader of the MAIDA Dolls Group.  Her website is Northdixie Designs.

She also created a Babyland Rag Doll Body pattern for the members of the MAIDA Dolls Group and challenged them to "A Babyland Rag Spring Fling."  According to Dixie: The only constraints were to create something spring inspired and in the smaller sized doll in the pattern. (The pattern comes in a small size around 14" and a large size around 32".)  If you'd like to see pictures of their creations please click here.  The complete album is here.

Dixie Redmond owns a beautiful Babyland Rag Doll.  Pictures of her doll are here.

Image Courtesy of Judi Ward

If you love the Babyland Rag dolls and would like to make one of your own Judi Ward has an adorable Reproduction Babyland Rag doll pattern.

The Babyland Rag ~ E-Pattern by Judi Ward, shown in the picture above, is from The Doll Net - Cloth Doll Market website.  It is also available on Etsy here.

According to their description: A REPRODUCTION of Horsman's, Babyland Rag doll from about 1904..... The Babyland Rag pattern is very true to the real dolls construction and has an interesting head/face application, used by a number of "vintage" cloth doll makers in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Maybe one day I'll try to make a reproduction Babyland Rag doll like the one shown in the picture at the beginning of this post. While I love all the clothes of the lithograph faces they don't quite look right to me. I guess I just prefer the hand painted ones.

China Head Dolls - They're Just So Beautiful

Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

I have always been fascinated with China Head Dolls and have always wanted to buy some china heads to make some dolls of my own.  I've always felt that as far as dolls are concerned some of the most beautiful dolls throughout history have to be the china head dolls, like the China Head Doll, shown in the illustration above, from the National Gallery of Art.

According to their description: This china-headed doll has a particularly lovely costume. The dress is plaid silk taffeta; it is worn over a petticoat of tan alpaca trimmed with blue silk bands. The pantalettes are of cotton with eyelet embroidery. The doll's hairstyle makes her a collector's item; china dolls with a knot on the head are rare. This feature, however, is almost completely hidden by the silk bonnet. This doll has a cloth body and arms and feet of kid. The head is glazed porcelain. China-head dolls were first made in Europe around 1750 but did not become extremely popular until the 1840s. This doll dates from 1840–1850. Often the heads were imported to America and used on American-made dolls' bodies.

Credits: Beverly Chichester (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), Edison Institute of Technology (object owner), Doll in Plaid Dress, c. 1937, watercolor, gouache, pen and ink, and graphite on paper, Index of American Design, 1943.8.7814.

Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

The beautiful China Head Doll, shown in the illustration above, is also from the National Gallery of Art.

According to their description: The fashions and tastes of a particular era may often be reflected in its dolls. This Parian bisque doll, dated between 1840 and 1860, wears a costume of sprigged wool challis edged with coordinated braid; the bonnet is velvet edged with black fringe. The style dates from about 1850 when patterned fabrics such as this were fashionable. The doll's hairstyle imitates one popular with children between the 1830s and 1860s.

Credits: Doll with China Head, Rendered by Mary Porter (artist), 1935/1942, watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper, overall: 42 x 33.4 cm (16 9/16 x 13 1/8 in.), Index of American Design
1943.8.15504, From the Tour: Dolls from the Index of American Design.

Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

The beautiful China Head Doll, shown in the illustration above, is named "Hanna Hitch" and she is from the National Gallery of Art.

According to their description: This doll is named "Hanna Hitch" She is a black china-head doll made in Germany and dating from 1876. She has kid arms and a cloth body. The doll's costume is of gray-green alpaca with a plaid taffeta turban. Black china-head dolls are rare; the heads for such dolls were more often made of bisque or other materials. Germany was a leader in the production of china dolls, especially after 1870 when factory methods were introduced. A great number of china and bisque dolls in the nineteenth century came from Germany because dollmakers were being subsidized by the government and could sell the dolls cheaply.

Credits: Edith Towner (artist), American, active c. 1935, Mary Hitch (object maker), Mrs. F.C. (Vernette Snyder) Ripley (object owner), American  Doll--"Hannah Hitch", c. 1940, watercolor and graphite on paper, Index of American Design, 1943.8.15389.

According to The Ultimate Doll Book by Caroline Goodfellow: When German makers introduced the first porcelain doll heads with molded hairstyles in the 1830's, a variety of quality dolls came onto the market.  These early shoulder heads are called glazed chinas because they are overglazed - a finish that makes them glossy while retaining the whiteness of the porcelain.  The coloring of the cheeks and facial fixtures is fixed in the underglaze, but it is quite rare for such heads to be tinted overall with flesh tones.

So, China Head Dolls were first introduced in Europe in 1750, but didn't become widely popular until the 1840's. For the most part the hair and clothing of the china head dolls followed the fashion of the day.

Also, the costs of many of the 19th century china and bisque head dolls were being subsidized by the German government, which made them very cheap to sell.  Talk about cornering the market. Government subsidization would certainly do that for any manufacturer.

I decided I wanted to know more about some of the beautiful china head dolls created during this period.  The problem is there were so many of them and so many different types - where to begin. Here's what I found out:

According to the DollReference.com website china head dolls range from 3" tall to 40" doll and for the most part are identified by hairstyle.

I thought, maybe this won't be so hard.  Guess again.  According to Jan Foulke's Guide to Dolls there have to be over 50 different types of dolls and hairstyles.  We're back to not knowing where to begin.
So, I decided to focus on just a few different hair styles and maybe the Mary Todd Lincoln china head doll with golden snood and the Dolly Madison china head doll.

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

The China Doll Head, shown in the picture above, is from the Wikipedia.com page on China Head Dolls.

According to their description she is a typical German 1860s flat top hair style china doll. 

I learned a little more about china head dolls from their article, like:  A typical china doll has a glazed porcelain head with painted molded hair and a body made of cloth or leather. They range in size from more than 30"tall to 1 inch. Antique china dolls were predominantly produced in Germany, approximately between 1840 and 1940. Rare and elaborately decorated antique china dolls can have value on the collectors market. Beginning in the mid-20th-century reproductions of china dolls of various quality were produced in Japan and the United States.

Also: A typical china doll has a shoulder head made of glazed whitish porcelain, with painted molded hair and facial features. The glaze gives the doll a characteristic glossy appearance. The head is typically attached to a body made of cloth or leather, sometimes with arms and legs made of porcelain. Some early china head dolls were placed on peg jointed wooden bodies. China doll parts were also sold for the customer to fashion a body and clothing. Some cloth bodied china dolls could be more than 30" tall, and others as small as 3."

Online Collections (The Strong) / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The China Doll Head c. 1880-1900, shown in the picture above, is from The Strong National Museum of Play. Credits: Manufacturer Alt, Beck & Gottschalck, Material China | parian, Object ID 86.5177.

According to their description: By about 1880, German makers of dolls introduced china heads with novel features. Unlike the doll heads of previous decades, manufacturers offered heads clearly intended to represent children. These new heads had simple, short, curly hairstyles, short necks, chubby cheeks, and round eyes. The depiction of children came at a time when Europeans and Americans began to think of childhood as a unique period of the life cycle, and middle-class children in the late 19th century (for whom the dolls were intended) were purposely given time to be youngsters--not hurried into labor on family farms or in small factories as the youngsters of earlier generations had been.

There is a wonderful article on The Strong National Museum of Play written by Patricia Hogan entitled "The Curious Case of the China Doll" about the 700 china head dolls in their collection that you might be interested in.  Her article is here.

Mary Todd Lincoln China Head Dolls

Image Courtesy of Kathy Libraty's Antiques - RubyLane.com

The Mary Todd Lincoln China Head Doll With Snood first appeared on dolls in the1860s.

I found the beautiful Mary Todd Lincoln China Head Doll With Golden Snood doll, shown in the picture above, in Kathy Libraty's Antiques on RubyLane.com.

According to their description: This big and beautiful lady exhibits some of the best features that made the golden age of china doll production so magical. A special model made as a portrait of the President's wife at the time, this beautiful Mary Todd Lincoln is a prime example of the civil war era dolls made in Germany for both American and international markets. Crisp modeling, and sharply-painted features make up her pale complexion, along with a molded, gold leafed snood that holds her dark hair in a pleasant silhouette. Having a beautiful Goldsmith-type body with leather hands and boots, she is sporting a lovely 1855 style costume that begs to be displayed...

If you'd like to know more about her outfit please click here.

Image Courtesy of Joys Antique Dolls - RubyLane.com

There was another China Lady Doll Mary Todd Lincoln Pink Tint c. 1860s  doll, shown in the picture above, inn Joys Antique Dolls on RubyLane.com.

According to their description: c1860s china head portrait lady doll known by collectors as 'Mary Todd Lincoln', circa 1860, 17-1/2" tall. This particular head with its molded snood and gold trimmed accents, is avidly sought after by advanced collectors as a favorite.

If you'd like to know more about her outfit please click here.

Image Courtesy of Faraway Antiques Shop - Doll Shops United

The beautiful 21.5" Mary Todd Lincoln China Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the Faraway Antiques Shop on Doll Shops United.

According to her description: This is a gorgeous example of the china lady referred to as Mary Todd Lincoln. She has a perfect glazed porcelain shoulder head. Her antique cloth body has attached boots and a faux corset. She wears a very fine aged two-piece ensemble, as well as layered unders, including a fantastic slip with a very long train, worthy of the finest French Fashion.

If you'd like to know more about her outfit please click here.

Dolly Madison China Head Doll

Image Courtesy of Liveauctioneers.com

The Dolly Madison China Head Doll first was popular on dolls in the1870s.

The VINTAGE DOLLY MADISON CHINA HEAD DOLL, H 23", shown in the picture above, is from the Liveauctioneers.com website.

According to their description: Doll has painted features including black curly hair blue eyes. Old cloth and leather body has a narrow waist. Nicely dressed in antique ecru wool bodice and skirt with lace trim.

After learning quite a bit about china head dolls and the 2 china head dolls in particular that I wanted to learn about I decided it was time to see some of the more beautiful dolls out there.  Here's a few I found:

Image Courtesy of Carmel Doll Shop

The beautiful China Head Doll, shown in the picture above, is from the Carmel Doll Shop.

According to their description: One of the most outstanding Chinas we have offered in quite a while, this German lady has it all. Fine details include a perfect shoulder head with exquisite coloring, and lovely painting especially of the mouth, but the real treat can be seen a bit higher - her hair - which incorporates a molded and gilded snood that features a ruffled edge in front, with lavender luster. You will also find a molded bunch of grapes decorated in luster, along with green leaves! On a stuffed cloth body that is fitted with lovely china arms with cupped hands, and legs with flat feet, she wears a gorgeous two-piece ensemble of burgundy faille with cream lace accents - perfection!

Image Courtesy of Carmel Doll Shop

There was another beautiful China Head Doll from the Carmel Doll Shop that I loved.  She is shown in the picture above. How beautiful is she?

According to their description: A sublime German China who is spectacular for not only her impressive size, but also for her extremely rare hairstyle, in blonde! She will delight you with her lovely coloring and singular personality - then there is the hair - the photos should do a good job of explaining just how marvelous it is. On a stuffed cotton body that is fitted with replacement china arms, this fine lady is beautifully costumed in china silk and floral printed silk that takes its lead from 18th century examples. The draping upon the skirt, and the fit upon the sloping shoulders is sheer joy to the eyes.....

Image Courtesy of Carmel Doll Shop

There was another beautiful China Head Doll from the Carmel Doll Shop that I also loved.  She is shown in the picture above.

According to their description: An exquisite, all original, eleven-inch, china version of Empress Eugenie, she is a perfect shoulder head model with brilliant blue eyes, plus she boasts lovely painting with wisps at the temples, and a molded snood. On her original French leather body, she wears a very beautiful, but tender dress of cream and blue striped silk, with French blue silk bows and ruched details. A cabinet-sized example of exceptional quality.

Image Courtesy of Edyth O'Neill

If you have a china doll head and want to know how to make the body for your china doll head Edyth O'Neill has a "A Body Pattern for Antique  Papier Mache and China Shoulder Head Dolls" on her Dolls For My Red Cape blog here.

I decided I'm just going to have to make some time to make a few china head dolls. They're just so beautiful. Wouldn't you agree?