Not all black dolls have black bodies. Some of the best dolls I have had were dolls that the maker took an old rag doll and gave the doll a black head. In the Jim Crow era, it became common in the north for mothers to teach their children about the plight of African Americans, by making a black doll for them. So mothers even ones that were not really skilled at sewing were making black dolls. Putting a black covering over a rag doll was one of the easiest ways...
This is a very nice 1830 milliner doll with a contoured anf paper-mache painted face. Her body is cloth and her arms and legs are wood. The spoon hands have defined thumbs. She has on a dress that had to have been made for her but maybe 50-100 years ago. It is all hand sewn and maybe it is early than I am saying. Her undergarments look original and another dress might be her original one. She has two small flakes off either side of her head, some lines on her face...
Not all dolls have a time line built into them but this one says to me, she is 6 or 7 years old and is dressed for the first day of school. She has on a great dress that fits her perfectly. Under her dress is a one piece coverall,(I think they are called onesies) that has to have been made for her. She has a great embroidered face with big eyes, a pinched nose and little round O mouth and all of this is framed with a full head of yarn hair...
Rare mid-19th. century Louis XVI style French Poupee vitrine of special luxury quality , has wonderful hand carved and gold leaf wooden frame .
Has heavy glass display table top on gold leaf table edges and wonderful hand carved table aprons all around...
Rare pair of open heeled leather slippers for an early paper-mache or wood doll from 18th. century , all hand made of paper-mache covered with fine kid-skin ornate with original silk row !
Wonderful red and ecru kid-skin leather slippers , has open heeled back and each with original silk ruffled row over front top .
Hand sewn with very fine details , each has covered paper-mache base and original light brown leather sole ...
Antique wooden doll, possibly was a bed wrench converted into a doll or a bed post doll. She is pine and primitively carved and from the early 1800's. She is wearing a later dress but still a 19th C. one. She has no arms and never did and might be the reason she was made into a doll. She has some holes on one leg, see picture but they don't look like worm holes to me they are more of a shallow hole. She is 14" tall, circa 1830 and a great early primitive doll.
Lovely old cloth doll stuffed with rags, really solid and heavy in possibly an original dress. She is completely jointed, nicely constructed, old petticoat and pantaloons. She has dainty pointed feet, stitched defined thumb and fingers and the back of her head is covered with brown fabric that also looks original. Her face is embroiderer nicely with brown floss and you can tell she was made by a happy person. 23" tall and C.1890
Very nice antique 1875th. sheer cotton poupee costume suitable to wear your favorite fashion doll about size 3 or 4 in your collection.
All hand sewn 4 piece gown in near mint condition of very delicate fine print cotton has narrow strips and tiny dots. A nice bustle skirt with matching blouse with long sleeves , straight neckline and full bodice at front and back.
A very nice waistband or beld with tiny gold tassel hold the fine pleated full skirt ...
This antique wooden doll is hand carved and still has some original paint. The face is nicely carved, the body is painted a dark green and the legs and face have a having a dark patina. The head has black painted hair. He has a big hole in his middle that I think was a hole for a jigger pole. He/she I think was a doll first and then a jigger but I can't say for sure. The back of his head has lots of wear so that didn't happen while he was a jigger...
Most Alabama Doll collectors are quite familiar with the fabled story of the inventors rise to success and subsequent business troubles which ended the doll maker's career sooner than we have liked, but we are fortunate to offer a survivor from that in the form of this baby girl doll. It comes with a skirt, blouse, and bloomers, and display stand. The doll is about 19" tall. It has some damage seen in the photos: 1...
And I believe her! She is a no nonsense doll, stern but not mean. At 27" she sits and stands tall, her body is strong and firm and her head is upright. She is fully jointed and has fingers and thumbs. Her hands are unique, the maker sewed the outline of the fingers with the two pieces of cloth face out and then cut around the outside so there is a raw cut that is a bit messy looking but it worked. Certainly much easier that sewing on the wrong side pushing the fingers out...
Not everyone loves their black cloth dolls showing lots of age and wear and tear. I do like some dolls as found and in a state of lots of love and use so because of that I did put the red antique cloth skirt on her to make her a little more respectable. Also someone could cut the ragged sleeves off but I just can't do it.
She is firmly and I mean firmly stuffed with cotton. She sits, see picture but it is a little forced. She has great big feet that were once brown as is all the under layer wit...
Lovely early French enfantine two piece costume from early 19th. century would fit well for Huret , Rohmer , Blampoix or other early fashion doll .
Of purple blue and ecru a two piece enfantine dress jacket and skirt is all hand sewn . A purple blue skirt and purple and ecru checkered jacket .
Lovely Huret style wide silk jacket with front closure and long sleeves. Has rounded neckline and lovely decoration of black glass pearl trim around edged all around. Inside lined with...
A most unusual black doll that has her name and owners initials written in brown ink on her bloomers. R.W. is on her right leg and DINA is on her left leg. Her face is nicely embroidered with lover's knots for pupils. She has brown floss hair that is just across her forehead, something I don't recall seeing before on any other doll. She is jointed at the shoulders and hips so she sits easily. I do feel her clothes are original. (Her cap is pinned on and is an addition.) She has on a ruby red bea...
Rare all original specially beautiful French Bebe by Emile Jumeau from France circa 1878 with superb deep brown enamel inset eyes ,original wig , lose ball body and wearing wonderful original couture gown with bonnet..... what could your heart wants more of your doll collection ???
Gorgeous Bebe about 20" ( 51 cm ) with best quality of pale pressed bisque with deep modeling and fine painting of socket head with dark brow enamel inset glass eyes , dark eyeliner encircles the eye-c...
