Posted 2 years ago
woofwoofwo…
(1 item)
Hi everybody! Can anyone tell me about this doll's maker? She was found in the attic of an old New England house about 20 years ago and was set for the dump before she got spared. She was very dirty. She is poseable and doesn't stand on her own without something to lean against.
She is about 26'' to 27'' tall.
Her torso is cloth and that cloth goes to her thighs.
She has a circular crier box (it doesn't work).
Her feet are identical and not specifically left or right.
No maker's mark anywhere, but there are some very faint non-distinct scribbles on her neck.
No tags on clothing.
Dimples.
Sleep brown eyes that work really well. They also move side to side slightly, are they supposed to? Celluloid (I think) centers are cracked.
Upper eyelashes are hair; lower eyelashes are painted on.
She has four teeth, but two are prominent.
Felt-looking tongue.
She has a separate underdress with bloomers.
Her wig was set for ringlets with bobby pins and two yellow bows. She was super dirty when I got her so I had to wash the wig gently. The ringlets were deflated and ratty (more so than they look now!). I think it's human hair.
She has both shoes and socks. Shoes have a little decorative clasp and buckle.
I don't know much about dolls. She feels heavy and sturdy. I've been wondering about her for a long time. I've heard it could be close to impossible to identify these old unmarked dolls, so I would truly appreciate any advice on who might have made her.
If anyone has any tips on repairing and resetting the wig and restoring the eyes, that would also be welcome.
Thanks so much for reading!
Hi can you photo back of her neck ? She is called a Mama doll . 1920-40s. Unmarked are very difficult to id . Many companies just used a hang tag on dolls wrist to identify them.
Hi Manikin, I like your username! I just put up her neck photo. I hope it's clear enough. The marks look like scribbles, I just assumed they were from the mold making process. Thanks for the help.
It is a maker's logo, but I am not able to make it out, I will think about it though :-)
Her eyes have crystalized, and some people will say put a drop of sewing machine oil in them but down the road it will seep into the composition and discolor her face. Must just use a black sharpie and make a black pupil. The other option is to replace eyes and I wouldn't. Her hair has 2 options I prefer to use wide comb or pick and start to detangle hair from bottom up. As you detangle have bowl of water near by some paper towels and rollers. Get strands wet with fingers by dipping them in water and wrap ends with a tiny piece of paper and roll it up. When you are finished make sure you have the curls with enough water and let dry. She has human hair so curl it like you would your own, no curling iron. Some people do but risk burning hair. PS I believe she is in her original dress too! She is in beautiful condition for her age. And sometimes we just don't always know maker. I would say a USA made doll. Add a photo when you finish fixing her up ok :-) her dimples are wonderful, and they may be copied from Shirley Temple dolls.
Oh she was not meant to stand alone, she sits or get a ride in a doll buggy .
I have tried to enlarge the photo with the marking and enhance it, but I cannot make out what it says. When enlarged, the characters look like smiles, with the left size a bit higher. They almost look like birds without legs, but I cannot make out any real letters...
I must almost wonder - if she has been repainted, what looks like a marking might just be a bit of uneven paint? At any rate I cannot make out any letters at all, not even one. :(
She is very pretty though!
She is not repainted. It could be a mold flaw however after same mold was used for long time the piece becomes less sharp in detail. At that point they would throw out and replace mold.
Yes, possibly a mold flaw. I have really tried to enlarge and enhance the photo in different ways (contrast, sharpness, even different colors etc.). I just can't see anything at all around those "smiles", not even faint. I don't think it's a marking.
Wow, you both are so awesome!
Manikin, thank you so much for all that great restoration advice. The hair setting advice is especially appreciated - I was out of my element thinking about it. I didn't want to replace her eyes either. She's had them a long time. I just wanted to clean them up a bit so they looked a little brighter. Are they supposed to wiggle side to side and sleep? It may take me a few months to get to fix her up because I've got too many other projects. I'm not a doll collector and wasn't planning on keeping her when I started this process. I just didn't like to see an old toy so well made discarded. Then I went and gave her a name. I guess she's staying! Will definitely show her off when she's back up. :-)
arctophilegirl, thank you for trying so much to identify her maker. I don't think she has been repainted. I don't plan on airbrushing her as long as the old paint is in decent shape. She has crazing you don't really notice until you take a close look. It's not severe. I think the light crazing gives her character. I wish her cheeks were still rosy.
I took a much closer look at her neck for a good ten minutes. I think it's possibly still a marker's logo but likely a mold defect as you and Manikin have mentioned. My camera didn't pick up all the details on her neck. There is a rectangle around the scribbling. I will draw a picture of it later today. Did they ever put a paper identifying label on the doll's neck? It is probably just a mold defect but it's fun to hope!
Thanks to you both for sharing your knowledge! :-)