Posted 12 years ago
scottvez
(977 items)
This is a 4 1/2" X 6 1/2" image mounted on larger cardstock. The image dates from about 1900 and depicts a large collection of dolls.
I am not that familiar with dolls, but would think that most of the dolls were made within 20 years of the image.
Any input is appreciated!
Reproduction of these images in any form is not authorized.
Scott
Scott, I sure Mani will give us all some insight on this photo. She'll love it!!
Hi, Scott. I recognize two of the dolls, but Mankin will be able to identify them more precisely than I. I am posting this comment to see if you can read the text on the paper attached to the arm of the doll perched at the summit. Can you read anything there? Thanks.
Someone had a nice collection . They date from 1880-1920 . I would say it is not a store Ad as some are not in original factory clothes so we have to guess it was a very wealthy little girl or some girls got together and put all their dolls in photo . That is my hunch . Strange but they are all appear to be made by same German Company JD Kestner . They have all the look of his work with maybe exception of one I can't see a few to clear . I think it was a doll party . They are all German made no French ones in there which were much more expensive . These are called dolly faced although there is one interesting one is cut off on far right as we look at photo. Very cute photo Scott and it helps keep the history of them alive . We have to remember these were toys not collectibles . Normally the girls only got to play with them on Sundays after church . They were very prized by the girls and that is why they have lasted unlike kids today who can't wait to cut off hair , tattoo them and paint there faces . They appreciated what they had . Girls normally only had one and if lucky 2 .
Wow, Manikin, I knew you could do it, but that was really fast. I'm also surprised that they should all be JD Kestner. I tagged a doll near the top, at the edge, next to the doll with the ruffled bonnet - my doll is the one with the bobbed hair, toppling over. That looked like a Kestner to me; however, I would never! have guessed that all these were Kestners. And I did not know that Kestners were more 'statistically frequent' during this period than the French bebes. I nod my head to your great expertise. Delightful! miKKo
Thank you MiKKo ! It is times like this I wish I could reach into PC and hold one to check them over :-) Of coarse without knowng how they are marked the call was made on seeing his work vs other German Companies . They are tended to have slightly different painting . In person you can also see the quality of bisque not on a photo though . French dolls were more expensive in the day . Normally you find Armand Marseille made dolls they are most abundant of all the German dolls they mass produced them and they were affordable . They made a few good ones but Kestner had much higher quality bisque . And clothes seemed a bit more elaborate . French dolls have a very distinctive look and by in large in today's market command a higher dollar . There are exceptions to that however and that is the rarer character children my German companies . Is your doll a Kestner MiKKo and marked as such ?
Thank you kindly, Manikin, for your most generous and gracious response! I always read what you post, and look forward to any encounter you have with a doll on CW. I have learned so much. We all thank you for helping us ID our things, and for teaching us why you made a judgment on condition, or the factors contributing to you ID.
I must have spoken sloppily. If you look at the doll at the summit, and follow downwards from the arm to which no note is attached you will see directly below her the baby in the ruffled 'cradle cap' bonnet, and directly below the bonneted baby a doll with straight bobbed hair that has toppled a bit forward and downward. That is the doll I had pegged for a JD Kestner. I love her! And, yes, I love the character dolls. So beautiful, and yet often not so terribly stylized that a homely little girl might get a bit of a complex from them. I love the freckled ones in particular. Anyway, I pegged that doll, but I had no idea, as I said earlier, that the Kestner dolls were so much more common than the French bebes. Once again, I learn. No, I don't own a Kestner. I buy dolls for my niece, and contemporary German ones at that. I can be sure that the German dolls are lead-free. If I were in the market for a doll for myself, I'd be searching for a beautiful covered wagon china doll like yours. It's splendid....
Again on the left side, this time nearer the bottom and moving towards the center though still left, you can see a doll with a very large hat or bow - the bow is very prominent, and the doll has medium colored hair and very chubby slightly 'pendulous' cheeks. I was eager to hear what kind of doll this was. Now I know. Once again, we thank you, kind, scholarly Manikin! miKKo : )
Thanks for looking manikin and mikko.
It is not a store ad-- some sort of doll display. I have several more similar images that picture other dolls. Some have date tags on their clothing (may be what is on the top doll in this photograph, but it is not readable).
I am suprised to hear that some of the dolls date to 1920. The format of the photograph would be very unusual for that time period.
scott
I just added another doll photograph from the same group:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/61537-dolls-displayed-on-doll-sized-rope-bed?in=activity
scott
Thanks walksoftly and vetraio.
scott
Thanks for looking bratjdd-- this particular item is not a postcard. It is larger (most likely printing out paper, pop) and it is mounted on tan/ gray cardstock typical of the very early 20th century.
scott
I can't imagine if only one little girl was lucky enough to own all of these
Thanks for looking kathy.
I think they were all a part of some display. I have 4 of these and some are numbered.
scott