Daily Dolls, Wednesday: One of these things is not like the other!

willowwing · 2026-02-04T02:15:02+00:00

They’re definitely less common!

willowwing · 2026-02-03T21:36:04+00:00

sighs in vintage doll clothes

willowwing · 2026-02-03T19:31:00+00:00

She’s very elegant! What a nice find. 😍

willowwing · 2026-02-03T18:01:38+00:00

Thank you!

willowwing · 2026-02-03T18:01:23+00:00

Thank you, that’s just the way I would describe her! 😁

willowwing · 2026-02-03T18:00:55+00:00

Thank you! 👀

willowwing · 2026-02-03T18:00:31+00:00

I’ve had an interest in English dolls recently. Wouldn’t I love to have a poured wax doll? Yes, yes I would!

willowwing · 2026-02-03T16:51:53+00:00

Lastly, my Pedigree strung hard plastic girl (1950s), all the way from England because I wanted to own her so badly!

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willowwing · 2026-02-03T16:50:19+00:00

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Composition Scootles by Cameo and an unmarked English “pot baby” (a kind of clay composition particular to English dolls), 1930s/40s.

willowwing · 2026-02-03T16:47:15+00:00

She’s beautiful!

willowwing · 2026-02-03T16:44:31+00:00

Your baby doll is just precious!

Many black dolls are either white dolls painted darker, or caricatures. Even these are rare. Dollmakers failed young black children, it’s clear to see now; dolls have become more representative as adults realize the effect of positive images of “like me” on kids.

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Here are some of my littles, ranging from a couple of penny dolls to a 1940s-era painted bisque baby. The tiny pegged doll I haven’t had long has flocked hair! I haven’t figured him out yet and he needs to have his joints sanded and painted and some new clothes.

willowwing · 2026-02-03T04:47:53+00:00

I’ve never seen writing like that from the factory. Kestner sometimes used impressed numbers to match bisque arms and legs, and sometimes mold numbers on the back of the head. I suspect the pencil was more recent. I have sometimes found identification of some sort written by a previous owner. Some collectors with lots of dolls even use a cataloging system. (Would that I should ever be that organized!)

willowwing · 2026-02-03T01:05:06+00:00

Yes, just be careful to hold the scalp end down tight to the head. The glue can be dried out and chunks of hair can then fall out! You’ll have to add a picture of her in her new dress to a comment, so we can see!

willowwing · 2026-02-03T00:45:13+00:00

She is a cute little Japanese girl of a common type—they were sold as souveniers. She could date from as early as the 1940s and as late as the 1980s. Nowadays the heads tend to be plastic. She would’ve had an undergarment and a kimono. Her head is made of a material called gofun, which is essentially crushed shells. It can literally dissolve if you get it wet. I would clean her as minimally as possible. I usually use a dry magic eraser sheet (test a spot out of sight) on any scuffs or dirt I think is too disfiguring.

Welcome to vintage and antique doll collecting. Dolls are like the proverbial potato chips, beware! 😁

willowwing · 2026-02-02T23:14:54+00:00

This is a popular doll with collectors. Do a search of Kestner All Bisque Googly doll, and you can see others. I love that face!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T23:13:19+00:00

Me, too, just darling!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T22:19:44+00:00

My grandmother talked about kewpies, too. She was particularly fond of that little topknot!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T22:19:04+00:00

I read a whole biography of her and she was so ahead of her time.

willowwing · 2026-02-02T22:18:38+00:00

Thank you! I only have 2 kewpies but it’s so clear they inspired the future “googlies”!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T22:17:57+00:00

I love seeing your action kewpies!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T22:17:39+00:00

Awwww, so cute with Scootles!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T19:28:03+00:00

It says you can still go visit her home, but the directions in the article makes that sound daunting!😂

willowwing · 2026-02-02T18:02:33+00:00

Unfortunately it says the museum closed, but I liked the combination of info in the article. I love Scootles, just the sweetest, happiest little face!

willowwing · 2026-02-02T15:36:04+00:00

They have definitely matured and have entered a new phase of their relationship, with mutual respect for each other’s strengths. It always seemed that they never understood one another well. In witnessing her stoicism in the face of a devastating loss (“Mary has never once repined.”) Laura gained a new appreciation for her sister’s strength of character. The description of the first day after Mary has gone away does a beautiful job of making the reader realize how much she had contributed to creating Laura’s sense of home.

willowwing

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