Aunt Marlene's Doll Cupboard

      One evening my husband’s aunt visited for a holiday meal. She brought a few old pictures to talk about and the photo of her old doll cupboard was among these. Many years ago she had to sell her home and move into a small, one-room apartment. Consequently, she was not able to keep her large collection of dolls. She did take a few pictures of the dolls she sold and showed them to me last night. I remember seeing this giant collection in person after Doug and I were first married. So, trust me when I say, this is only a small portion of the playthings that once inhabited her old home. I felt fortunate to see these. She allowed me to keep the photo in order to examine the dolls and include it on a journal entry here.

Aunt Marlene's Doll Cupboard.

1. The first doll numbered above is a topsy-turvey cloth doll of Grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood.
2. The baby doll seated just behind the topsy-turvey is, I believe, a vinyl “Miss Peep or Baby Wendy.”
3. The third doll is a pew baby made from fancy kerchiefs.
4. The fourth doll is a 20 inch, vinyl, Thumbelina by Ideal.
5. The fifth doll, on the second shelf is a porcelain half doll with a blond angora wig.
6. The sixth doll, seated next to the fifth is a half doll as well, made into a pin cushion.
7. Number seven is an all-bisque doll, groomsman. He is most certainly made in Japan prior to 1932 and his clothes are not original.
8. The eighth doll is the matching, all-bisque bride. She is also not wearing an original bridal gown.
9. Number nine was manufactured at the same time as the bride and groom dolls were. She also has a full bisque body and molded hair. Her former owner dressed her as a bridesmaid.
10. The tenth doll is a bisque, french clown, called a “peirrot.” It is ment to be a decorative doll and was probably mass produced in Japan during the 1980s or 1990s.
11. No doubt, this doll is the most valuable pictured here. She is from Germany, I believe, and is either a copy of a doll made by Simon & Halbig or she could be an original character dolly from their 900 series. I simply can not know for sure because I would need to inspect the doll in person. My husband’s aunt did live in Europe at one time, this may be a doll she brought back with her.
12. Doll number twelve is a little angel that was used as a Christmas ornament.
13. The thirteenth baby doll is an all-bisque, white, baby doll from Japan made by the Morimura Brothers.
14. Baby doll number fourteen is a bit larger and was made much later than 1935. It is also all-bisque and dressed in a Christening gown.
15. Baby doll number fifteen is a very contemporary Kewpie. She is all vinyl and dressed as a ballerina. Rose O’Neill produced the first Kewpies in 1914-1915. This version was produced after 1980.
16. The tiny doll in the basket is made from celluloid.
17. The tiny blond doll standing next to Kewpie is a Madame Alexander doll.
18. The eighteenth baby Kewpie is a Japanese copy, all-bisque, white body.
19. Nineteen is a plastic travel doll, made for tourists.
20. Doll number twenty is a composition, flange head doll. The wig is not original to this doll, she has molded beneath the old wig and her eyes are painted on.
21. Baby doll twenty-one is a mass produced china doll with painted features.
22. This empire style china head doll is a modern copy of earlier German mache’ head dolls.
23. Doll number twenty-three is was manufactured by Precious Moments.
24. Twenty-four is a massed produced, bisque doll with painted eyes from Japan.
25. Twenty-five is also a massed produced, bisque doll with glass eyes from Japan.

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