American Cloth Dolls and Their Things

A Document Doll.

This 10" treasure displays 5 cotton textiles from the 1870's, making her, not only dear, but a true fabric document. Pantaloons, which are hard to see in the photo, are a red background with black vines and flowers. All original. Her tiny feet turn east/west, and she has black bead eyes. Not a sitter. 2 photos.

Price: $525.

Cotton Knitted Doll, c 1910.

16". This doll has a very expressive, detailed face, with wonderful needlework skills employed. Her eyes have been fashioned with fabric inserted behind the knitting, and embroidered irises; nose is raised and mouth is salmon thread. Her hair is blonde. She has wonderful, separate fingers and shaped feet. Dress is a charming high-waisted style, made of fine woolen houndstooth, and a row of brown shoebuttons close the front. A great package. 2 photos.

Price: $150.

Fine Black Lady.

20" head to toe, and dressed in the most complete clothing: polished cotton faded, detailed red period dress and cape with hood, yellow pantaloons, red leather ankle straps, with extraordinary embroidery on her face (outlined eyes, eyebrows, raised nose, red nostrils, white teeth) and hit and miss stitches on legs, suggesting patterned stockings or laces, with black woolen hair -- all in great condition. Hands have stitched-down fingers with red thread circling wrists. Details ! c 1890. Her neck is a bit floppy, but we can forgive her that after all these years. She would make a delightful addition to a collection. 2 photos.

Price: $875.

Ragdoll Rug.

26 1/4" x 32" mounted on stretcher. When I first saw this rug years ago at a Nan Gurley Show, I couldn't believe my eyes: a creative "hooker" designed a rug based on the dolls in Mary Emmerling's first book, "American Country", published in 1980. Mary and I were good friends at that time -- all of us jumping on the country bandwagon and running with it. For many years, I ended up owning the doll in the second picture, and found the rug again on Pat Stauble's website. Since then it has been with us, a delightful companion to our cloth doll collection. Now I am offering it for the first time. So..."late but great".... made sometime after 1980, but truly wonderful none the less. 2 photos.

Price: $595.

Just Around the Corner.........

Elm Street, c 1818, new, old house for Kathy and Eno, Maddy, Lizzie and Boo.