Dolls from the Attic...Mis Muñecas

"Its A Wonderful Life"

2011-11-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to announce that I have been selected to be part of the cast of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. This has been a favorite movie of mine and I am sure for many of you as well… The play is full of wonderful Christmas music and a lovely story.
My role is that of Mrs. Thompson, a town folk and a caroler, who was also a victim of terrible Mr. Potter (bank owner) and crook. But as we all know; The story ends happily ever after for everyone in Bedford Falls.

It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film... This was director Frank Capra's classic bittersweet comedy/drama about George Bailey, the eternally-in-debt guiding force of a bank in the typical American small town of Bedford Falls. A man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and the contributions he has made to his community.

George declares that he wishes that he had never been born, and Clarence, hoping to teach George a lesson, shows him how different life would have been had he in fact never been born. After a nightmarish odyssey through a George Bailey-less Bedford Falls (now a glorified slum called Potterville), wherein none of his friends or family recognize him, George is made to realize how many lives he has touched, and helped, through his existence; and, just as Clarence had planned, George awakens to the fact that, despite all its deprivations, he has truly had a wonderful life.

As a result of my new adventure, I won’t be able to post for awhile, as I will be busy with rehearsals. Thank you so much for following and I wish you all a Happy Holiday Season!…and remember “Every time you hear a bell ring, it means an angel got his wings….”

The Santa Claus of Kensington

2011-10-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Schnickle-Fritz and Harlequin Clown from Diane Dustir collection

Albert Schoenhut, was the creator of marvelous toy pianos, intricate circus figures and lifelike dolls who were said to be modeled on his grandchildren’s likeness. Born in Germany to a family with a legacy of doll making since the 1700s, and who at seventeen, was one of the many German-born immigrants who settled in Philadelphia during the second half of the 19th century. This was a time of an ever growing and thriving German community that helped each other, and celebrated their heritage. Albert was employed at the Wanamaker's department store, repairing the broken glass sounding pieces in German toy pianos (also known as the kinderklavier (child's keyboard) that were damaged during shipping. Around this time he met and married Philadelphia born Emilie Langbien. A year late, their first of nine children, Albert Frederick was born.

From my own collection; Schoenhut Piano and at the keyboard...my 29" Karl Hartman girl.

While working at Wanamaker’s he conceived the idea of the toy piano as we know it today. He replaced traditional fragile glass bars, with durable steel plates that were strucked by hammers, and added spacers to hold the bars in place, this made the keys very difficult to dislodge during play. Finally in 1872 Schoenhut began producing his own toy pianos.

Stick Horse... Diane Dustir collection

Circus with animals and figures courtesy of Jim Sneed

At this time the young family moved to a one room flat in the Kensington section of Philadelphia where he was assisted in his work by his wife. It was here we glimpse the extent of his creative genius. For years, they handcrafted only wooden musical toys, carts and animals. In 1902 Schoenhut was approached by inventor Fritz Meinecke, who had mastered a way of holding the animal’s different parts with elastic, thus giving the toy movement and endless hours of play by the different poses it could achieve. Schoenhut bought the patent for the animal design and it became the basis of “The Humpty Dumpty Circus” which became a favorite of the company until its end in 1935.

Roly Clown... Jim Sneed collection

One of the first doll- like figures, “The Rolly Dolly” first appeared on 1908. They were manufactured from a composition material with weights imbedded in their bottoms so they would right themselves in a rolling motion when tipped over. They were a success story proving to be a sturdier version of a particularly old toy.

Graziano designed dolls

In 1911, he opened his doll manufacturing business, using mostly basswood for their bodies. After the dolls were carved, they were placed into molds that were fitted with pressure and high heat creating a smooth texture, and eliminating rough edges. This process resulted in an almost bisque look on his dolls. He still used the traditional jointed arms and legs, but he did not use rubber cord to hold it together; Instead, he patented his invention of steel spring hinge tension to hold up the dolls' joints. This method gave the flexibility and durability needed for the dolls to be posed in numerous ways, providing many hours of creative play for children. Finally the whole doll was given several coats of oil paint, which did not come off when washed by a small owner. The first few dolls that were manufactured measured 16 inches tall and the head was designed by an Italian sculptor and artist named Graziano,: These were four girls and four boys with carved hair, eight girls,and four boys with wigs and two infants. These dolls appeared to have very thin paint and no gesso underneath thus the paint wore off easily with repeated washings.

Then in 1912 Albert’s brother, Harry Schoenhut, was hired as the lead artist who designed the new series of dolls using better paints that would withstand both play and cleaning. The most dramatic change, however, was that the new dolls appeared to have much younger faces, while the Graziano dolls represented children from eight to twelve years of age.

16/102 Original handmade clothing, factory leather shoes

The late Albert Schoenhut, founder of The A. Schoenhut Co., established 1872, incorporated 1897

The classic period of Schoenhut dolls began in 1912, sadly the same year Albert Schoenhut died in his sleep leaving his son Albert Frederick in charge during the most glorious years of the company when the dolls faces were at their most prolific and the greatest variety.

From my collection a 19/308 as it came to me originally.

Doll 19/308 (on the right) after I had her hair redone, and re-dressed from a Schoenhut pattern

16/300 original homemade nurse’s uniform

16/106 Bonnet Head

14/102 girl & 14/207 boy, girl’s dress copy of Schoenhut style, boy’s suit original handmade

Schoenhut dolls are easily identified by size number (first), series or face number next. This method of recognizing started with the Graziano period. For example: doll # 19/105, is a 19” carved hair doll.
The 100 series consists of the carved hair girls; the 200 series were carved hair boys; the 300 series were wigged girls (with some of the most beautiful character faces); and the 400 series were wigged boys:

The # 316…Also known as “Miss Dolly”... Who Can Do Almost Anything But Talk... Finally!

A sweet dolly, for little girls to dress in ruffles and lace. Not unlike those other German bisque dolls with the short upturned nose, and the open-mouthed look. She has smooth eyes painted blue or brown and varnished to give her the glass eye look of German dolls. Later this was replaced by decal eyes, giving it a more realistic look. Miss Dolly is the most recognizable of the Schoenhut dolls and the original was produced until 1924.

Schnickel-Fritz

In 1911, the company expanded and came up with an infant doll series with curved wooden arms and either mohair or molded hair. These were distributed all over United States and in catalogs. The famous two 15-inch infant dolls with molded hairstyle were named Tootsie Wootsie, an infant with fat cheeks and wide opened eyes; and the other was Schnickel-Fritz, an older child with a mischievous grin. Although the company called them infants, these two were not really infants, they were designed more like toddlers, and were fully jointed.

From my collection "Nature Baby"

From Don Barnes collection: Nature Baby and Miss Dolly

The Baby dolls, and Nature Babies series, were #107 through #110. Some with painted hair, others were wigged. These appeared to be designed by Albert’s son Harry Schoenhut. Doll number 107 was also designed on a bent limb body described in catalogues as having “Nature’s Arms and Leg” Doll # 108 was also designed in both jointed and Nature Limb bodies, but in a much larger doll.

The company also created mannequins for garment merchandising, and for clothing studios, it came in the 19” size only, and was manufactured from 1914 to 1918. Originally presented as A Manikin for Students Of Fine Art, or Dressed Figures for Window Display, and it was given the number/series 19/175.

This doll was designed to look as a young man and it included three sports figures: a Basket Ball player, a Foot Ball player, and Base Ball player. The “Manikin” has a very interesting face, and it’s indeed a treat to find one.

Hundreds of toys, doll houses and dolls followed: Mama dolls with stuffed bodies and a voice box, infants with movable eyes, even a Schoenhut version of Gracie Putnam’s Bye-Lo Baby. Yet around the time of the Great Depression, the company's sales began to dwindle; partly due the popularity of electric action toys, and power trains. Dolls were imported by the droves from Germany, where labor was cheap, so they were being sold at half the cost of an American manufactured doll. At the same time newer dolls came in with lighter and better materials, children seemed to like these cuddlier dolls better than the heavier wooden ones. However in the late 1924, the company produced a kind of stuffed dolls that were made with a hollow wooden head but it was of an inferior kind and costumers did not take to them. The dolls did not sell, and all but gather dust in the shelves. By the year 1935, the company was then liquidated since they were not able to keep up with competitors who were mostly into bisque and vinyl doll-making.

From my collection

I am the proud owner of a handful of Schoenhuts. They all have bruises, dings; a chip here or there. Lucky for me they survived the “rough” love of those children from yesterday. But there is something in those faces so realistic; like they want to speak and tell me stories. I love these dolls with their bruises and pensive faces...

…if only.

Bibliography:

My deepest thanks to Jim Sneed from "All About Old Toys" for allowing me to use the amazing photographs from his collection, and the collection of Diane Dustir. All the doll photos unless otherwise noted are from the collection of Diane Dustir.

Also thanks to my friend Don Barnes for his pictures of Miss Dolly and Nature Baby.

Looking for Information on these dolls...

2011-09-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

As a special favor to ask of my followers, especially those that are miniature collectors. I recently purchased these teeny 1 1/2" dolls they are all bisque, fully jointed and they are all dressed in crocheted wedding costumes. If anybody can give me some background on them . I would really appreciate it!

Bisous

Marta

Florodora Girls: Pretty maidens all in a row.

2011-09-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

What is a Florodora...?

“Florodora, a small island in the Philippines). Here is manufactured the popular fragrance "Florodora," made from the essence of the Florodora flower. (Florodora first act opening lines.)
In the history of American Musical Theater, the show Florodora was an important link in establishing Broadway's Great White Way at the turn of this century. It originally opened in London in 1899 and moved to New York in 1900 and ran 552 performances.

Florodora sextet 1900's New York production

A good part of the success of the musical was attributed to its lovely sextet of chorines called "the English Girls", but soon popularly dubbed the "Florodora Girls". Young male admirers would showered them with gifts, hoping to persuade many to leave the show to marry them. They were the predecessors of the Zigfield Follies who followed in their heels and also became the objects of popular adoration.

The Girl on the Red Velvet Swing

One Florodora dancer, a mere girl of sixteen, attracted the attentions of the famous architect Stanford White. “ In his towering Madison Square Garden flat, he would place young Evelyn Nesbit on a red velvet swing and watch her glide through the air.

Evelyn Nesbit : The Original Gibson Girl" sketched by Charles Dana Gibson "The Eternal Question"

As Nesbit later described the room, the most eye-catching feature was "a gorgeous swing with red velvet ropes, set high in the ceiling at one end of the studio." Evelyn would ride the swing many times…

Evelyn Nesbit ca. 1900

John Barrymore

Her involvement with White continued, but also during this period, Evelyn was courted by a young struggling actor named John Barrymore after her affair to White ended.
Eventually tiring out of Barrymore, Evelyn accepted a marriage proposal from the son of a railroad baron, Harry Kendall Thaw, who became increasingly jealous of Nesbit past flings, and was especially sensitive about her relationship with White.

On June 25 1906, as fate would have it, Harry spotted in the audience at Madison Square Gardens. During the performance Thaw fired three shots at close range into White's face, killing him. Thaw was found innocent by pleading insanity, and Evelyn testified on his defense hoping she would be compensated with a divorce and one million dollars. The divorced was granted, but no money!

Evelyn Nesbit ca. 1902 National Museum of American History, Rudolph Eickenmeyer Jr.

After the trial, Evelyn Nesbit Thaw's career took a slow decline, largely due to suicide attempts, alcoholism, and an addiction to morphine.
She eventually died in a nursing home in Santa Monica, California, at age 82. In her later years, she served as a technical consultant to a 1955 movie about the White shooting, "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing,"

Many future stars started out chorus girls, Just to name a few: Norma Shearer (in 1919), Joan Crawford (in 1924), Gypsy Rose Lee (in 1927), and Lucille Ball (in 1931),
The survivors of the Chorus lines of the last century are The Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall..

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The Dolls of Armand Marseille; One of the largest and most prolific German doll manufacturer. On the following two images, is a small sample of his creations. However on this post, we will only reference the Florodora Dolls to keep with our story, as it is believed they were named for the famous choristas of the times.

A.M. Googlies displayed with antique farm animals. Courtesy of Nancy Maiarana NFADC

Armand Marseille established his porcelain factory in 1855 in Thuringia , Germany. In spite of his French name he was one of the most prolific German bisque doll manufacturers. His dolls were displayed at the St. Louis Exposition where he was awarded a Grand Prize. Although he is known for some fine, baby dolls like “My Dream Baby”, the impish “Just Me” and exquisite and the rare character children one usually associates, with Kammer & Reinhardt; his call to fame with the great majority were the child dolls, like Queen Louise, and the beautiful dolly face Florodoras. Dolls: courtesy of Joan Ratzel NFADC.

From the collection of Joanie Harter: The image of a lovely and serene looking girl.

A very sweet #370 dressed as a peddler. Courtesy of Gloria Kimmell .

When Armand Marseille died of heart failure in 1920, he left the run of the company to his son, but although production finally stopped by the end of 1928, his dolls were still sold by the warehouses for many years after.

What is a Florodora Doll...

This beautiful Florodora with fur eyebrows is from the collection of Carol Hellewell...

Florodoras came in different shapes and sizes ranging from 10” to 42” tall. Earlier ones dating to early 20th century + had kid or cloth body, bisque shoulder head, wore wigs, had glass eyes and a slightly smiling mouth. Some even had fur eyebrows.

From my collection #370 shoulderhead on a kid body.

Dolls courtesy of Joanie Harter: Beautiful blonde Florodora, with gorgeous brown glass eyes, wearing a sweet lawn dress with ribbon insets. Her friend, an unmarked charming doll possibly made for the French market.

The #370 and #390 are the more popular mold numbers on these dolls: The #370 for shoulder heads on a kid body and #390 for socket heads, on a composition body. Although you can find Florodoras with many different numbers but the molds are very similar.

The trademarks for the dolls were registerd by Borgfedlt in Germany. They are usually marked in back of the head with “Made in Germany Florodora A 2M”; “Florodora A.M. 5 1/2 DRP made in Germany”; etc. In 1903 the trademark was changed with a daisy in the center.

The beautiful petite 12", #390 Florodora on these three images is from Don Barnes collection. She is all original on a rare, nine part compo body original shoes and dress.

Notice the rare nine part compo body.

Later Florodoras, possibly after 1909, were bisque with a socket head; wood or composition jointed body and some models had “Stick legs”. Note that many of the dolls are marked with

A M instead of Armand Marseille.

From my collection; two # 370 Florodoras..shoulder heads on kid body. Dolls dresses were lovingly made by Nancy Maiarana with antique cloth materials and designed according to the style of period.

Like most German made dolls, Florodoras were often not as elegant as their French counterparts, but most importantly, they were affordable. Most middle class families, were able to procure them for their little girls to play, love and cherish, not just to admire from a distance… and they were well made and beautiful.

Courtesy of Doris Irene Jackson. Gorgeous brown eyes, apple cheeks, exquisite china painting, a perfect example of a beautiful Armand Marseille doll. Doll is wearing a beautiful dress of green silk and antique lace, with two buttons resembling gold an green marbles adorning the lace collar.

Final thoughts....

Armand Marseille made the Florodora doll heads from 1901 through to the early 1920s .

The musical "Florodora" opened on Broadway in November 1900 after having run for more than 400 performances in London.

The Armand Marseille 390 doll is sometimes called the “Florodora,” probably after the name of that famous chorus line from the turn-of-the-20th-century. “The Florodora Girls”

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Bibliography:
My deepest thanks to my good friends from “The Antique Doll Collector’s Club” from FB, that so graciously allowed me to use photos of their beautiful Florodora dolls.

Also my fellow members at Niagara Frontier Antique Doll Club, for letting me photograph their wonderful dolls.

From the Land of the Setting Sun

2011-08-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

For two centuries, Japanese ports were closed to all but a few Dutch and Chinese traders that were allowed to trade at Nagasaki. The United States hoped Japan would agree to open certain ports so American vessels could begin to trade with the mysterious island kingdom. On March 31 1854 representatives of Japan and the United States signed a historic treaty, which opened that country to trade with the West.

Ichimatsu Nyngio boy and girl...from Alan Scott Pate

There is a rich history of Japanese traditional dolls dating back to (8000-200 BC) . By the eleventh century dolls were used as playthings as well as for protection and in religious ceremonies. Doll collectors are in general familiar with dolls dating from over the last 300 years or so primarily from Europe. However, Japanese dolls existed before Europe was even Europe. The word for doll in Japan is ningyo or "man form" stemming from the use of the doll to represent man.It was not only a doll to be played with, but it represented the traditions of the country in girls, and the brave war-like traditions in boys.

Japanese Culture began with the Joman period (12000-250 BC) An ended with the Meiji period (1868-1912. We are only focusing on the dollmaking part of the history. So this post will focus on just one of the in between periods; The Edo period, (1612-1858) also called the Tokugawa period, marking the governance of the Edo or shogunate. It is also the time of an explosion of culture and technologies and the golden age of the Japanese doll. The period ended with the Meiji Restoration of imperial rule by the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu:

Just like the European dolls, Japanese dolls began as fetishes substituting for the human form. They both shared and spread cultural and artistic progression, and have faced controversy in their cultures: (Barbie girl image), Japan’s Boys day and WWII. Neither caused the problem but took the heat for it. They are both dated for their materials, craftsmanship, and finally they influenced the development of the other.

They were crafted from materials available to the area. The Japanese archipelago was rich in such woods as cypress, nutmeg, sandalwood, etc. Initially wood or cloth were used for the construction of dolls, also Papier mache appeared as early as the 17th century.

But a very fine composition losely resembling porcelain, was given to many dolls as a pigment, and as a covering with a lustruous sheen; This was known as gofum, and consisted of crushed oyster shells, animal based glue and water, the light quality of the medium allows the molding of such fine detailing, resulting in the realistic expressions unique of the Japanese doll.

The main differences on these dolls, besides their outward appearance and facial features; is that European dolls, are classified based upon the material used in manufacturing,.eg: papier-mâché, china, bisque. Japanese dolls are classified upon what the doll represents, as they were all similarly constructed from Gofun covered papier mache or wood.

Woman at spinning wheel

(from Antique Japanese Folk Textiles)

Textiles supported the structure of the dolls as well as for clothing. Stiff brocade fabric often supported the body, while silk covered the wood structure as well as the joints for those dolls with joints. Preferred textiles for the clothing was silk and silk weaves, such as, satin, gauze,velvet etc. However, Japanese culture was very structured. Much as specific plaids were used for specific clans in Scotland, particular types and weaves of cloth were reserved for specific classes. Because of this, the Japanese ruling classes limited what colors or textiles could be used by various groups in society.

The principal types of Japanese dolls are : Hina, Gosho, Musha, and Isho.

Hina:
The Japanese Doll Festival , Hina-matsuri, or Girls' Day, is held on March 3. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls hina-ningyō representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress.

Emperor and Empress form the top platform of a Hina doll display.

(file from Wikimedia Commons author… Nesnad.)

This is a Hina doll set photographed at a Japan Festival in Kansas City.

(author: Michaelbuddy copy from en.wikipedia)

Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits The origin is traced to an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi ( "doll floating"), in which straw hina dolls are set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them.

Traditional Paper dolls For Girl's Day display.

(Courtesy of Alan Pate)

The Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto celebrates the Nagashibina by floating these dolls in the river to pray for the safety of children. People have stopped doing this now because of fishermen catching the dolls in their nets. They now send them out to sea, and when the spectators are gone they take the boats out of the water and bring them back to the temple and burn them.
Families generally start to display the dolls in February,

and take them down immediately afterthe festival.

Superstition says that leaving the dolls past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter.

Gwen John (1876 - 1939)
National Museum, Cardiff circa 1927

Painting depicts the interior of the artist's studio in rue Terre Neuve, Meudon, Paris. The doll, dressed in a red and blue kimono-style garment, is seated against an open box in the centre of a table top. Still-lifes situated in simple interiors such as this are central to the artist's later oeuvre. This painting is one of two known versions of the composition.

Gosho Nyngio:

Term gosho literally means "palace," and it is amidst the imperial court of 18th-century Japan that we must first look to find their origin.

Gosho Nyngios are my favorite, and you can see why these chubby dolls are so irresistible.

These examples Gosho Nyngio are courtesy of Alan Scott Pate

During the Edo period (1615-1868), it was part of official protocol for military lords (daimyo) to pay respect to the emperor in Kyoto, bringing with them an impressive array of gifts. An itemized list of this tribute (mokuroku) was presented to the emperor, and, in acknowledgment, a doll was given to these powerful military lords. By the mid 1700's this type of doll became somewhat codified, typically depicting a corpulent male child of three years of age, either naked or with a small haragake
bib, frequently holding an auspicious object conveying wishes for health, longevity, prosperity, martial success, or enhanced fertility These dolls are now generally referred to as gosho-ningyô or palace dolls. from Alan Pate "Antique Japanese Dolls"

Musha Nyngio:

The Japanese samurai, wielding a curved edge sword, executing astonishing feats of endurance and agility, has captured the Western imagination since Japan first opened its doors to the West in the mid 1800’s.

Musha Ningyô or warrior doll are very popular among Western collectors. Embodying the martial spirit of the samurai, these figures are decked out in full military regalia with lacquered armor, swords, arrows, bows, and other assorted weapons. They frequently represent very specific historical characters and are a fascinating window into Japan’s rich military past. ( from Alan Scott Pate )

Fish-shaped banners flying outside of people's houses, it would mean it is getting close to the May 5th festival. Families with sons all over Japan traditionally wish for the boys' health and prosperity by hoisting carp-shaped windsocks outside. This fish, the carp, is said to swim upstream, and its heroic persistence makes it a traditional symbol and ideal for a boy. The celebrations may also include setting out warrior dolls, representing legendary Japanese heroes, and warlike ornaments inside the houses; 200 years ago the display might have been of real weapons and visible from the street.

(Excerpt from Judy Shoaf "Boy's Day Dolls, Musha -Nyngio")

Fashion Dolls

"Japanese Doll with Fan"... painting by Dan Beck

Isho Ningyo:
The "fashion doll" or ishô-ningyô is perhaps the most diverse and layered of the many categories of Japanese dolls.

Originally depicting beautiful women (bijin-ningyô) and popular actors, they emerged in the latter part of the 17th century in Kyoto. Celebrated for their spectacular costuming, this form evolved to encompass many other types including the hyper-realistic iki-ningyô (living doll), talismanic dolls known as hôsô-ningyô, and a myriad of other figures depicting nearly every facet of Japanese society. (Alan Pate Antique Japanese Dolls )

French ca.1930's "Fish" (unknown)

Wooden Kokeshi :

Are dolls that have no arms or legs, but a large head and cylindrical body, representing little girls or/and boys.

Kokeshi Doll from my own collection.

Dating back to the early 19th century and originally from northern Japan. They may have had a spiritual significance representing a wish for a healthy child. They are handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. The body has a floral design painted in red, black, and sometimes yellow, and covered with a layer of wax. The bottom is marked with the signature of the artist.

Courtesans

Mitsuore Oiran Courtesan, Edo Period 19th Century, 15" tall.

Hannig Collection...(From Alan Scott Pate, "Early Japanese Play Dolls)

Geisha:

The meaning of the word in English is “artist” or “performing artist”. These beautiful women are traditional entertainers who perform various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance. A Maiko (or apprentice Geisha) wears the white make up and traditional Kimonos that we identify with the Geisha (“maiko” means “dance child”), and they are usually very young, 18 or younger. A geisha does not have to start out as a maiko, if she has the opportunity to enter the community as a full geisha. However, those who do go through the maiko stage can enjoy more prestige later in their professional lives.

Isho Ningyô depicting an Oiran courtesan Edo Period, 18th Century, 15" tall

Hannig Collection (From Alan Scott Pate, "Early Japanese Play Dolls")

Movie poster for 1953 Japanese movie A Geisha, Gion Bayash.ca. 1953.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Geisha with samisen Sakura Dolls of Japan (Abston & Uchioke, 1963).

Courtesy of Judy Shoaf.

Tokyo Geisha with Shamisen ca. 1870s

"Strange, exotic dolls amongst the treasures of the expedition"

When In 1853-56, United States naval office Commodore Matthew Perry led a U.S. naval expedition to force Japan to begin trading with America–and the rest of the world, one of the items he brought back was a pair of Japanese Ichimatsu dolls.

Rare Ichimatsu boy courtesy of Alan Pate

Ichimatsu-ningyô :

Is what the Western world conceives as a Japanese play doll and they were given to little Japanese girls to hug. Originally this was an actor’s doll , even its name was a popular actor’s name. These dolls were sometimes given to newlyweds as gifts to procure for a healthy child.

From my collection: Ichimatsu boy, Motchmann type.

Notice the wonderful detail on his face, heavily molded lips and exotic almond eyes.

Same boy from my collection: Notice the Motchmann type body.

He is made from papier mache and cloth, there is a voice box mechanism in his torso that works.

A wonderful wardrobe is been made especially for him by my dear friend Joan Malone.

"I had an opportunity to see these two (survivors of a group of 13) dolls brought back by Commodore Perry, as part of a special visit to the Smithsonian storage complex arranged during the 1999 J.A.D.E. Convention. They are about 10" tall and are in poor condition, but the gofun lacquer is still beautiful. They are illustrated in Artifacts of Diplomacy by Chang-Su Houchins, Smithsonian contributions to Anthropology 37 (1995), p. 129; the description on p. 128 clarifies that they were part of a group of dolls given to the expedition by Izawa Mimasaka-no-kami in 1854; the dolls were noted as "naked dolls" in the Japanese records" (Courtesy of Judy Shoaf )

Motchmann -type doll made in Germany.

Notice the "floating hands and feet" allowing turning at the wrist and ankles.
These dolls were modelled after the Ichimatsu dolls brought by Perry.

Western girl with collective dolls.. notice the Ichimatsu held foremost in her arms.

Courtesy of Judy Shoaf

Already, however, at about the same time as Perry's expeditions, at least one Japanese play doll had found its way to Germany, perhaps through a Dutch trader. A German exporter from Sonneberg saw such a doll-- --and commissioned a sculptor to create the prototype of a European doll based on this Japanese doll. The result was a style of doll called the "Motschmann-type" or Taufling doll. We can infer that the Japanese model was a flesh-colored baby with glass eyes, cloth joints, and a device in the belly to produce a "ma-ma" sound when squeezed. It would have been a much poorer quality than the elegant dolls brought back by Commander Perry, but it introduced into the Western doll world some new ideas. Excerpt from Judy Shoaf “How Japanese Dolls came to Europe and America”

Picture from an 1874 French book of a child with an Ichimatsu.

(Courtesy of Judy Shoaf.)

Little Girl with a Japanese Doll
Artist: Cassatt, Mary Stevenson (American 1845-1926) Impressionist Painter

In a contemporary lithograph a little girl of the late 1890’s wanders through a toy store.

The picture is full of information but we notice particularly that the Oriental doll is now an authentic Japanese import, and that real Japanese lanterns decorate the store.

( From Kit Robbins collection)

These probably date from 1890-1910. (grp of dolls Ichimatsus ) Judy Shoaf's collection.

John Haberle ca. 1891

"Starting in the 1870s, the Japanese themselves exported many of their own ichimatsu dolls to America and Europe. Judging from the materials, the European market was more likely to get deluxe dolls, while a cheaper type of doll, but still very charming, was common in the US. familiar enough to be introduced in advertising and magazine illustration, comic postcards, children's books, and so on." Excerpt from Judy Shoaf's site.

From my collection Ichimatsu boy doll lovingly dressed by Joan Malone,

and Ichimatsu girl with gorgeous face and original silk kimono.

Ichimatsu boy and girl,

With friend "Patsy" decked out as a Chinese girl, and steiff bull dog.

From my collection.

"The Friendship Doll" courtesy of Alan Scott Pate.

In 1927, 58 Ichimatsu dolls were sent to the US from Japan as a gift of friendship. Before and during World War II, most of these Japanese Friendship Dolls were stored away so as not to offend Americans that did not want to be reminded of a country that was the enemy.
Consequently, time, and neglect has taken its toll on these treasures,and others have been misplaced. However there is an effort to locate each of the special 1927 Envoy Dolls (12 are still missing) and to insure that each of the surviving dolls is properly identified and cared for.

"Sayonara"

I would like to thank the following sources:

Judy Shoaf , for so generously letting me use excerpts and pictures and photos from her wonderful website: How Japanese Dolls came to Europe and America: A "Prehistory" of Japanese Dolls in the West.

My deepest thanks to Alan Scott Pate, for allowing me to use the beautiful pictures from his site "Antique Japanese Dolls "depicting dolls from the EDO period, as well as very important data from the time frame and history of these dolls. Author of the two most authoritative works in English on antique Japanese dolls, (Ningyô: The Art of the Japanese Doll, Tuttle, 2005 and Japanese Dolls: The Fascinating World of Ningyô, Tuttle, 2008).

Thanks to "Antique Japanes Boy Textiles" http://www.kimonoboy.com

How all of you have touched my heart...

2011-08-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

I am so overwhelmed with gratitude to all of you for your concern and caring comments on my blog. I assure you it was not for health reason I made that hasty decision. I am new at this medium, and didn't do my homework well as far as copyrights and so forth; so consequently I made some mistakes and crossed a line. I was very distraught when I was contacted about this . I never meant any harm least of all stealing.

Maybe you could understand how I am transported to other times and history when I research for a post, is like been in a quest, and I literally lose myself in the research of the amazing trove of history these dolls represent. But there are restrictions and these things must be adhere to.

I will not abandon the blog; its a lifeline for me...and I love that you, my friends, find it pleasing and interesting enough to have replied to my previous notice with such loving and caring comments...I will have a new post on the next week or so, that I think you will find interesting.

A thousand times 'Thank You" for been there and for changing my mind for me...

...for that I am indebted to all of you!

And a very special thanks for my dear friends Alberto and Phillip for your wise feedback and support.

I love you all.

Bisous

Marta

Last post

2011-08-01T04:39:00.001-07:00

For personal reasons I have decided to cancel this blog. Maybe in the future I will resume posting, I can't say for sure.
But for now, I want to thank all the good friends I've made here, and all the people who followed me for this year and half.
Thank you all and take care.

Marta

Frozen Charlottes: "A tale of love lost and vanity."

2011-07-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Forgotten toys of long ago...

Lovely Frozen Charlottes shards

Frozen Charlottes are a type of china doll popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name came from Fair Charlotte, a well-known American folk ballad attributed to William Lorenzo Carter. It is believed to have been composed some time between 1833 and 1860. He was inspired to write the poem after reading in the New York Observer on Feb 8, 1840... "A young woman... was frozen to death while riding to a ball on Jan 1, 1840."

The ballad tells the tale of lovely mountain girl who set out in a sleigh with her lover, Charley, to attend a New Year’s dance. Her mother warned her to wrap herself in a blanket to keep warm, but Charlotte ignored her… “No, no, no, fair Charlotte said and she laughed like a gypsy queen. To ride in blankets muffled up, I never can be seen.” The lyrics then tell of Charley as they rode through the frozen night air… “Why sit you there like a monument that has no power to stir? He called her once, he called her twice, she uttered not a word....fair Charlotte was a stiffened corpse and her lips spoke nevermore.”

From my collection: Beautiful Charlotte part of the "Mary Merritt Doll Museum "auction.

Of course there was a lesson to be learned from this tragic tale, and many young girls who later played with Frozen Charlottes probably were warned:
Now, ladies, when you hear of this… Think of that dreadful sight, And never venture so thinly clad, On such a winter's night.

Frozen Charlottes in the foreground displayed with other chinas.

The dolls depicting Charlotte and Charley, were extremely popular and sold for only pennies this allowed children to accumulate a collection of dolls with which to play. The sad story of their tragedy only heightened the doll’s popularity.

Part of my collection of Frozen Charlottes and half dolls.

Frozen Charlotte with hair and knitted dress, pink luster shoes.

Frozen Charlottes were either china or bisque dolls made from around 1850 to 1920. Each doll is made in a standing form, naked with arms and legs unjointed, they are molded all in one piece and are also known as pillar dolls, solid chinas or bathing babies. Other factors might have contributed to the doll's name: they were made of porcelain, which was considered a "cold" type element, and their one piece design meant they could not be moved (i.e. they were "frozen in place").

Shards found in excavations from factories in Thuringia, Germany.

From my collection: Blond and a dark hair Charlottes with red garters and gold enamel shoes.

Very detailed chubby Charlotte with molded bonnet.

Frozen Charlottes' shards.

Ideally they could be played with in water, but only if they were made of fine, light, porcelain so they could float. In Germany they were referred to as “Badekinder” (bathing doll) or “Nachtfrosch” (naked baby).
Marks are almost nonexistent on these dolls, but the grounds of the Kister and the Conta Boehme factories in Thuringia, are filled with china shards from these dolls that date from the 1850s, and they range in size from under one inch to 18 inches plus.

"Badekinder"

Friendship keepsake

Tiny Charlotte in velvet frame, ca. 1890

Frozen Charlotte made into a music box.

The smallest dolls were often used decoratively; an example of this includes their use as charms atop cakes or puddings. Smaller dolls were very popular for putting in dolls houses. Larger dolls could be dressed, placed in doll strollers and cribs, and treated like larger porcelain dolls. Occasionally, versions are seen with a glazed china front and an unglazed stoneware back. This enabled the doll to float on its back when placed in a bath.

From my collection: Frozen Charlotte with molded dress,and her little sister finished with a pink satin tint, and covered wagon hairstyle .

Black luster "Frozen Charlie"

Besides porcelain, the Charlottes are also made in bisque, and can come in white, soft pink or, more rarely, painted black. In rare cases, the Charlottes also come with molded dresses. Male dolls (identified by their boyish hairstyles) are called Frozen Charlie.

From my collection, a trinket box filled with miniature all bisque, and lillyputian Frozen Charlottes including a tiny black one.

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Eleanor St. George describes beautifully in her book The Dolls of Yesterday how cherished by the little homemaker these tiny dolls were:

Part of the charm of these dolls lay in the variety of costumes one could fashion for them out of incredibly small scraps of silks, ribbons and laces—veritable scraps from the tables of grown-ups.
What a harvest time it was during the visits of the “by-the-day” dressmaker, who came every spring and fall for a week or a fortnight to refurbish the family wardrobes!
How eagerly one watched for, and how gleefully seized upon any sizable scraps that fell from her shining scissors.

From my collection: Unusually large Frozen Charlotte (over ten inches) dressed in Victorian bathing outfit, and an eleven inches "Charlie".

These remarkably large dolls are suitably posed in a Victorian bathroom, for they were described as “bathing children”
These dolls give one pause, and perhaps the answer is that the prudery of the Victorian era was invented for the young ladies, who lived in a world of chaste ignorance. But if one really searches into Victorian times, there was a good deal of nudity present:
In their works of art, the ornaments in the parlor and the china fairings gracing their cottage cupboards.

The dolls are simple, and geometrical. The limbs and trunk molded, and assembled while the clay was still soft. This method of building was how these large, hollow figures with massive limbs, acquired that solid archaic look that is difficult perhaps to visualize as part of the Victorian nursery.

Adelina Patti "The Last Rose of Summer" (1905)

2011-06-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Patti as "Violetta"

Patti, ca. 1854

Adelina and her brother Carlo, ca. 1856

She was born Adela Juana Maria Patti, on February 19 1843, the last child of tenor Salvatore Patti (1800–1869) and soprano Caterina Barilli (died 1870). Her Italian parents were working in Madrid, Spain, at the time of her birth. She was the greatest soprano of her day, and will always be associated with her castle in the Upper Swansea Valley.

Patti "Family Portrait" Salvatore, Caterina, Adelina and Carlo Patti.

Pears soap label with Adelina Patti's image.

Adelina Patti was a world famous opera singer who was born in Madrid, Spain. Patti began as a child performer at age eight and she spent her life touring all over the world as a concert star. Her 1861 Covent Garden debut, as Amina in Bellini's "La Sonnambula," established her as a prima donna. Patti was renowned for her unerring self-confidence, fine ear and intonation, and effortless flexibility.

Adelina Patti was raised in New York, and gave her first concert there at the age of seven.
Patti first sang at Covent Garden, London, in 1861. From then on, her international career was assured. As a bel canto coloratura soprano she had no rival. Giuseppe Verdi thought she was the greatest singer he had ever heard. Wherever she sang, the public adored her, and she made a fortune.

Patti as Marguerite

Patti as "Lucie De Lammemoor"

From the Alt, Beck and Gottschalk porcelain factories in Nauendorf... Adelina Patti china shoulder head doll.

Stunning "Simon and Halbig" Adelina Patti with pierce ears, beautiful velvet and antique lace gown. Doll is wearing antique earrings and necklace.

Ernest Nicolini (23 Feb 1834 - 19 Jan 1898): French tenor. Debut Paris (Opéra-Comique) in Halévy's Mousquetaires de la Reine. First London Lohengrin, Pery (Gomes's Il Guarany), and Radamès. He performed frequently with Adelaina Patti. (1886).

Patti and Nicolini as "Romeo and Juliet"

After her first marriage to the Marquis of Caux failed, Adelina Patti took a lover, French tenor Ernest Nicolini, who she later married. In search of privacy, and good trout-fishing for Nicolini, she bought a Welsh country house overlooking the River Tawe near Penwyllt, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. She named the plain, four-square house Craig-y-Nos: the Rock of Night.

The Diva was kind and generous but somewhat temperamental, calling everyone ‘darling or devil as the mood dictated’. Very devout, she was said to be the singer with a flawless voice and personality to match.

The death of Nicholini brought great change in the life of Patti and her castle. She was 56 years old and was soon to meet Baron Rolf Cederstrom, a Swedish nobleman 26 years her junior. They were married in the Catholic Church at Brecon on the 25th January 1899 and returned to Craig-y-nos. It is said that these were the most fulfilling years of her life. They were married until her death in 1919.

Patti was devoted to her home in Wales, giving annual charity concerts for the poor. Her generosity made her loved and admired, however much people smiled at her regal manner.

She spent 40 years and £100,000 (several million in today's terms) making it over it as a Gothic castle. She added a clock tower, two turreted wings, a greenhouse filled with cockatoos and parakeets, and a 150-seat theatre.

The act-drop in the Patti Theatre depicts Adelina as Semiramide.

The Patti Theatre was dedicated in August 1891. It is still very much in use today. With blue silk plush curtains, her monogram in gold over the proscenium arch, and an act-drop curtain showing Patti in a chariot as Semiramide, it was designed as a shrine to the diva.
When Adelina Patti held court at Craig-y-Nos, the theatre was the centre of events. She performed there privately long after her official retirement. Guests and servants would assemble to see her sing her great roles. Her butler - who couldn't sing - would mime the male roles.

Patti died at Craig-y-Nos on 27 September 1919. Her greatest memorials are her recordings now remastered on CD. Among her many portraits, the ones in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, the Guildhall, Brecon, and the National Portrait Gallery, London, give an idea of her beauty.
Although the famous greenhouse was moved to Swansea and renamed the Patti Pavilion, Craig-y-Nos, her fantasy castle, still has its gardens and theatre.

"Adelina Patti " by Franz Xavier Winterhalter ca. 1863

Like many prima donnas, Patti was probably a creature of the stage and song. She came alive the most when she was singing -- she even built a private theatre in her home to entertain guests with her singing. Her personal life, although much discussed, comes across as rather shallow and artificial. She married three times, there is however no evidence she was ever in love--- indeed she seemed mainly attracted to fawning eccentrics. Her last years seem to have been lonely, and ultimately Patti is still a mystery.

This is a 16 inch all original china head doll known as Adelina Patti. Her perfect china head is on a cloth body. Her original dotted Swiss cotton gown is finished with silk cummerbund and ruching at the neckline. Her face painting suggests she was made by Conta & Boehme. She has the characteristic sleepy eyes with no outline or highlight and the classic dark line separating the lips.

Adelina Patti was (1843-1919) was a contemporary of Jenny Lind. She was a coloratura soprano called the greatest singer by Verdi. "photos provided by Joy's Antique Dolls http://www.joysantiquedolls.com/ ".

The hairstyle is similar to one worn by Adelina in a performance as Marguerite in Faust in 1875. "photos provided by Joy's Antique Dolls http://www.joysantiquedolls.com/ ".

Steinway piano advertisement

Her recordings, made when she was in her 60s, tell more of the story -- the charm, the emotional involvement, the uniquely haunting sound, and as it is often the truth with most opera singers, really "hearing, one can believe." From Adelina Patti “Queen of Hearts” Patti had no children, but was close to her nieces and nephews. The Tony Award-winning Broadway actress and singer Patti LuPone is a great-grand niece and namesake.

The ghost of Patti is said to haunt the castle, and her disembodied voice is reputed to have been heard in its theatre. On one occasion, a media crew was recording an interview at the castle, and while in the kitchen, they were discussing the fact that Patti had never mastered the role of Carmen ... when, suddenly, a heavy saucepan flew on to the floor, reportedly without human intervention.

Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There

2011-06-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

Alice Pleasance Liddell ( 4 May 1852 – 16 November 1934), known for most of her adult life by her married name, Alice Hargreaves, inspired the children's classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, whose protagonist was named after her.

Alice Pleasance Liddell was born on May 4th 1852, to Henry George Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and his wife Lorina Hanna, she was the fourth of their 10 children and had large blue eyes and a cherubic oval face.
She had two older brothers and an older sister, plus six younger siblings. Two of her brothers died young. Alice grew up primarily in the company of the two sisters nearest to her in age: Lorina, who was three years older, and Edith, who was two years younger.

Alice and her sisters Lorina and Edith.

When Alice Liddell was a young woman, she set out on a grand tour of Europe with Lorina and Edith. Edith died on 26 June 1876, possibly of measles or peritonitis (accounts differ), shortly before she was to be married to Aubrey Harcourt, a cricket player. Alice Liddell married Reginald Hargreaves, also a cricket player, on 15 September 1880, at the age of 28 in Westminster Abbey.

They had three sons, but two were killed in action in World War I. After her husband's death, the cost of maintaining their home, Cuffnells, was such that she deemed it necessary to sell her copy of Alice's Adventures Under Ground. The manuscript fetched £15,400, nearly four times the reserve price given it by Sothesby’s auction house. Eventually the book was presented to the British people "in recognition of Britain's courage in facing Hitler before America came into the war." The manuscript now resides in the British Library.

"I can't go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then." Lewis Carroll

"Self portrait"

Alice in Wonderland grew out of Charles Dodgson's (writing under the pen name Lewis Carroll) imagination, as he invented stories for the entertainment of children..
Having been the eldest son with eight younger brothers and sisters. He had a natural affinity for children. He also spoke naturally and easily to them, a relief to him since he suffered from a bad stammer.

Charles Ludwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) 31 years old, by O.G. Rejlander at 28 March 1863

The family met Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, while he was photographing the cathedral on 25 April 1856. He would take the family on boat trips and picnics to the scenic areas around Oxford to while away the time, entertained with stories and used them as subjects for his hobby, photography. It has often been stated that Alice was clearly his favorite subject in these years, but there is very little evidence to suggest that this is so. Dodgson's diaries from 18 April 1858 to 8 May 1862 are missing.

Origin of Alice in Wonderland

Kister china "Alice" ca. 1862

Alice Liddell as a young woman.

Alice as the "Queen of the May" photographed by Lewis Carroll.

Advice from the carterpillar...Illustration by John Tenniel.

Alice in Wonderland began as a tale spun when on July 4, 1862, Dodgson and his friend Robinson Duckworth, a priest at Christ Church, rowed the three Liddell children up the Thames from Oxford to Godstow for a midday picnic on the banks of the river. The fairy-tale of Alice's Adventures Underground was told to the children during this occasion. Much of the story was based on another picnic a couple of weeks earlier when they had all been caught in the rain; As the Reverend Duckworth rowed the boat, Dodgson regaled the girls with fantastic stories of a girl, named Alice, and her adventures after she fell into a rabbit-hole and into a strange land.

Hairstyles that mimicked the Alice character in the book were also popular in the 1850's. The headband and hairstyling is similar on the dolls made by different factories. Although the book "Alice in Wonderland" was first published in 1865 the headbands are dated from 1850 on.

Poured wax "Alice doll" doll from my collection with brown glass eyes and pierced ears with glass earrings. Wooden limbs and cloth body ca. early 1800's

Alice and her older sister Lorina

The story was not unlike those Dodgson had spun for the sisters before, but this time Liddell asked him to write it down for her. Alice Liddell, age 10 at the time, was Dodgson's favorite of the three Liddell girls, so he named his heroine after her. He promised to do so but did not get around to the task for some months. Dodgson had decided to rewrite the story as a possible commercial venture, and was persuaded by friends to seek a publisher.
Eventually Dodgson presented her with the manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground in November 1864.

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

My beautiful Alice by Lee Middleton as a Toddler: She came with her friend the White Rabbit. She has a beautiful life like face and is forever enjoying her "Happy Unbirthday Party" with her friends in my doll room.

From my collection "Alice's Mad Tea Party" and Guests...Alice Doll by Lee Middleton

The Liddell family with Lewis Carroll at one of their many outings with the poet/author.

There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. `Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,’ thought Alice; `only, as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind.’
The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: `No room! No room!’ they cried out when they saw Alice coming. `There’s plenty of room!’ said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.

Alice and the Cheshire Cat illustration from "Alice in Wonderland" Lewis Carroll.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with illustrations by John Tenniel, was published in 1865, under the name Lewis Carroll. A second book about the character Alice, Through The Looking-Glass And What Alice Found There, followed in 1871.

"Alice Doll" German ca. 1860... Hair modelled in glazed porcelain, with painted chestnut hair. The arms and little black boots are also porcelain. He head turns in a pivot. Motschmann type body in fabric and papier mache has a bellows for voice system. All original clothes, from the collection of Patrizia Bonato, Venice.

To the earliest childlike dolls belong "Alice in Wonderland" emerging as the main figure out of a fairy-tale from English poet Lewis Carroll. According to the model of John Tenniel illustrated the first edition of this book, the hair was combed to the rear and was held by a hair band.

In 1932, when she was 80, Alice published her memoirs. She also went to New York because of the centenary of Dodgson’s birth and was made a Doctor in Literature by Columbia University. This was her last engagement on behalf of Wonderland, because at that age she got really exhausted of being ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

Late in life, she lived in Lyndhurst in the New Forest. After her death she was cremated and her ashes were buried in the graveyard of the church of St. Michael & All Angels, Lyndhurst.
Alice died on 15 November 1934.

The extent to which Dodgson's Alice may be identified with Liddell is controversial. The two Alices are clearly not identical, and though it was long assumed that the fictional Alice was based very heavily on Liddell, recent research contradicted this assumption. Dodgson himself claimed in later years that his Alice was entirely imaginary and not based upon any real child at all.

And they lived happily everafter....

2011-04-29T05:08:00.000-07:00

Mimosa /orange juice early in the morning (in my pj's) watching a fairytale unfolding. My heartfelt wishes of lasting happiness to this beautiful young couple.

Her wedding dress, a beautiful throw back to the fifties, brought back memories of Grace Kelly's wedding to the Prince of Monaco.

The future King of England and the comely commoner who captured his royal heart tied the knot Friday while the British Empire - and the rest of the world - watched in rapture. Prince William and Kate Middleton, dubbed the duke and duchess of Cambridge before the ceremony, set off a wave of euphoria and celebrations across England and in former colonial outposts like New York City. After saying "I will" at Westminster Abbey, the happy couple departed for their reception by horse-drawn carriage to the tolling of the abbey's bells and cheers from the throngs lining the route to the royal reception at Buckingham Palace.

Truly, Madly, Deeply…Mary Todd Lincoln

2011-04-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

Mary Ann (nee Todd) Lincoln (December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882)

Mary was the fourth of seven children, and her mother died after giving birth to her seventh child when Mary was six years old. A year and a half later, her father remarried and this marriage brought nine more children into the house. Mary’s stepmother was not sympathetic towards Mary which, some historians comment, might have contributed to her insecurities later in life. Despite growing up in the south with household slaves, Mary very early on grew to abhor slavery.

Mary Todd left home at an early age to attend a fine school. By the age of 20 she had a sparking personality that made her quite popular among Springfield's gentry. When she began living with her sister Elizabeth’s family, whom were very socially prominent, Mary became a popular belle.

Just 5 feet 2 inches at maturity, Mary had clear blue eyes, long lashes, light-brown hair with glints of bronze, and a lovely complexion. She danced gracefully, she loved finery, and her crisp intelligence polished the wiles of a Southern coquette.

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In the fall, she met Abraham Lincoln, an aspiring lawyer who was 10 years her senior . They fell in love and were engaged at the end of the following year. Perhaps with his poorer background and debt in mind, Abraham asked Mary to release him from the engagement. After much depression, a friend arranged for them to get together again. The wedding took place on November 4, 1842,. Inside Mary’s ring was the inscription “Love Is Eternal.”

Mary Todd Lincoln's Inaugurational Gown

First Ladies of the White House Exhibit

They had four sons: Robert Todd (August 1, 1843), Edward Baker (March 10, 1846), William Wallace (December 21, 1850), and Thomas “Tad” (April 4, 1853). Eddie died of diphtheria. He was not even four years old. Afterwards, Mary could not speak his name without crying.

Thomas "Tad" Lincoln (April 4, 1853 – July 15, 1871) was the fourth and youngest son of 16th United States President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Tad was known for his antics around the White House. There are stories of him interrupting Presidential meetings, drilling the White House guard and charging visitors to see his father.

Kiowa and Cheyenne leaders pose in the White House conservatory with Mary Todd Lincoln (standing far right) on March 27, 1863, during meetings with President Abraham Lincoln, who hoped to prevent their lending aid to Confederate forces. The two Cheyenne chiefs seated at the left front, War Bonnet and Standing In the Water, would be killed the next year in the Sand Creek Massacre.

Abraham was soon elected to the House of Representatives and in 1860, the year Republican party nominated him for president. the Civil War was imminent.

Doll is reproduction Mary Todd Lincoln (kit) sold by Yield House in 1970's.

Possibly Conta Boehme ca. 1860's

Southerners felt Mary was a traitor, turning against her roots, while Northerners felt she was a spy, as many of her relatives sided with the Confederacy. Mary Lincoln suffered from severe headaches throughout her adult life, and as First Lady had to deal with the death, from a fever, of her son Willie, as well as the deaths of siblings killed in the Civil War. Difficult bouts of mourning, especially after Willie’s death, led to protracted depression.

Black Velvet 1861...This dress depicts authentic period fashion of 1861. It features a high bodice with a front closure with open bell-shaped pagoda sleeves lined with white fabric and trimmed with ruching. The entire gown is lined with a sheer black cotton. The collar is white lace, fastened with a pearl broach. To accessorize the outfit, there is a handkerchief, fan, matching earrings and head dress. The fabric is authentic 1800's black cotton velvet.

Alt, Beck and Gottschalk "Mary Todd"...White glazed china shoulder-head with painted black hair, and two gilded hair bows. Body completely made of cloth ca. 1865

The president “had all her love,” and Lincoln loved her “as only his mighty heart could.”

Charles Sumner senator from Massachussetts.
“My wife was as handsome as when she was a girl,” Lincoln once told a reporter. “And I, poor nobody then, fell in love with her, and what is more, have never fallen out.”

Exquisite Conta Boehme "Mary Todd" shoulder head ca. 1866

The Young Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln

Once when Mary Lincoln let loose her anger at her husband’s arriving late for supper, he simply scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.

Mary Todd was vivacious and impulsive, with an interesting personality--but "she now and then could not restrain a witty, sarcastic speech that cut deeper than she intended...." A young lawyer summed her up in 1840: "the very creature of excitement." All of these attributes marked her life, bringing her both happiness and tragedy.

The 1860 decade marked the introduction of a number of china shoulder head dolls well known to collectors. One of them is the so-called Mary Todd Lincoln...There are no known pictures of Mrs Lincoln wearing the hairstyle credited to her by doll collectors. But she was prominent during the decade because of her husban's role as President of the United States during the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Exhibit "What They Were Wearing in Washington "

She has often been blamed for spending too much on the White House, but she felt, in defense of her drastic overspending, that it was important to the maintenance of prestige of the Presidency and the Union.

On April 9, 1865, with General Robert E. Lee surrendering to General Ulysses S. Grant, the war was officially over. Just five days later, on April 14, Abraham was shot by John Wilkes Booth in the Ford Theater, Mary’s hand in his. The president lingered until passing away at 7:22 a.m. He was buried in Springfield, next to his two sons. Mary never recovered from this tragedy.

Museum piece Mary Todd Lincoln doll in mourning dress.

son..Robert Todd by Daniel Huntington ca. 1885

On May 22, 1865, she left the White House, to live with her remaining sons Robert and Tad. Unfortunately, Tad fell ill and never fully recovered from a respiratory infection. On July 15, 1871, he died. Mary had now lost her husband, three half-brothers, and three sons. “One by one,” she said, “I have consigned to their resting place my idolized ones, and now, in this world there is nothing left for me but the deepest anguish and desolation.” After Tad died , she slipped into a world of illusion where poverty and murder pursued her.

Her health deteriorated rapidly, and on May 20, 1875, after a juried trial, Mary was declared insane and confined to Bellevue Nursing and Rest Home in Batavia, Illinois. Mary’s supporters believed her son Robert had ulterior motives and they worked to get her released. A misunderstood and tragic figure, she passed away in 1882 at her sister's home in Springfield--the same house from which she had walked as the bride of Abraham Lincoln, 40 years before. She was buried next to her husband and three sons at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. Her wedding ring, thin from wear, still bore the words “Love Is Eternal.”

Fanny Elssler...Dancer of the Romantic Era

2011-04-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Fanny Elssler

During its heyday from the 1820s well into the 1840s, the Romantic ballet featured some of the most famous ballerinas the dance world has ever produced....

Marie Taglione.. Danceuse Principal

Marie Taglioni, Fanny Cerrito, Carlotta Grisi, and Fanny Elssler were among the first dancers to be renowned internationally, and they remain heralded in the annals of ballet today for their early virtuosity and expressive capacities. However, during much of the nineteenth century, ballerinas in general were subject to derision because of their perceived immorality and indecorousness.

" Les Sylphide"... pas de quatre.

Quite simply, they represented an art form that was designated by denizens of the nineteenth century as immodest female public display catering only to lascivious male admirers. Indeed, even during the pinnacle of Romantic ballet's popularity during the late Regency period and the early Victorian era, professional dancers were considered by most to be little more than courtesans to monied or titled patrons. Such an attitude became the master narrative for these cultural icons as the century matured.

"Fanny and Therese" portrait by Mueller.

Fanny Elssler was one of the most famous ballerinas of the 19th century. Fanny was trained in ballet from an early age and made her début before the age of seven. She was often performing with her two years older sister Therese (1808-1878). The older sister was to be overshadowed by the success of Fanny, but they continued to perform together – Therese finally leaving the stage when she had gathered quite a fortune and could look forward to a comfortable life. The beginning of the great success for Fanny Elssler came at her performance in Berlin 1830 – with her sister. This was to mark the beginning of international travels and performances in Europe and the US.

Le Délire d'un peintre was produced in London in 1843.

It was a typical piece of Romantic ballet nonsense, about a painter (Jules Perott) who is in love with a dancer (Fanny Elssler), whom he has painted. The dancer pretends to be the painting come to life and haunts him 'mingling the most sparkling playfulness with the most deep-souled passion'. In the end they are married and the ballet ends with the spirited Castilliana Bolero. Perrot's tight breeches and short bolero jacket, with elaborate decorations, and Elssler's bell-shaped skirt trimmed with flounces of lace would identify the dance as Spanish, even if they were not holding the obvious castanets. In 1836, Elssler had a huge success with a solo based on the Spanish dance, the Cachucha, and ever afterwards audiences expected a Spanish-style solo or pas de deux in her ballets, even, as in Le Délire d'un peintre, the story had nothing to do with Spain.

"The Shadow Dance"

Fanny Elssler's romantic admirers included the pre-March publicist and diplomat Friedrich von Gentz (1764-1832). A man 45 years Elssler's senior, whose admiration and personal devotion she enjoyed from 1829 until his death, he was a friend and admirer of Prince Klemens von Metternich, who warned him against the liaison with the younger woman, but his words were useless against the passion of Gentz's life. Metternich and others believed that Gentz's affair reflected a Romantic aspect never seen before in such a rational man., and it was generally accepted by his friends that the involvement with the dancer hastened the former rationalist's death. But Gentz was one of many for Fanny Elssler, who was idolized by fans at the peak of her career, like the singers Henriette Sontag and Jenny Lind who were similarly admired. This obsessive admiration reflected passion of many contemporaries for the performing arts during the Biedermeier era.

Fanny as "Myrth" in the ballet Gisselle

Fanny Elssler epitomized lively theatricality. She was one of the most important ballerinas of the Romantic era; her dancing was sensuous, earthy, and fired by great energy. Along with the Romantic image of women as diaphanous and fragile creatures, there was a surge in nationalism due to the proliferation of wars and revolts during the 19th century. This increase in national pride led many artists to revive the folk traditions of their countries.

Lithophane of Fanny Elssler tying her shoes...

Biscuit Porcelain, Chodau manufactory,Bohemia, ca. 1890.

This piece was originally illuminated by a candle, later electrified. A lithophane is a thin piece of porcelain in which a relief image is produced by the sculptor manipulating the thickness of the clay to let certain amounts of light shine through the plate. The thinnest parts of the clay shine the most light, thus the light-struck components of the image are carefully balanced against the more dense “darker” ones.

"La Cachucha"

One of her most famous performances was doing the La Cachucha in the role of Florinda in the ballet Le diable boiteu, written by Jean Coralli and Casimir Gide in 1836. This was even to be captured on prints of the time, and even in porcelain. She was also noted for her performances as the lead in Jules Perrot's La Esmeralda (1844).

ABG "Fanny Elssler" white china shoulder head, with kid body, and painted blue eyes. Original blue silk and lace dress ca. 1850's.

Alt, Beck and Gottschalk "Fanny Elssler" shoulder-head of flesh tinted china. Hair double parted on top forming a "V". on the hairline. Smooth black hair swoops down to cover ears, and is caught up in a coiled, braided bun in back. Brown eyes and closed mouth painted red. Cloth body with china lower legs and arms...ca. 1850.

Elssler became an international star as a result of her extensive tours throughout Europe, the United States, Cuba and Russia. Among her many admirers were the writers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. She was to stay on stage and perform until she retired, having earned a fortune which could make it possible for her to have a comfortable life henceforth.

She purchased an elegant villa near Hamburg, where she lived in quiet retirement for many years. Visitors from a distance occasionally dropped in for some years after her retirement, but her fame was as ephemeral as it was glorious, and long before she could be called an old woman the world had almost entirely forgotten her. Although she lived outside of Hamburg, she died in her beloved Vienna and was buried there at the Hietzing cemetery.

For most dancers whose lives were "known" by the ton, there ended aesthetic consideration of them. Fanny was able to escape such pigeonholing, however, because of her impressive virtuosity on stage. Indeed, she was universally recognized in the dance world as the standard bearer for artistry, and it was this bravura that made her reputation_far more than her affairs.

Mary Campbell...."The Highland Lassie"

2011-04-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

"Robert Burns and Highland Mary"

Little is known of the Highland Mary of Robert Burns legend. We know she was born in Auchamore by Dunoon and was employed as a nursery maid to Gavin Hamilton in Mauchline, and later as a dairymaid at Coilsfield. She met Robert Burns during the period of his estrangement from Jean Armour .

They had an intense relationship lasting barely a month, exchanged matrimonial vows, and according to Scottish law, exchanged Bibles on the banks of the River Ayr on the second Sunday of May 1786, then parted company to make arrangements to emigrate to Jamaica. This was not to happen for Mary Campbell died in Greenock in October of that year.

Trio of Highland Maries dolls

Mary looks towards Ayrshire where she plighted her troth in ancient Scottish fashion with her beloved Rabbie. This was done by standing on the opposite banks of a burn clasping one hand each in the running water while their other hands held Mary’s bible.

Mary Campbell - (1763-86) - Highland Mary

Mary Campbell died, possibly in premature chilbirth induced by typhus; Burns's song 'Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary' suggests that he may have asked her to emigrate to the West Indies with him.

In later life Burns was stricken with remorse over the affair and he wrote for her the song 'The Highland Lassie 0' and a sentimental poem 'To Mary in Heaven'.

Kling China ca. 1880

Staffordshire Spill Vase...Robert Burns and Highland Mary.

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There simmer first unfauld her robes,

And there the langest tarry;

For there I took the last Farewell

O' my sweet Highland Mary.

ABG chinas ca. 1880

O pale, pale now, those rosy lips

I aft hae kiss'd sae fondly!

And closed for aye the sparkling glance

That dwelt on me sae kindly!

From my own collection... Highland Mary.

Beautiful Highland Mary made by artist Emma Clear.

Highland Mary was offered around 1880, by various companies, for example with the numbers between #10 and 1000 of ALT, Beck & Gottschalk in Nauendorf/Thuringia. It was as a glazed "China Doll" with painted eyes and blond or black hair, as well as in biscuit porcelain with glass or even paperweight eyes.

"The Bethrothal "

And mouldering now in silent dust.

That heart that lo'ed me dearly!

But still within my bosom's core

Shall live my Highland Mary.

“Napoleon’s Beautiful Enemy” Queen Louise of Prussia

2011-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Louisa Augusta Wilhelmina Amelia (March 10, 1776 – July 19, 1810), Queen of Prussia

Princess Louise was born on March 10, 1776 in Hanover, Germany, the daughter of Prince Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Early in 1792, when Louise was 16, her uncle, hoping to strengthen the ties between his family and the Prussian royal family, carefully plotted a meeting between Louise and Crown Prince Frederick William III. The plan worked, and they married.

ABG Louise with Blue Scarf parian doll ca. 1870's

Louise with husband and children by Heinrich Anton Dahling ca. 1806

The Prince became King when his father died in 1797, and the beautiful and family-oriented Louise saw it as her duty to support her husband in all his endeavors. Meanwhile, the nation was charmed by the young Queen's grace, beauty, and wit. Historians have commented that Queen Louise was Prussian nationalism personified.

In 1804, with Napoleon's increasing violations of Prussian treaty rights, Louise (formerly ignorant of foreign policy) began to argue with King Frederick over his long-standing position of neutrality, pleading with him to break off all relations with the French Emperor.

ABG Queen Louise ca. 1879... Beautiful Parian with glass, paper weight, blue eyes.

Friedrich Wilhelm and Queen Louise

She took the initiative of contacting the Tsar of Russia and Emperor of Austria, both of whom, along with Frederick, signed the Potsdam Treaty on November 3, 1805--a treaty which allied these three nations against Napoleon.

Original painting by Carl Gustav Ludwig Richter, ca. 1879

Napoleon termed Louise "My beautiful enemy" for her role in forming this alliance.　

Alt, Beck, and Gottscheck "Queen Louise"

Louise in a riding habit by Wilhelm Ternite ca. 1810

Napoleon receives The King and Queen of Prussia at Tilsit...Nicolas Gosse.

Napoleon eventually gained the upper hand over his enemies in battle. In 1807, both Louise and the King were forced to meet with Napoleon in person at Tilsit in Russia to sign a peace treaty.

The stipulations of the treaty for Prussia were humiliating, and Louise felt discouraged. However, recognizing that her country depended upon her for moral strength, Louise regained her sense of optimism. She spoke of preparing her eldest son for the throne, even as Napoleon gutted her country.　

Parian and Marble statue of Louise.

Berlin Friedrichswerdersche Kirche Luise.

Hohenzieritz, 19 Juli 1810....Sterbelager

Louise died in her husband’s arms on July 17th, 1810 from an unidentified illness　 Sadly, she did not live to see either Napoleon's defeat in 1815, or the reestablishment of the Germanic Empire under Prussia just a few years later.

Queen Louise was not only characterized by great personal beauty united with dignity and grace of manner, but with much gentleness of character and active benevolence. Her visits of charity were extended to many homes of poverty and suffering.

The Prussian order of Louise, the Louise School for Girls, and the Louise Governesses’ Seminary were instituted in her honor. In 1880, a statue of Queen Louise was erected in the Thiergarten at Berlin.

The Romanovs...Almost a fairytale

2011-03-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

The story of four Imperial sisters from the dynasty of the Romanovs, though often re-told not only by historians, but also in movies, musicals and books, is not very well known to many people.

Olga and Tatiana.

No wonder - they are indeed just a tiny little piece of the great tapestry, which is history, but still - they lived, they breathed and walked this earth, they admired the beauty of the sunrise and of shimmering snow, they cried and laughed and loved.

"Anastasia"

Jumeau doll in the dress that fully copies garment of Russian Empress of 1772.

Olga Nicholovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, 1895-1918
Tatiana Nicholovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, 1897-1918
Marie Nicholovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, 1899-1918
Anastasia Nicholovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, 1901-1918

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Four daughters of Nikolai II., the last Tsar of Russia, vanished from history almost without a trace. Only after more than seventy years secret archives gave in the priceless documents: Their diaries, letters and photo albums with thousands of pictures. Some of those made its way out and they became nothing less but a window to the vanished past and the way of life of Imperial children.

The doll furniture for princesses was producing mainly in St. Petersburg. Nouveau magasin Etranger, Supplier of Imperial Court, Bolshaya Konyashinnaya 2, St. Petersburg.

Jumeau doll owned by Russian Princess. 1880s

Museum of Moscow early 19th century.

During the visit of Romanov’s family to Paris in 1896, French president presented to princess Olga a fabulousdoll with full trousseau: Including dresses, lingerie, hats, shoes and even dresser set .

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The last Russian Tsar, Nikolai II brought up respect to Russian history in his children, and even their dolls were serving to this purposes, for they were all dressed in the traditional Russian garments. In the Tsar’s collections were kept several antique dolls in traditional attire, as well as doll dresses of other nations of Russian Empire, as Tartar, Osetin or Ukranian.

These ceremonial dresses were made for the eldest daughters to wear for the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. The Empress had a tradition to dress the elder pair of daughters alike, and the younger pair alike. Tatiana's costume comes from the Alexander Palace and has the mark "T.N:" embroidered on the waist in pink silk, indicating that this dress belonged to Grand Duchess Tatiana Nicholaevna.Ceremonial Court Costumes of Grand Duchess Tatiana Nicholaievna & Grand Duchess Olga Nicholaievna.

The Romanov children were born into a life of immense luxury. Their father was undoubtably one of the most powerful monarchs in Europe, and their mother, the beautiful Tsarina, was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England. And yet, none of them were totally spoiled. Nicholas and Alexandra brought them up to be polite, well behaved, kind hearted individuals, who could do things for themselves instead of relying on servants.

Steiner Empress Doll

In the end of XIX – beginning of XX century importers brought to Russia a lot of French and German dolls, as Russia practically didn’t produced dolls this time. Children in Csar’s family were brought up in austerity, and every doll was a dear guest in nursery.

Russian Dolls from St.Petersburg early 19th century.

Every morning, the children would begin their day with a cold bath. They slept on hard camp beds with firm pillows. All four grand duchesses shared a room together. Their servants addressed them in simple Russian fashion, as in Olga Nicholaievna, Alexsei Nicholaievna. They asked politely for what they wanted, and they cleaned their own rooms, and made their own beds.

Nicholas and Alexandra had five children, four girls, and one boy, the heir to the Russian Throne. The girls, Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Anastasia all carried the title of Grand Duchess, which was a higher rank than that of a princess. Alexsei was the Tsarevich. Few siblings have been closer than the Romanov children.

Royal Romanov family and cossacks.

Haemophilia acquired the name “the royal disease” due to the high number of descendants of Queen Victoria afflicted by it.
Through two of the Queen's daughters, Alice, and Beatrice, both of whom were carriers, the disease was to be spread into many of the Royal Families of Europe.

Prince and Princesses

"Alexsei"

The disease was spread to the Romanov dynasty through the marriage of Alice's fourth daughter Alix, to Tsar Nicholas II. Alix, produced four daughters before giving birth to their only son, the Tsarevitch Alexis (11), heir to the Russian empire, who was also stricken with haemophilia. As with most mother's of haemophiliacs, Alix was overprotective of her son and worried about him constantly.

Nicky and Alexsei

Alexsei in his playroom.

"Rasputin"

Through his supposed ability to heal the infirm, the Tsar, and the Tsarina desperate, seeked the monk /healer Rasputin, and entrusted him with the child’s care. Rasputin was somehow able to bring the child back to health, and as a result of the unprecedented recovery of the dying Tzarevich, Nicolas and Alexis laid their complete confidence in Rasputin, not only on matters of health, but on matters of state. Rasputin became the decisive influence in the government, advising Alexandra on the conduct of internal affairs.

This made Russians lose faith in their Tzar. Unrest erupted in towns and villages up and down the country, adding hatred to their distrust of the regime. Rasputin acquired influence over the Tsar's decisions proved fatal, and led directly to the Russian Revolution.

The entire family perished at the hands of a Bolshevik firing squad in a cellar at Ekaterinberg on 17th July, 1918.

“Death cannot shatter love, what love unites no fate can separate, love will one day unite all the loving ones”

Dagmar: Princess of Denmark and Empress of Russia

2011-03-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

Dagmar / Maria Feydorovna by Kramskoj

(26 November 1847 – 13 October 1928)

Princesses Alix and Dagmar of Denmark.

"Young Dagmar"

One of the most tragic figures of European royalty is the Empress Maria-Feodorovna, widow of Alexander III, and mother of Nicholas II of Russia. She was born to be Princess Dagmar of Denmark and later became Empress consort of Russia spouse of Emperor Alexander III.

" Countess Dagmar" exquisite Kister parian doll.

Charcoal sketch ca. 1880

Born in Copenhagen she was baptized into the Lutheran faith. Her father became King of Denmark in 1863 on the death of King Frederik VII.
Dagmar and her siblings, including Alexandra, became consorts to royal houses throughout Europe and Russia and this formed the basis of alliances for culture, industry and war throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Alexandra married Edward, the Prince of Wales, while Dagmar attracted the attention of her Russian cousin resulting in her marriage to the Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of the Romanov family in Russia.

Dagmar and her sister Alexandra.

St. Petersburg ca.1879

Conta Boehme shoulderhead.

These alliances caused shudders Germany, and soon after, war was orchestrated against Denmark developing an unending hatred of a very powerful family and its children and grandchildren including the leaders of England (George V) and Russia (Tsar Nicholas II).

Young Maria, and the later fateful Tsar Nicholas II.

Maria Fyodorovna Empress of Russia.

Alexander III

Following Romanov court custom, Dagmar adopted the Orthodox religion under the name of Maria-Fyodorovna, after which Alexander and the newly baptized Maria were married in a sumptuous ceremony in St. Petersburg.

"Minnie" as Maria was affectionately known as, with her children.

Possibly "Conta Boehme" china.

Young Empress Dowager.

Family portrait.

"The Empress Dowager"

She was pretty and popular. Preferring the more social side of her position, she brought an enormous degree of elegance to the Russian court.
Maria-Fyodorovna was a devoted, doting mother who spoiled her children. She refused to let her five surviving children to grow, particularly her eldest son, the future Nicholas II. Consequently, the imperial children were completely unprepared for the role history had in store for them. Tsarevich Nicholas was most unsuited for the role of Tsar of Russia, a reality expressed by Nicholas himself soon after his father's death when he lamented "what is going to happen to Russia?....I am not prepared...I know nothing of the business of ruling."

"Countess Dagmar" Kister china shoulderhead ca. 1870

Beautiful Conte Boehme "Countess Dagmar" ca. 1870

Emperor Alexander, and Empress Dowager Maria Fyodorovna.

Coronation at the Kremlin in Moscow ca. 1883

Gatchina Palace

Alexander and Maria were crowned at the Kremlin in Moscow on 27 May 1883. Just before the coronation, a major conspiracy had been uncovered, which cast a pall over the celebration. Because of the many threats against Maria and Alexander III, they were urged to relocate to Gatchina Palace, a more secure location, 50 kilometres outside St.Petersburg. Their reign came to an abrupt end when the Tsar suffering from a debilitating disease, was unable to fight it and succumbed to his death on November 1 1894. It was then that his reign ended and Nicholas’ began.
The Imperial court was still in mourning for the death of Tsar Alexander III. It was not an auspicious beginning for the new reign.

Princess Victoria, Queen Alexandra, and Empress Maria Fyodorovna.

Alexandra, and Dagmar / Maria Fyodorovna ca. 1903

Countess Dagmar parian doll.

Maria Fyodorovna and her son Nikolai on happier days.

Nicholas II married Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (Queen Victoria of England granddaughter) later to be Alexandra. Alix carried the gene for the "royal disease" (hemophilia), which their only son and heir was born with. This brought Nicholas and Alexandra closer to each other, but separated them from the Russian people and the Imperial family, including her powerful mother-in-law The Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna.
Ultimately, this seclusion resulted in rumors and discontent grew in the country ending with the assassination of the royal family during the Bolshevik revolution.

Maria received reports that her sons, her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren had been murdered. In her diary she comforted herself: "I am sure they all got out of Russia and now the Bolsheviks are trying to hide the truth." She firmly held on to this conviction until her death.

After a brief stay in the British base in Malta and later London, she returned to her native Denmark, where she died at age 80 in 1928.

"The Blond Andalusian" Eugenia de Montijo

2011-03-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Eugenie by Franz Xavier Winterhalter

María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo.
A Spanish countess, she was born in Granada, Spain, in 1826.
She was the beautiful and fashionable wife of Napoleon III and last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871.

Manuela de Montijo and her two daughters: "Paca," future Duchess of Alba, and "Eugenia," future empress consort of France.

She was the daughter of a Spanish officer Don Cipriano Palafox y Portocarrero(1785–1839), 9th Count of Montijo Grandee of Spain amongst other titles, and her mother was from Scotch Roman Catholic descent.
Eugénie de Montijo, as she became known in France, was educated in Paris, at the fashionable convent of the Sacré Cœur, where she received a Catholic education. When Prince Louis Napoleon became president of the Second Republic, she appeared with her mother at several balls given by the "prince-president" at the Elysee Palace; it was there that she met the future emperor, whom she wed on 30 January 1853.

Empress Eugenie by BRU

Empress Eugenie de Montijo

Napoleon III

Eugénie was a remarkable woman who stood out among not only previous queens of France but contemporary queens of other European countries.

Napoleon had, in fact, tried to make Eugenia his mistress rather than his wife. When he asked her one night: ''Madmoiselle, how can I reach your bedroom?'' She replied: ''Through the chapel, Monsieur!'' Napoleon took it seriously and, despite some of his relatives' opposition, he married her.

Empress Eugenie, by Winterhalter. Hillbert Museum Washington DC

Dorheim Koch; China shoulder head "Eugenie" ca. 1850's

The Empress became an expert in French History and through her acquisitions of art objects she was instrumental in the revival of both the Empire and the Louis XVI styles. She refurbished the royal residences including the Palais de Tuileries . It was at this palace that the young queen Victoria and Prince Albert made a state visit, and where Eugenie had art work residing at The Louvre moved temporarily to the palace for the Royal visitors to enjoy at their leisure. It is written that this was one of Victoria’s highlights of her young life, and between queen and empress was born a sisterhood that would last all their lives.

The Empress Eugenie collected objects and memorabilia associated with Marie Antoinette and housed them in the Petit Trianon in Versailles. Her fascination with the Queen extended to dressing like her as evidenced by this 1854 portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. The Empress stands in a garden of lilacs, wearing a deep yellow taffeta gown trimmed with black bows and blue ribbons, rope of pearls, fringes and tassels in the Rococo Revival style. Her hair had been powdered white and adorned with ribbons and a feather ornament. This painting has been compared to the 1787 painting of Queen Marie Antoinette in the Park at Versailles by Adolph-Ulrich Wertmuller.

The Empress Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting...Winterhalter

The empress set standards for beauty and fashion in the French Court, having the best designers at her disposal. She also became noted for her extravagance. When the empress wore the new cage crinolines in 1855, European fashion followed suit, and when she abandoned vast skirts at the end of the 1860s, at the encouragement of her legendary couturier, Charles Frederick Worth, the silhouette of women's dress followed her lead again. Eugénie's aristocratic elegance, splendour of dress and legendary jewels are well documented in innumerable paintings, especially by her favourite portraitist, Franz Winterhalter.

Elegant 19th-century use of flowers for personal adornment: “Empress Eugenie,” oil on canvas by Edouard Dubufe, 1854. In the Musee National de Versailles et des Trianons, Versailles, France.

A beautiful woman who did full justice to her crown. She was tall, with a neck spoken of admiringly at the time as swan like.

The best of the Parian or Dresden dolls were made between 1850 and 1860. Most of the heads after 1860 were of coarser clay and not so fine in modeling. Of course there are exceptions, and indeed there is great variation even in heads of the same model. One of the most beautiful heads made before 1860 and a favorite among collectors, if we are to judge by the number who have it, is the Empress Eugenie, which may have been intended for a portrait of the young Empress of France. On these dolls the golden hair is arranged in a chignon or waterfall with a green or black net. On one side of the front of the head is an elaborate decoration of pinkish gold luster; on the other side there is some silver luster. Some collectors mistakenly call this hair net a "snood" but the "silken snood" is something quite different-a ribbon which the Scotch maiden bound in her hair as a token of her virginity.

The Prince Impérial. 1856-1879

The Empress Eugenie holding Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial on her Knees... Winterhalter

Eugenie and "Lou-Lou" as the Prince was affectionately called.

The Prince and his father, Napoleon III of France.

A Family Portrait

Napoleon Eugene Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte, Prince Imperial, Fils de France, was the only child of Emperor Napoleon III of France and his Empress consort Eugenie de Montijo. His early death in Africa sent shock waves throughout Europe, as he was the last dynastic hope for the restoration of the Bonapartes to the throne of France.

Louis Napoleon graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and because of the intervention of Queen Victoria and the Empress Eugenie, he received a commission into the Royal Artillery and upon the outbreak of the Anglo-Zulu War was allowed to go to Africa.
On June 1, 1879, the Prince formed part of a scouting party around the area of what is today Zimbabwe. Approximately 40 warriors surprised the party slaying the Prince and two other soldiers.

Empress Eugenie in mourning.

The Prince with his dog "Nero"

Of his heroic final moments, it is said the Prince's horse started to dash off before he could mount, he fell beneath his horse, which crushed one of his arms. However, he was able to jump up whereupon he was speared in the thigh. He managed to pull the spear out of his wound, but he was next struck in the left shoulder. He continued to face his attackers, using a spear to defend himself before sinking to the ground, having been stabbed 18 times. The Zulu greatly admired his bravery, saying, "He fought like a lion, and we did not dare to close 'til he sank down facing us."

The Empress and her son, Louis Napoleon, painting by Tissot.

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" Empress Eugenie" Bisque Fashion doll by Bru of France ca. 1872

Politically influential she often acted as Regent during her husband’s absences., but she was also largely blamed for the fiasco of the French Intervention in Mexico and the eventual death of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico. .
After the battle of Sedan, in which her husband was captured, she was urged to flee from Paris. After his release, Napoleon and Eugenie were forced to live in exile in England from 1870 until her death in 1920.

After the deaths of her husband and son, her health started to deteriorate. Her physician recommended she visit Bournemouth which was, in Victorian times, famed as a health spa resort. During her visit in 1896, a groundskeeper lit hundreds of little tea candles in the municipal Bournemouth Gardens to light her way to the sea at night. This event is still commemorated in the same gardens every September in an elaborate public display, set to music, of both static and floating lighted candles.
The former empress died in July 1920, aged 94, during a visit to her relatives, the Dukes of Alba in Madrid, in her native Spain, and she is interred in the Imperial Crypt at St. Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, with her husband and her son.

Defonds "Empress Eugenie at Biarritz" ca. 1856

The Crown of Empress Eugénie was the consort crown of Eugenie de Montijo, the empress consort of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Though neither she nor her husband underwent a coronation a consort crown was specially created for her.
After her husband was overthrown in 1870, following the Franco-Prussian War, Napoleon and Eugénie lived in exile in the United Kingdom. She was the last surviving French person to have worn a crown.
Though most of the French Crown Jewels were sold by the French Third Republic in 1885, the Crown of Empress Eugénie was kept and is on display in the Louvre museum in Paris.

Dolley Payne Madison "The Belle of Washington"

2011-03-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

Dolley was born May 20, 1768 in Greensboro (at that time the Quaker community of New Garden), North Carolina. Widowed early, she eventually found herself living in Philadelphia and it was there that wealthy Virginia planter and statesman James Madison sought her out, and after four months, wed her. In her eight years in Washington, D.C. (1809-1817), she made the White House a most delightful place to visit.　Beautiful gregarious, buoyant, and cheerful, the regular social gatherings she hosted were lively events at which anyone would feel welcome.

Alt, Beck and Gottschalk "Dolley Madison" from the Borger Collection

Serving as Washington, D. C., hostess for President Thomas Jefferson at the turn of the 19th century, and then as mistress of the White House when James Madison was president, Dolley added fun and sparkle to the social scene in the young republic.

Unmarked. This Alt, Beck & Gottschalk doll has painted features including black curly hair with molded ribbon, partially exposed ears and blue eyes. Old cloth and leather body has a narrow waist and is sturdy. Nicely dressed in antique ecru wool bodice and skirt with lace trim. No damage. Circa 1870s - 1880s. A lovely example of this china head doll.

Once she became first lady in 1809, her status as the central figure of Washington society was confirmed. Her vivacious nature attracted many guests to the White House and she had the ability to make everyone feel at home. Her lavish dinner parties were noted for the surprise delicacies served.　

A regal five feet six inches tall, with her satin turbans decorated with bird of paradise feathers, the buxom lady towered over her diminutive 100-pound, five-foot-four-inch husband. Together, though, the couple made a superb team, Dolley's effervescent charm and vitality balancing “Jemmy's” quiet wisdom.

From my collection... On the upper left hand corner "Dolley Madison" china shoulder head doll by Alt Beck and Gottschalk ca. 1870. All original clothes. In the foreground, Greiner Papier Mache doll ca. 1850.

Dolley and her niece Anna Payne ca. 1836

HOW DOLLEY MADISON SAVED THE DAY

Although Dolley was unable to personally carry the Washington portrait with her during her flight from the White House, she delayed her departure until the last possible moment to arrange for its safekeeping.

According to historian Beth Taylor, Dolley's primary concern was that "this iconic image not be defiled."

During the War of 1812, Dolley's role as first lady was tested when British troops invaded Washington in August 1814. Courageously, she stayed behind until vital state documents and, most notably, the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart were removed to safety before the White House was burned down by the troops..

With the conclusion of his second term, James and Dolley retired to Montpelier. On June 28, 1836, James Madison died at the age of 85. Their 42-year marriage had been a remarkably blissful and happy one. In 1837, Dolley returned to Washington and resumed her former status in the social life there. On July 12, 1849, Dolley Madison died in Washington at age 81. She was buried in the Congressional Cemetery. Later her remains were moved to Montpelier next to her husband's

Dolley (age 80 in 1848) was revered for saving the fledgling republic's treasures. Of her hurried departure from the White House, she would later recall: "I lived a lifetime in those last moments."

" Dolley" by William Elwell

Referring to Dolley's entertainments, Washington Irving reported a room “crowded with interesting men and fine women.” Henry Clay exclaimed in Dolley's presence, “Everybody loves Mrs. Madison!” Dolley responded, “That's because Mrs. Madison loves everybody!”

"A Good Mind and Great Dimples" my tribute to Colin Firth

2011-02-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

From Mr. Darcy to King George VI, Colin Firth has delivered consistently stellar performances.

Born September 10, 1960, in Grayshott, Hampshire, UK, Firth lived in Nigeria with his parents until he was four years old. He studied drama in London, and made his professional stage debut in 1983 as Guy Bennett in Another Country.

Firth received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a college professor struggling with the loss of his longtime partner in Tom Ford’s “ A Single Man”, garnered rave reviews on the stage for his performance in the London premiere of “Three Days of Rain” (1999) and in a production of Shakespeare's “Hamlet”(2001).

To many Jane Austen lovers, Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy. Though he had been acting for years before, Firth became famous "overnight," when he starred in the BBC television mini-series “Pride and Prejudice”.

The much-beloved Firth seemed destined for an Oscar ever since he hopped out of a pond as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice" more than 15 years ago. "I've a feeling my career's just peaked," said Firth.

The serial is often associated with a scene in its fourth episode where a fully-dressed Darcy, having emerged from a swim in a lake, accidentally encounters Elizabeth. While many critics attributed the scene's appeal to Firth's sexual attractiveness and vice versa, Andrew Davies thought that it unwittingly "rerobed, not disrobed, Austen". When he originally wrote the scene (it was not part of Austen's novel), he did not intend to highlight a sexual connection between Elizabeth and Darcy but create "an amusing moment in which Darcy tries to maintain his dignity while improperly dressed and sopping wet".

In 2011, Firth added to his cache of awards for his turn in “ The King’s Speech”as George VI, the reluctant king of England, who overcame a serious stutter with the help of his speech therapist Lionel Liogue. In the role, Firth also struggles with doubts about his fitness to be Britain’s monarch.
He won the Oscar for Best Actor, a Golden Globe, a SAG award, and a Bafta, among others.

"While it is true that Firth is a handsome man and a first-rate smolderer, women fall for his difficult heroes for the same reason he does. Because they are complicated and conflicted. Because they are stubborn and principled. Because when you truly win them over, you have truly won.""All great actors have people who really follow their careers and enjoy their performances, but Colin somehow touches a deeper nerve. (Excerpts from - "A good mind and great dimples Colin Firth's 'Earnest' about the acting life" - San Diego Union-Tribune - Karla Peterson - 19 May 2002)

Portrait of Jenny Lind "The Swedish Nightingale"

2011-02-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

Johanna Maria Lind, born October 6, 1820 in Stockholm, Sweden, grew up as the daughter of a struggling single mother. Lind lived at various times with her mother in a shelter for indigent women. During those very lonely days, she developed the habit of singing to herself or to a pet cat she had.

Dolls with this typical type of hair style are called "Jenny Lind". Shoulder head made from glazed china, hairstyle with middle parting, wavy long hairstrands that stand out at the sides rather widely, combed to the rear and shaped into a wreath.

One day when she was nine, an attendant to a Stockholm ballet dancer heard Lind singing through a window. The dancer in turn brought Lind to the director of Sweden's Royal Opera, who equally surprised when he heard her sing. Lind was enrolled in the opera's training program, and those around her began to realize that Lind's talent was something special.

Never classically attractive, lacking confidence in herself, and generally seeming shy and quiet to people she met, Lind was an entirely different person on stage. "I awoke this morning as one person and retired in the evening as another."

Typical Jenny Lind style chignon

Alt, Beck and Gottschalk ca. 1870

Possibly A B & G... Jenny Lind doll ca. 1870's

"La Sonnambula "

Lind embarked on an international career, and while performing in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1843 attracted romantic attention from writer Hans Christian Andersen, an episode that was later turned into an opera of its own.

"Hans Christian Andersen", by Albrecth Jensen ca. 1836

Andersen often fell in love with unattainable women . One of his stories, "The Nightingale", was a written expression of his passion for Lind, and became the inspiration for her nickname, the "Swedish Nightingale". Andersen was often shy around women and had extreme difficulty in proposing to Lind. When Lind was boarding a train , Andersen gave Lind a letter of proposal. Her feelings towards him were not the same; she saw him as a brother, writing to him in 1844. farewell... God bless and protect my brother is the sincere wish of his affectionate sister, Jenny."

Jenny Lind by Alfred Lemon

Despite Lind’s respectable image, during the time she lived in Munich a prominent intellectual introduced her to Felix Mendelssohn, one of the greatest composers of the era. Despite Mendelssohn's happy marriage, the two shared a romantic attraction.

Jenny Lind as " MARIA, LA FIGLIA DEL REGGIMENTO" by Romage

Lind made her long-delayed English debut in May of 1847, before the cream of Victorian society, and went on to sing and to enchant Queen Victoria herself. It was in England, not America, that Jenny Lind mania really had its start.

But it took the fine art of American publicity to raise it to a new level.

Jenny Lind paper doll and trusseau

"Snuff Box"

"First Apperance Of Jenny Lind In America...Currier & Ives"

During the brief American phase of her career, between September of 1850 and May of 1852. Her trip to the United States was organized by the great showman Phineas T. Barnum, best remembered today by the circus that bears his name; He may never have had a greater triumph than his launch of Lind's tour. Tickets for her concerts reached astronomical prices, and her image soon adorned an incredible range of consumer items. Barnum profited handsomely, and Lind became perhaps the first person who could be described using the distinctly modern term "celebrity."

As Lind made triumphant appearances in New York and then toured the eastern seaboard and the cities along the Mississippi River, the British Jenny Lind mania was repeated and amplified. The later parts of her tour brought Lind one unexpected benefit; she married on February 5, 1855 and returned to Europe settling in Dresden, Germany. She had two sons and a daughter and by that time, the family had moved to Lind's beloved England.

Jenny Lind China shoulder head with cloth body, and leather lower arms...Possibly Conta Boehme.

The rest of her life was fairly quiet, although Lind numbered Queen Victoria and Prince Albert among their family friends. Living at first in the London suburb of Wimbledon, Lind later moved to the Malvern Hills in the rural Shropshire region. She suffered from cancer in the 1880s and died on November 2, 1887.

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The Figurehead of a Nightingale

In 1851, the Nightingale left its berth place in Eliot, Maine. It was towed up to Boston, Mass.. Owners planned to use clipper to whisk 50 first-class passengers to the London World's Fair. In Boston the carved figurehead of a woman resembling the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind was added. At least, that's what Karl-Eric Svardskog , antique collector believes.

Sold to owner after owner, the Nightingale was for a time the property of the United States Navy and used to haul coal. Then it was reduced to transporting lumber when it was finally abandoned off Norway in 1894. By this time both PT Barnum and Jenny Lind were dead. In 1994 antiques hunter Svardskog heard about the large wooden carving shaped like a woman that it was once used as a scarecrow.

He found it in a hayloft, one arm sticking out of the hay, where it had apparently lain for a century. Compelled to track down the origin of the life-sized ship's figurehead, Svardskog searched six years for clues to its origin.

In his research, Svardskog discovered that the Nightingale had actually been in the vicinity of the town where the figurehead was discovered. In 1874, workers had refit the ship in Norway nearby. The bow of the ship was damaged so it seemed that the Jenny Lind figurehead was removed during the repair work, and did not go down with the ship years later.

To say the antique dealer became obsessed with his wooden Jenny is no exaggeration. Like a modern day PT Barnum, Karl-Eric Svardskog brought the statue back to America in 2001, and after uncrating the heavy statue, Svardskog in gazed at the now familiar image. "She haunts me," he said. "She is like a ghost."

Jenny, like a ghost, did not respond.

"Beautiful and Intriguing Portrait Dolls"

2011-02-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

Many china and parian doll heads, especially those with unusual hair styles, are called "Portrait Dolls" and are named for those they are supposed to resemble: Queen Victoria, Mary Todd Lincoln, Dolly Madison, Countess Dagmar, Jenny Lind, Adelina Patti, and Alice in Wonderland. It is unlikely that these ever were actual portraits. Doubtless some fancied resemblance to a hairstyle, or special jewelry or head gear that were well known attributes to the personality, has caused collectors to so name them as a way to differentiate them.

Portrait of famous dancer "Fanny Elssler", as "Cachucha"

"Fanny Elssler" possibly Alt, Beck Gottschalck ca. 1850

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Queen Victoria and the Princess Royal Victoria ca. 1844

Young Queen Victoria shoulder-head

The artist doll-maker made a model shoulder head out of wax or even alabaster,

and as he was usually modeling the head of a woman, he was naturally influenced by the current ideal of female beauty, as seen in drawings and later at the end of the period, from photographs of beautiful women of the times.

This same idea of classical beauty can be seen in numerous statues and busts.

"Countess Dagmar" The House of Romanovs family album.

"Countess Dagmar" shoulder-head ca. 1865

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"Sophia Smith" type shoulder-head showing the style of vertical curls. Possibly Kister ca. 1840

Sophia Smith, founder of Smith College for women.

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The dolls I will be featuring in the next few posts fall in the category of “Portrait Dolls” and have been associated with various famous characters. So as long as the collector remembers this was only a convenient way of distinguishing different types of moulds, and not label them as true character dolls... there is no harm done.

These are merely an interpretation of an ideal of feminine beauty.

"Mary Todd Lincoln" Alt, Beck and Gottschalck manufacturers ca. 1865

Mary Todd, wife of Abraham Lincoln.

These rare dolls can still be found, and although very costly, are well worth having. The market indicates that Portrait Dolls will always hold their value, and most likely always fetch a high price.

For Old Times Sake...

2010-12-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Auld Lang Syne

"Thistles of Scotland"

The phrase has been a commonplace in Scots for centuries and isn't far removed from the English 'once upon a time'. A traditional Scottish song, customarily sung on New Year's Eve; meaning “Time Long Past.” Of course, the best-known use of the phrase were recorded by the eighteenth-century poet Robert Burns. The song begins:

"Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot..and never brought to min?"

"Auld Lang Syne" Joy Sorren

The song Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung by most of us on the stroke of midnight each New Years Eve, however in Scotland, where Auld Lang Syne originates it is also sung on Burns Night, January 25th, to celebrate the life of the author and famous poet Robert Burns. The lyrics of Auld Lang Syne actually consits of five verses. Below is an excerpt of the song.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,

We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

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And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,

And surely I'll be mine!

And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

The song is about love and friendship in times past. The lyrics in the song referring to 'We'll take a Cup of Kindness yet' relate to a drink shared by men and women to symbolize friendship.

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

The Bard... as he was known in his native Scotland, was a poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide. He is famous for his poetry and his songs, some of which are: Auld Lang Syne; Comin’ Thro the Rye;

Raised in a poor family of farmers, Burns still managed to learn literature and began writing verse when he was a teenager. He toured the country, and joined James Johnson in publishing The Scots Musical Museum, a collection of Scottish folk songs. Burns collected, revised and adapted hundreds of traditional songs, and his original poems carried Scotland's language and culture to the world.

His life of carousing and his stick-it-to-the-man attitude further endeared "Rabbie" to his countrymen. Even as a well-known poet and a favorite native son, Burns still had to work for a living. Despite his early death at the age of 37 (he had an unhealthy heart, it seems), Burns produced a large body of work, including the popular Scot anthem "Scots Wha Hae" and the poem "A Red, Red Rose."

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to min'...." Auld Lang Syne" was played by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians as a New Year’s Eve song for the first time on December 31, 1929. Though it was played as the band's theme song for years, and it had even occasionally been sung on New Year's Eve, this was the first time that Lombardo's group played it at the Hotel Roosevelt Grill in New York City to usher in the new year. The annual tradition continued when the party moved to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (1959-1976) and the song still kicks off the Times Square celebration every New Year's Eve.

Happy New Year!!!!

"Murder Most Foul"....

2010-12-17T06:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of you my friends…I am very excited to tell you that I have been asked to join to the cast of the Western NY Mystery Theater Company on their production and adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Play “Death on the Nile”.
I will be portraying the “French Maid’, that is both a suspect, and/or witness…..coquettish, but dangerous and very jealous of her mistress.
Below are some pictures of earlier productions of “Death on the Nile”.

Everybody looks sooo innocent...Don't they? If you look closely that would be me, in the back, half hidden.

This is what my character will be wearing... verrry sexy, don't you agree?

The shoes are to die for.....

That would be me...working on my alibi

Maids ca. 1930's.... very alluring and glamorous

The wonderful Peter Ustinov as Monsieur Poirot

Unfortunately because of daily rehearsals through the month of January, and performances during the first two weeks of February, I will not be able to work on my posts as diligently as I would normally do. The time I spend researching for the posts is the most rewarding therapy, and I lose myself sometimes with no regards to how much time just flies by when I am so transported in finding interesting things to post and beautiful pictures to show you.

So because I do so love this medium, and met such wonderful people that actually read my postings I feel it is only fair to let you know the reason I won’t be posting as often, and hopefully when the play closes I will be able to visit with you again…There are many types dolls still that I haven’t featured, and there is always history and art to write about. Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope to see you again soon.

Au Revoir…Bisous

Marta

The Twelve Days of Christmas, a gift from the Tudors

2010-12-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol that enumerates a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. Is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses.

There are twelve verses, each describing a gift given by "my true love". Although first published in England in 1780, textual evidence may indicate the song is French in origin.

Like other songs and art in general, the gifts in this song could have been chosen for symbolic reasons or possibly because they fit into the rhyme of the song. The twelve days of Christmas were a time of feasting.

People would visit their neighbors sharing and enjoying the traditional 'minced pye'. In this carol we see in the giving of gifts, references to food that would be included in the feasts and the courting that surely went on as the coming together of large groups of people, especially young and single men and women.

Serious feasting would have been the reserve of Royalty and the Gentry. A Tudor Christmas Pie was indeed a sight to behold but not one to be enjoyed by a vegetarian. The contents of this dish consisted of a Turkey stuffed with a goose stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a partridge stuffed with a pigeon. All of this was put in a pastry case, called a coffin and was served surrounded by jointed hare, small game birds and wild fowl.

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And to wash it all down, a drink from the Wassail bowl. The word 'Wassail' derives from the Anglo-Saxon 'Waes-hael', meaning 'be whole' or 'be of good health'. The bowl, a large wooden container holding as much as a gallon of punch made of hot-ale, sugar, spices and apples. This punch to be shared with friends and neighbors. A crust of bread was placed at the bottom of the Wassail bowl and offered to the most important person in the room - hence today's toast as part of any drinking ceremony.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas"

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"The Meaning of the Stanzas"

My True Love Gave to Me – A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Why a partridge in pear tree? A partridge is not a small bird that can be easily placed in a cage in the kitchen… It is a game bird that would have been a popular main course during a festive gathering. Similarly, were the pears, a common fruit available for the feast, in fact the first seven verses of the song involve different types of fowl that would’ve been served during English Twelfth Night Celebrations.

My True Love Gave to Me – Two Turtle Doves

Doves are a common symbol for love and peace. They were often kept in cages as pets during the Middle Ages and earlier.

The turtle dove is species that mates for life, so the giving of two turtle doves could be a way the lover is expressing his intention of love and marriage.

While the other six birds sung about in the first seven stanzas of this song probably ended up on the table as one of the meat courses, with these particular birds, and a pair at that, the lover probably intended them as a daily reminder of his desire to become a couple with his true love.

On the Third Day of Christmas...Three French Hens

The three French Hens probably refer to a variety of chicken from France.

In the period during which this carol developed there were three main varieties of chickens associated with France. The fact that they referred to a French rather than an English variety of chicken may be an indication that the carol originated in France.

Since chickens were a common domesticated fowl, unlike some of the other birds in the song, they would be readily available for an evening's feast. While game birds, like the partridge, would only be available on the menu if the day's hunt had been successful.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...Four Calling Birds

The verse, four calling birds, is actually a corruption of the English word colly or collie. So, we are referring to "four colly birds”.

In England a coal mine is called a colliery, and colly or collie is a derivation of this and means black like coal. For a long time in England, blackbirds have been referred to as both blackbirds and colly birds.
As to why the person in the song would give his true love a gift of blackbirds, the answer is that this would have been another gift of food. In times past in Great Britain, pies were a convenient way to serve and eat a meal with the meat, potatoes and any vegetables all cooked together in an easy to handle crust (forks not having been invented at that time, table utensils consisted of knives, spoons and one's fingers).

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...Five Golden Rings

The five rings in this stanza have, in singers' and illustrators' minds, changed from five ring-necked pheasants to five pieces of jewelry. While gold rings for one's fingers have been around since ancient times, the word ring, even today, has different meanings.

Old legends, popular in the Middle Ages, tell of Jason and the Argonauts bringing back golden birds. It didn't take long for people to conclude that the ring-necked pheasants were a sub-species of these golden birds. They were a prized bird and they had long been associated with the nobility.

So the five golden rings in this stanza refer to five ring-necked pheasants, a dish that was sure to be served at some of the king or queen's Twelfth Night feasts during the Twelve Days of Christmas celebrations.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...Six Geese a-laying

"Lord Cobham and Family 1567"

While geese were among the first animals to be domesticated, they were not, and still are not as common as chickens in barnyards.

The reason is that they are not as prolific as chickens in terms of egg laying. Geese only lay 30 to 50 eggs per year. It is thus interesting to note that our lover has given his true love six female geese that are currently laying eggs, thereby providing her with both a supply of eggs as well as the possibility of increasing her flock by allowing them to be fertilized and hatched.

Being larger than chickens, the eggs of geese are also larger than chicken eggs. Goose eggs are also very rich tasting and are good for making desserts.

So, here we are again, six days into the twelve day celebration and the focus remains on foods for the feasting.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...Seven Swans A-Swimming

On the seventh day the lover sends seven swans... Throughout history swans have been associated with royalty and the swan is often used on royal symbols and other decorations. Swans are also found in myths and folk tales dealing with love.
Swan meat is supposed to be quite tasty and from ancient times to the nineteenth century, roast swan was on the menu for the king's Christmas dinner and other royal banquets.

With its close connection to royalty and royal holiday feasting, the choice of seven swans as a gift for this high born lady from her lover is appropriate.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...Eight Maids A-Milking

The eight maids a-milking addresses two of the major themes of fifteenth and sixteenth century English celebrations and parties during the Christmas holidays – food and romance.
Until the advent of refrigeration, milk was not a common drink because it spoiled quickly. However, milk based products that did not spoil, such as cheese, sour milk (which is actually a cultured milk much like yogurt and is neither sour tasting nor spoiled) and custards were prized treats.

The maids, of course, refer to the women who would milk the cows to obtain the milk in the first place. However, the term maid is also the shortened form of maiden which is a young, unmarried, woman.

By combining the images of maiden and milk, it is easy to get the idea that this particular gift has more to do with sex and romance than with cows.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...Nine Ladies Dancing

"Clapsaddle Ladies"

Degas "Dancers on Canvas"

The nine ladies dancing evokes images of music and dancing which were a big part of the celebrations at this period of history in England.
The term “ladies” probably refers to noble ladies as in a Lord and his Lady or a lady in waiting (high born ladies who waited on the queen at court – not servant women).
Another interpretation would be high born ladies dancing for the entertainment of the men much as people today will often provide impromptu entertainment at parties and other social gatherings.
Again, the emphasis is on celebrating and having fun during this nearly two weeks of non-stop nightly partying.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...Ten Lords A-Leaping

The ten lords a-leaping most likely refers to leaping dancers (called Morris dancers) who performed leaping dances between courses at feasts.
Morris dancing itself was a popular form of folk dancing in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and possibly earlier. Both King Henry VIII and his daughter Queen Elizabeth I had professional Morris dance troupes perform as part of the entertainment at feasts.

Morris dancing declined following the English Civil Wars of the mid-seventeenth century which brought Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans to power with their dislike and banning of any type of frivolity such as singing and dancing.

The twentieth century brought a revival of the Morris and other folk dancing traditions in the UK and other parts of the world including the U.S.

Today there are local Morris dance troupes and competitions in the UK as well as other parts of the world.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...Eleven Pipers Piping

At the big feasts held during the holiday celebrations the guests were often entertained by musicians, dancers, jugglers, etc.
Bagpipes, while we usually associate them with Scotland, were also a common instrument in France as well. Since Queen Elizabeth I was succeeded by the Stuart kings of Scotland, bagpipes and other aspects of Scots culture were common among the upper classes in England as were elements of French culture due to intermarriage of the English and French nobility.

The pipers referred to in the song would be the professional bagpipe musicians hired to entertain the guests with their music and provide music for dancing.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...Twelve Drummers Drumming

With the twelfth day we have reached the end of the song and have arrived at the last day of Christmas known as Twelfth Night on which the partying and feasting continued.
By the Middle Ages the drum, which was probably introduced to Europe from the Middle East by knights returning from the Crusades, had become a common instrument. In this case the drum was used to announce the serving of the next course of the feast.

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The song and the twelve day celebration have now come to an end. But it is not the end of the season. While the solstice has passed and the days are slowly beginning to lengthen again, winter still holds the land in its grip. The work of the peasant and noble is light as it is too early to begin planting, and with the cold and continuing short days, still remains an incentive to stay inside and party.

In conclusion, it must be remembered that this song evolved out of the popular culture of the Middle Ages and Tudor England. Various versions of it were sung for two or more centuries before the words were recorded and published. Despite the fact that the words have been preserved in written form for over two centuries, the song continues to evolve and the words and symbols continue to change. The one constant is that it remains a popular song and people continue to enjoy singing and listening to it.

...Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

The House of Windsor / The World 1910-1937

2010-11-26T13:15:00.000-08:00

"Princess Elizabeth of York" Currently Queen Elizabeth II of England ca. 1933

The Royal Family ca. 1935

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At the height of World War I, German xenophobia had reached boiling point.
From 1914 to 1918 Britain was at war with Germany. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II, who for the British public came to symbolize all the horrors of the war, was the King's first cousin…At this time H.G.Wells commented about Britain's "alien and uninspiring court".

Edward VII's son, King George V (1910- 1936) famously replied: "I may be uninspiring, but I'll be damned if I'm alien." George appeased British nationalist feelings by changing the name of the British Royal House from the German-sounding House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor.

George was born on 3 June 1865. His father was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His mother was the eldest daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark.. He was third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother,Prince Albert Victor.

In November 1891, George's elder brother Albert Victor became engaged to, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, known as "May". Six weeks after the formal engagement, Albert Victor died of pneumonia, leaving George second in line to the throne. Queen Victoria still regarded Princess May as a suitable match for her grandson. A year after Albert Victor's death, George duly proposed to May and was accepted. They married on 6 July 1893 at the Chapel Royal, in St. James’s Palace, London.

On 6 May 1910, King Edward VII died, and George became King. George insisted his wife should drop the name “Victoria”. Neither thought she should be called Queen Victoria, and so she became Queen Mary.

King George and Queen Mary by Crooke

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He was concerned by the coming to power in 1933 of Hitler and the Nazis in Germany. In 1934 the king bluntly told the German ambassador that Germany was now the peril of the world, and that, if she went on at the present rate, there was bound to be a war within ten years; he warned his ambassador in Berlin to be suspicious of the Nazis.

"Queen Elizabeth II" ca. 1929

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King George was very fond of his second eldest son, Prince Albert (later George VI) and doted on his eldest granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth ; he nicknamed her "Lilibet", and she affectionately called him "Grandpa England". George said of his son Edward: "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself within 12 months ", and of Albert and Lilibet: "I pray to God my eldest son, Edward, will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne."

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A look at some of the events that shaped the world during George V reign

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1910

Boy Scouts of America founded.

King George V, second son of Edward VII, begins a 25-year reign as monarch of Britain

King George Coronation Souvenir

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was inspired by and modeled on the Boy Scout Association, established by Baden-Powell in Britain in 1908. In the early 1900s, several youth organizations were active, and many became part of the BSA.

The BSA grew rapidly and became the largest youth organization in the United States for younger boys, the Cubbing program arose and for older boys, Rovering and Exploring programs were developed. Additional programs and changes have occurred over the years to adapt the program to the youth of the day.

1912

White Star line steamer Titanic sinks on maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 14. 1503 people drown.

RMS Titanic owned by the White Star Line was the largest passenger steamship in the world. She set off on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City on 10 April 1912 with 2,227 people on board. Four days into the crossing, at 23:40 on 14 April 1912, she struck an iceberg and sank at 2:20 the following morning, resulting in the deaths of 1,517 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history.

The high casualty rate when the ship sank was due in part to the fact that, although complying with the regulations of the time, the ship carried lifeboats for only 1,178 people. A disproportionate number of men died due to the women and children first protocol that was followed.

1915

The first transcontinental phone call is made from New York to San Francisco by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson.

The British ship Lusitania is torpedoed by a German submarine. 128 of those lost at sea were Americans.

On January 25, 1915, the words “Hello, Jekyll Island,” reverberated across the phone lines, as Vail joined a party phone call with President Woodrow Wilson in Washington, DC, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, and Thomas Watson in San Francisco. This thrilling moment marked the ceremonial grand opening of the first transcontinental telephone service.

RMS Lusitania coming into port, possibly in New York 1907-1913

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RMS Lusitania was an ocean liner owned by the Cunard Line and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. She was torpedoed by German U-boat U-20 on 7 May 1915 and sank in eighteen minutes, eleven miles (19 km) off the Old Head of Kinsale , Ireland, killing 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard.

The sinking turned public opinion in many countries against Germany and contributed to the entry of the United States into World War I The sinking of Lusitania was a coup for anti-German sentiment, caused great controversy and became an iconic symbol in recruiting campaigns of why the war was being fought.

1918

More than one million troops are in Europe by the middle of the year. The Great War ends with the signing of the Armistice on November 11

"Armistice Day" ca. 1918

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Armistice Day (also known as Remembrance Day) is on November 11 and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiegne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on theWestern Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

1920

Nineteenth Amendment gives U.S. women the right to vote. Prohibition of alcohol takes effect in the United States.

The 19th amendment guarantees all American women the right to vote. Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change of the Constitution. Few early supporters lived to see final victory in 1920.

Prohibition was the period in United States history in which the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors was outlawed. It was a time characterized by speakeasies, glamour, and gangsters and a period of time in which even the average citizen broke the law. Almost immediately after the ratification of the 18th Amendment, organizations formed to repeal it. As the perfect world promised by the Temperance movement failed to materialize, more people joined the fight to bring back liquor.
On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, making alcohol once again legal. This was the first and only time in U.S. history that an Amendment has been repealed.

As unpopular as prohibition was, it took 12 more years of speakeasy raids and booze being dumped into sewers for it to be repealed. Here, a crime against beer in lower Manhattan:

1925

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby published. The Charleston is the dance of the Jazz Age.

"Model T"

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The "Roaring Twenties", and the "Jazz Age" was a time of release after the horrors of the First World War, a boom-time of prosperity and pleasure. But how real was that prosperity for most Americans? And why, in 1929, did the good times Crash?

Charleston Dance Becomes Popular (1923): The Charleston dance became popular after appearing along with the song, "The Charleston," by James P. Johnson in the Broadway musical Runnin' Wild in 1923.
Although the origins of the dance are obscure, the dance has been traced back to blacks who lived on an island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina (which is why the dance is called "Charleston"). The music for the Charleston is ragtime jazz, in quick 4/4 time with syncopated rhythms.
Original Charleston, 1923 , The legendary Josephine Baker on a French music sheet cover for the Twenties dance craze.

1927

Charles Lindbergh makes first trans-Atlantic crossing.

Charles Lindbergh made the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean. He left Roosevelt Field in New York on 20 May 1927, piloting a plane named The Spirit of St. Louis. 33 1/2 hours later he landed in Paris to a hero's welcome and permanent international fame. During 1939 and 1940 Lindbergh was a vocal opponent of American entry into World War II. However, after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor he joined the war effort, eventually flying 50 combat missions in the Pacific.

1931

Depression sweeps worldwide

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century. In the 21st century, the Great Depression is commonly used as an example of how far the world's economy can decline. The depression originated in the U.S., starting with the fall in stock prices that began around September 4, 1929 and became worldwide news with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday). From there, it quickly spread to almost every country in the world.

1933

Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany. Boycott of Jews begins in Germany.

On the night of January 30, 1933, Adolph Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany .
Within weeks, he would be absolute dictator of Germany and would set in motion a chain of events resulting in the Second World War. Hitler would see the German democratic republic go down in flames, once and for all.

"Yellow Star"

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The Nazis are widely considered to have been one of the most evil and vicious political organizations ever to have existed.
These masters of destruction and organized insanity were responsible for the eventual deaths of nearly 50 million humans through the war, and including around six million Jews in the Holocaust by deliberate extermination. .

Emanuel and Avram Rosenthal, who died at Majdanek. Two little boys who were forced to wear the Yellow Identification Star of David all Jews were forced to wear at all times.

1936

King George V of England dies, and is succeeded by his son, Edward VIII, who abdicates for "the woman I love" and is succeeded by his brother, George VI

Edward and Wallis

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King Edward VIII did something that monarchs do not have the luxury of doing - he fell in love. King Edward was in love with Mrs. Wallis Simpson, not only an American, but also a married woman already once divorced. Yet, in order to marry the woman he loved, King Edward was willing to give up the British throne - and he did.

1937

Radio broadcast of King George VI's coronation is the first worldwide program heard in the U.S

British Royal Family

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On May 12, 1937, George VI was crowned King of England, succeeding his brother Edward who abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. He is shown here with his wife Queen Elizabeth and daughters Margaret (L) and Elizabeth.