Over the River and Through the Woods...

"Grandma's House"

Over the river and through the woods
To Grandmother’s house we go
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.

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~ The Mayflower ~

The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the
Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, (which would become the capital of Plymouth Colony), in 1620. There were 102 passengers and a crew of 25–30.

The vessel left England on September 6, 1620 (Old Style )/September 16 (New Style), and after a grueling 66-day journey marked by disease, which claimed two lives, the ship dropped anchor inside the hook tip of Cape Cod (Provincetown Harbor) on November 11/November 21. The Mayflower was originally destined for the mouth of the Hudson River, near present-day New York City, However, the Mayflower went off course as the winter approached, and remained in Cape Cod Bay. On March 21/31, 1621, all surviving passengers, who had inhabited the ship during the winter, moved ashore at Plymouth, and on April 5/15, the Mayflower, a privately commissioned vessel, returned to England.

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~ The Pilgrims ~

The Children of William White (Circa 1848) Descendants of Mayflower Passengers William and Susanna White.

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The Mayflower has a famous place in American history as a symbol of early European colonization of the future US. With their religion oppressed by the English Church and government, the small party of religious Puritan Dissenters who comprised about half of the passengers on the ship desired a life where they could practice their religion freely. This symbol of religious freedom resonates in US society and the story of the Mayflower is a staple of any American history textbook. Americans whose roots are traceable back to New England often believe themselves to be descended from Mayflower passengers.

Pilgrims (US), or Pilgrim Fathers (UK), is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Concerned with losing their cultural identity, the group later arranged with English investors to establish a new colony in North America.

Pilgrims Landing at Plymouth Rock

The colony, established in 1620, became the oldest continuously inhabited British settlement and the second successful English settlement (after the founding of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607) in what was to become the United States of America.

The Pilgrims' story of seeking religious freedom has become a central theme of the history and culture of the United States.

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~ The First Americans, The Natives ~

Squanto, a Patuxet Native American who resided with the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pligrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for them (Squanto had learned English while enslaved in Europe and during travels in England).

Additionally the Wampanoag leader Massasoit had caused food stores to be donated to the fledgling colony during the first winter when supplies brought from England were insufficient. The Pilgrims set apart a day to celebrate at Plymouth immediately after their first harvest, in 1621.

Audubon Plate "Wild Turkey Male"

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~ Thanksgiving ~

"Emptying the Horn of Plenty"

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A contemporary account written by colonist Edward Winslow showed the assembled to be content with their lot:

And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us [when we were back in England], yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you [our English brethren] partakers of our plenty.

While not the first thanksgiving of any sort on the continent, the traditional origin of modern Thanksgiving in the United States is generally regarded to be the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in Massachusetts in 1621.

"Freedom From Want" Norman Rockwell

This celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original Thirteen Colonies that later were to become the United States. It was modeled after harvest festivals that were commonplace in Europe at the time, and was continued in later years; First as an impromptu religious observance, and later as a civil tradition.

George H. Boughton's "Priscilla and John Alden", ca. 1884.

At the time, this was not regarded as a Thanksgiving observance; harvest festivals existed in English and Wampanoag tradition alike. Sporadic national, regional and individual Thanksgivings followed, after favorable events and days of fasting after unfavorable ones.

In the Plymouth tradition, a thanksgiving day was primarily a church observance, rather than a feast day.

"First Thanksgiving"

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The first Thanksgiving Day proclamation in the newly established constitutional republic, was delivered by His Excellency, President George Washington in 1789, following the precedent set by the Continental Congress in setting the date on the last Thursday in November.

Thanksving Day in a Civil War Camp by Winslow Homer

Thanksgiving did not become an annual, national holiday until 1863. Americans were waging the Civil War, and in the midst of it President Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed a national day in which to express thanks for the many blessings enjoyed by Americans, e.g., natural resources and population growth, despite the military conflict.

It wasn't till later in the 19th century, though, that the popular image of the "First Thanksgiving" took root. Earlier, while the Indian Wars were still raging, scenes of settlers and natives engaging in joint revelry seemed inconceivable.

"Want" by Norman Rockwell

Preparations for a Thanksgiving Feast ca. 1930's

In 1939, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously modified Lincoln's chosen date of the last Thursday of November to the second-to-last Thursday of November in order to extend the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping season. The move was met with confusion and criticism, and in 1942 FDR signed a law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November, a law which is still in effect today.

Fort Klock Historic Restoration
"Happy Thanksgiving" From Cameo, a magazine for women, November 20, 1978.

Thanksgiving by Norman Rockwell

Over the river, and through the wood, to Grandfather's house away! We would not stop for doll or top, for 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!!

The German "Dolly-Face" The darlings of the 20th century

French Mignonette and accesories. ca 1800's

In their own particular world French baby dolls were the greatest triumph of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 1860, there was a surge in the production of bisque dolls due to the popularity of fashion dolls, and thus triggered off an explosion that spread throughout Europe. The majority of these dolls were produced in France, though the heads were largely made in Germany. These were the playthings of affluent children, and often came with several sets of clothing, and trunks for storage. Entire businesses were built upon supplying accessories for these dolls.

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The German Dolly-Face Dolls

Simon and Halbig

Kestner Bru 14 for the French market... A perfect socket head with brown glass sleep eyes, amazing modeling and painting – especially to her open/closed mouth and the exquisite teeth. Lovely antique human hair wig. She wears an original chocolate brown wool coat dress with gorgeous hand executed cutwork decoration. In addition, underneath, she wears a beautifully made white cotton dress that also features cutwork. The final touches include lovely original leather slippers, and a fantastic straw hat.

Every country in Europe set out to imitate the French Doll, not always with good results. Germany however, had a long history of toy-making and responded to the challenge with the expertise of its craftmen, and economic strength.

"Kara" Simon and Halbig

A typical German Dolly-Face with huge cornflower blue eyes

The German "dolly-faced" child dolls are the ubiquitous antique bisque dolls that collectors today are most likely to find, produced from 1890 to about 1930, from such manufacturers as Armand Marseille, Simon and Halbig, K*R and Kestner.

28" Simon & Halbig child marked S16H 759 DEP. Details of this seldom found character child in an even more seldom found extra-large size include a perfect head with gorgeous bisque tone and painting, early out of the mold modeling, fabulous rich brown paperweight eyes, an open mouth with teeth, pierced ears and a spectacular antique mohair wig in a lovely blonde shade. Her straight-wrist, jointed composition body is in remarkable condition. The dress, in polka-dot and floral-printed chiffon is as fresh as a summer day, and the lace utilized is beyond luxurious.

Kestner Dolly-Face

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Germany was the highest producers of bisque dolls of all countries, as well as of wax, wooden, china and Dresden dolls. Most of these dolls came from the Thuringia region, which had rich clay deposits used to make the porcelain. Nuremberg, and Sonnenberg were the hub of production for the dolls, before World War I.

Berthe Morisot "Little Girl with Doll"

1248 Germany SIMON & HALBIG S & H 8

Original incredibly full blonde mohair wig still in the original set, very large brown sleep eyes, with her full real upper eyelashes, deep deep modeling and lovely creamy bisque-- She is wearing her original dainty lawn dress with very wide lace edged Bertha collar.

German Simon & Halbig for K * R "Dolly-Face doll"

She has painted plus hair eyelashes and sleep eyes with all of their original eye-wax. She also has four perfect little white teeth. Peaches and Cream Complexion …New pin-tucked and lace cotton lawn dress. The bodice is lined with soft pink cotton to enhance the lace inserts and the skirt is adorned with the pink silk ribbon and flower. Note the tiny vintage pearl buttons on her dress.. She wears a vintage butterfly pin and a vintage silk flower in her hair.

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For a long time German bisques were out of favor with collectors, who described them as poor relations to the French bebes. This of course was a shortsighted judgement. The German bisques with socket heads and ball-jointed, strung bodies, are certainly modeled after the style originated in France. But by eliminating everything that was inessential or expensive to manufacture, it was possible to keep prices low, and competitive, and to succeed in markets where French dolls were beyond the reach of most people.

Queen Mother picture as a child with wheel barrel and brother

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Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her brother David, the youngest of the ten children of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, at the family's county house St Pauls Waldenbury in 1905. Lady Elizabeth spent most of her childhood in North Hertfordshire and for a while went to school in Hitchin. In 1923 she was married in Westminster Abbey to Albert, Duke of York, who was crowned King George VI in 1937 after the abdication of his brother Edward. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother once recalled that the photograph was preceded by a brief but somewhat heated debate over who was to hold the wheelbarrow.

"Molly" Henry Scott Tuke 1870's

Naturalism was achieved in other directions, by giving the dolls definite characters and expressions. These dolls contrast greatly with the cheaper dolls, whose prettiness seems insipid and whose smiles are vacant in comparison.

Manufacturers like Kammer & Reinhardt and Heubach & Kestner made highly realistic looking dolls, multiple movements eyes, inset eyelashes, open mouths with teeth, sound boxes and walking mechanisms were all introduced in order to create a more life-like toy.

Armand Marseille "Dream Babies" ca. 1890

Sammie is a very big boy – a sweet 211 model in size 20, which is actually the largest baby available from the J. D. Kestner company. He measures approximately twenty-five adorable inches long. Sammie’s has a perfect bisque head, plus he possesses blue glass sleep eyes, an open mouth with two lower teeth and even his factory original curly lamb wig. Limb baby body is pristine. Christening gown of fine white cotton, with its rows of insertion and tiers of lace. An equally fantastic bonnet is the finishing touch to this young king of Kestner babies.

"Marie" - a fine product of the German manufacturer Kammer & Reinhardt, character mold #101 K*R.

In the rare, largest size, measuring twenty-one inches tall, her features include pale blue intaglio eyes, an adorable slightly pouty expression, her original, very full light blond mohair wig and a very beautiful ball jointed composition body. Her sweet antique dress of blue silk, features a frilly white cotton overskirt and sleeves, which are layered with a variety of fine laces and an exquisitely tatted lace bodice. Matching embossed blue silk ribbons decorate the front and are also used as a wide belt, with the same color blue in the fabulous bonnet trimmed in tiny florets, ecru lace and ribbon loops. Her blue silk stockings and cream leather boots are also antique.

Popular taste at the turn of the century was inclined toward the photographic and the literal. As a more realistic doll was demanded by children, the old style leather or fabric bodies were displaced by ball-jointed wood and composition limbs, which meant the doll could sit or stand. There were other interesting and imaginative innovations that say a great deal for German inventiveness.

For the French market and circa 1890, this adorable 15-½” German dolly face child by Baehr & Proeschild has the incised mold number 261 Dep on her bisque socket head. Featuring the fabulous bisque that B & P dolls are known for, expressive cornflower blue glass sleep-eyes, an open mouth with teeth, original blond mohair wig and pierced ears, she is on a ball-jointed composition body. She wears her original detailed factory costume of ivory wool trimmed in fine lace and French blue silk. Her lace-trimmed under things and black canvas shoes are also antique.

Cezanne

Child in lacy nightgown with dolly

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Today’s collectors, mostly have to rely on their experience in recognizing particular manufacturer’s traits, mainly the artistry of the features on the dolls faces. Some antique dolls made before 1930 have maker’s marks, but unfortunately, the majority didn’t mark their dolls, so the history of these dolls is largely obscured and adding to that fact, other details were literally obliterated by the World Wars.

From my own collection: "Tea Party"....Doll on the left is a French bebe by Limoges c. 1915, open mouth with molded teeth newer dress and bonnet appropriate to the period of the doll. I purchased this doll at the Mary Merritt Doll Museum.

Doll on the right is a closed mouth Heinrich Handwerck ca. late 19th century 1886-92 . All original clothes including her brooch with a little girl's picture, possibly her previous owner. She has unusually large haunting eyes.

Closed mouth Kestner, large brown eyes and long human hair wig. Fully jointed Kestner composition body. Fabulous French style ensemble of off white faille with rich lace accents, placket and cuffs in silk cut velvet. A pink silk velvet bonnet completes her world-class look.

After the bombing of Nuremberg during World War II, travelers reported that there was not a doll-maker or kiln left. We do know that the majority of German bisque dolls produced before 1880 had closed mouths, and the majority of them produced after 1880 had open lips and molded teeth.

Victorian type German dolly-face with no markings..ca 1900's

Karl Hartman ca. early 20th century

This doll is from my own collection...Beautiful brown glass inset eyes, open mouth with molded teeth. Original lawn dress, trimmed with eyelet, and ribbon on collar and cuffs. Original oil-cloth shoes and hanky purse. Gorgeous newer bonnet in brown silk.

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The tariff laws of 1890, which made it necessary to mark all items with their country of origin, makes the collector’s task in identifying early 20th century dolls much easier. The maker’s mark, model number, and country of origin are to be found on the back of the doll’s head or the shoulder plate… Despite this, dolls are still found with marks that are completely unidentifiable. These mystery dolls have to be valued on their quality and interest, though most conform to the basic so–called “Dolly-Faced” type.