Auctions

I've been to a number of estate auctions and some good yard sales recently. Last Saturday, I won three composition dolls which I believe date from about 1930. The baby doll in pink is a marked early Horsman doll "Baby Dimples", of composition and cloth, which some sites date at 1928. Her eyes were stuck in the closed position but I took a large, straightened paper clip and pulled loose stuffing out of the head, working through a small hole in the body fabric near the neck, and the eyes opened. The middle doll is almost surely an unmarked American Character Petite Sally, which dates back to 1930, and is all compo with one cracked leg. They are almost identical to the Patsy Ann doll. You have to look closely at the molded hair to tell the difference. I'm making her this copy of a period dress as I don't think her clothes were original, although it might be an original "beach outfit" of eyepopping color and design. The doll on the left is a shoulder flange and cloth style, with composition head and shoulders, arms and legs. The mohair wig isn't even strong enough to comb so she has an added baby bonnet for now. She is also unmarked but is possibly a Princess Elizabeth(most likely) or a Shirley Temple look-alike. Her legs are peeling badly so she will get tights or pantaloons. I was prepared to try and buy one doll, if it didn't go too high. With a few antique dealers there I was amazed to get the baby doll and Sally for $5 each and the Princess Elizabeth/Shirley Temple look alike for $12.50. I think because they were so dirty and because composition is so difficult to maintain and preserve. I cleaned them for now by rubbing a ball of lamb's wool over them as you can't use water on composition. A Baby Dimples in original clothing, in great condition except for a chip under one eye, just sold on ebay for $119. Sally goes for close to that. So, I didn't loose out!


The shelves show John's big find. He didn't realize he'd purchased a box of baskets along with a rock polisher which he got for $16. We were all stunned to see this Charleston, SC sweetgrass basket stuck between two Easter baskets.
The jadeite bowls are from another estate auction, where I also got a large set of Fire King Pink Swirl dishes for a remarkable sum.



John got me the Canadian Mountie dolls on a recent trip to Vancouver, Canada.
The modern reissue Effanbee Patsy I got at a yard sale on Friday for slightly more than the Sally I got on Sat. I peeled off the wig as I prefer the molded hair underneath but stuck it back on later.

Old Threshers 2011

I know John J is going to have some really great photos. But, I'll post some of mine for now. (Except the one of me with JT at the trolley station is his.)

Latest dolls

I thought these little walkers were charming in their harlequin dresses. They were $1.50 at a yard sale. I shouldn't have washed the taffeta dresses but they were quite dirty.

A simple Amish doll which was a quarter at a flea market. I'm still waiting for an Amish family I purchased weeks ago on ebay. Either the seller forgot or they're coming by horse and buggy!

A little New Bright doll which was a dollar at a yard sale. I think she might be "Swiss".

Madame Alexander's 12" Heidi which I purchased for $2 at a yard sale.

This pirate Kewpie was another of the Kewpies given at the doll convention at Mt. Pleasant. This year at Old Threshers, extra dolls were sold below price and I bought this one. Wish I had know they were there earlier.

This is an ebay lesson. I was so excited to win this doll for about $6 plus postage. She appeared to be a straight leg walker. The photo of her hip joint I thought was for the purpose of proving her walking mechanism. She does have the same mechanism inside as my other straight leg walker (these date from 1954-56) but her legs were wrong for her. They stuck out sideways and the only way I could solve the problem was to loosen the elastic enough to let the legs hang. The shoes are just like ones in a 1956 photo in a Madame Alexander book and the legs are Madame Alexander I'm sure. The skin tones of the legs match the body. Quite a puzzle. The costume she was in is "Spanish". The shawl is unlike those I have seen on most Spanish outfits. I have only once seen another like it and it was on a doll said to be from the early 60's. Maybe someday I'll get some other legs but I don't know if they should be bent knee or straight. Her hair is triple stitched, characteristic of earlier dolls.....







My old Dolly, with a body I made for her, is in a high chair I purchased at an auction. I had to give the princely sum of $7 for this. Her bonnet was a yard sale find for $1.

Auction, flea market, and yard sale finds

The peach carnival glass dishes are Fire King, as is the white batter bowl. The round peach casserole is my mothers. The pie dish cost $1 and the square casserole cost $3. The burnt orange Pyrex bowl was a great find at $2.
I had good luck at an auction recently. The Grizzwold frying pan cost $5. The oil lamps were about $2 and a clear glass Fire King batter bowl was in a box I got for $1.

Kenosha/Chicago August 2011

JT and Elizabeth.




Fountain in the farmer's market area.





Elizabeth found a beautiful silk scarf at one of the booths.






Elizabeth with Gabe and Eli.


Boys at the playground.



Beach time, too.



The community garden that Beth and George started.

Recent doll acquisitions

Well, I've acquired some more dolls. :-)
Meet Little Miss Ginger, one of the two smallest of the 50's fashion dolls at 8". Little Miss Nancy Ann was made from this same mold, evidently. I found Little Miss Ginger in a thrift store, sealed in a plastic bag. She had a rag around her head and was in a dress that I'm sure wasn't hers as it should have been tagged according to info I have.
The undies are original. The vinyl used in the Little Miss Ginger and Little Miss Nancy Ann has a tendency to turn white. So, I was unsure when I purchased her if this was a doll of any value as she's a bit ghostly. She'd be much more valuable if her left arm weren't glued near the top, but I hope to find one of her fashions with 3/4 length sleeves or longer. She and her clothes are hard to come by, however. Not bad for $2.

Next is a Ginny in her red organdy dress with her America's Sweetheart sash. This was available to new Ginny club members in 1996. I got her for 5.50 (plus postage) on ebay, stand included, but she was missing her bouquet of roses, her box, and her certificate. I made a bouquet for her. Behind her is a special edition Ginny made just for a doll shop. She's called Grandma's Favorite and came with the bear, in her box. She was the princely sum of $10 in an antique mall.

These little Knickerbocker plastic dolls, about 6", are from the 50's. The one with hair is the same as the one without. She had a mohair wig glued on. The skirt is original. I replaced the badly frayed ribbon and added a ribbon to the hair to keep it neat. It was half off. The white panties and top I made until I can reproduce the tiered, flock dotted skirt for the second doll. I bought her with a doll suitcase and a few bigger doll clothes at a flea market.



I was once again unable to attend the local doll convention. My gracious mother-in-law generously got the souvenir doll for me. The little Christmas Elf kewpie is adorable!! I was thrilled!


I paid a hefty $8 for this Western pair in an antique shop. The boy's head is loose and they have to share a pistol. I haven't tried to look for a mark as their clothes are so securely fastened.



These are separate but look nice together. The groom is from the Mennonite thrift shop. The bride is from another charity gift shop and is marked ATC. Just a few dollars bought each.

Birthday photos of John Joseph and John Thomas

They're sitting on a bench made by my husband's grandfather, John Weyer.....John J's great-grandfather, and John T's great-great grandfather.