Antique DOLL Collector June 2012 Vol. 15, No. 5
June 2012 Vol. 15, No. 5 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com
Early French Celluloïd Dolls by SIC (Société Industrielle de Celluloïd) by Samy Odin
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ne of the privileges of traveling, when you are a doll collector, is being able to find out which dolls are popular in which country. It is natural that people will be attracted to their country’s doll production. Yet, certain types of dolls seem to have become popular almost everywhere the antique doll market has developed, for example the 19th century French bébés and the early 20th century German characters. Since the Internet has facilitated a worldwide communication, the popularity of certain types of dolls has spread beyond geographical borders and hit new markets. It’s the case, for example, of the vintage Ginny dolls by Vogue, now becoming popular among European collectors. It’s also the case of the French Bleuette, whose collecting frenzy unexpectedly captivated US collectors. As far as “fascination” is concerned, many factors concur to transform a yesteryear Photo 1 - Photo by Jean Dalmard plaything into a collectible item. Visual appeal, condition, rarity or popularity are Industrielle de Celluloïd (SIC) is worth a special mention. important, of course, but not without an historical It was founded in Paris in 1906 but it actually was making approach. As soon as the collector perceives the depth dolls since 1903, when it was called the Société Industrielle of a topic, no matter if it concerns a national or an de Cellulose, the successor of the famous Neumann & international doll production, its “collectible” potential Marx Company, active in Paris since 1887. starts to build. Let’s consider Lenci, for example. In 1927, the SIC was absorbed by the Société Nobel Advanced collectors do not hesitate in investing in the Française (SNF). According to the earliest catalogues by dolls that correspond to the Golden Age of this label, the Nobel, we understand that a few models by SIC were twenties and early thirties, when Elena König Scavini continued after the merger of these two companies. It is created her very best models. The increased value of the interesting to remark that certain Nobel dolls bear both of dolls from this era is not only due to their beauty or their these markings. In the pages to follow, we will concentrate, rarity but, essentially, to the fact that, historically, this essentially, on the early SIC production, spotting out period was the very best for the Lenci firm. which models were discontinued by SNF and which lasted French collectors have been aware, for quite a bit longer on the market. of time now, that their celluloid doll production was The products of this company are easy to recognize, for fabulous throughout the 20th century, especially during they almost always bear the explicit marking “SIC” inserted the period between the two world wars. Among the into a diamond shaped logo associated, on the earlier models, major firms who specialized in this medium, the Société
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with the symbol of a dragon. It is usually found in the back and/or in the neck, surrounded by numbers referring to a size or a mold. One of the earliest models by SIC is called “Baby”. It has a certain resemblance to the character #100 by Kämmer & Reinhardt. It appeared on the French market in 1910, a year later compared than the German model (photo 1). It was made in several sizes, from 2” to 22”, mostly assembled on a bent limbed baby body. Since it was produced for several years, it is not rare but collectors tend to look for this model in all the sizes, skin colors and costume variations. In fact, it was also produced in a rare black version (photo 2), as well as an Indian version and as Commedia dell’Arte characters, such as Pierrot and Colombine, originally dressed in crepe paper clothing (photo 3). The rarest among the “Babys” (this is the spelling of this model in the SIC catalogues) is the girl version with a voice mechanism connected with the sleeping glass eyes detailed in a patent of June 11, 1913. This extremely rare version was made in four sizes (14”, 16”, 18” and 20”). The specimen shown here is presently the only intact one documented in France and stands 14” (photo 4). “Baby” was discontinued by Nobel in 1927. The so-called “side part toddler” is another popular model from the early years. Like “Baby” it was produced in many sizes and with two different types of bodies: the bent limbed version and the straight legged one. It is a very charming character, reminiscent of certain German made celluloid models by Buschow and Beck and Rheinishe Gummi (photos 5). The Caucasian version is not difficult to find, except when it has a special pale greyish complexion, obtained by coloring the skin from inside the head (photo 6). Another very rare variation is the mulatto baby distributed during the 1931 Colonial Exhibition (photo 7). All of the models made out of this mold bear the “SIC” logo, even those produced after 1927. None of the Nobel made specimens bear the “SNF” logo which can make it difficult to date them precisely. The “Bobbed hair girl” was made out of three different molds, each existing in at least two versions. The most classic one is called the ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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E-mail: barbarasdolls@barbarasdolls.com www.barbarasdolls.com
Barbara Spears • P.O. Box 126095, Ft. Worth, TX 76126 Phone (Home) 817-249-2069 (after 8:30am & before 10:00 pm CST only please) 1
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For More Beautiful Dolls, Doll Clothes, Accessories, Books, Paper Dolls, Etc.
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1. 20” Max Handwerck, sl. brn. eyes, beautifully dressed, bj. body $325 2. Gorgeous 30” Simon Halbig 1079, sl brn eyes, orig. hh. long curl wig, beautifully dressed $750 3. 8” Compo Vogue Toodles Toddler, all orig., very nice $145 4. 4 early NASB dolls, all have jointed legs, back row left Pudgy Tummy Betty Blue all orig. w/ tag $95; right unknown, Pudgy Tummy, tiny holes in dress $45; front row left extremely rare Audrey Ann larger doll Strory Book/Doll/USA/12, molded socks, stains back dress $350; right very rare pudgy, molded socks, Richman, Poorman, orig $1 price tag $350 5. 28” Kley & Hahn Walkure, brn sl eyes, pretty antique brown wool dress has usual moth holes $595 6. Alexander 8” l954-55 str. leg walker, MIB w/Alexander-kin wrist tag $175 7. 20” F&B compo and cloth Bubbles, nice cond., minor craze here and there, deep dimples, tin sl. eyes $150 PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL FOR FURTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ABOVE DOLLS. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT MY AD IN ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR.
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We accept VISA, MC and Discover, checks and money orders. Layaway is available. Layaway dolls are not returnable unless a crack or chip in bisque head not described is discovered. Dolls purchased with credit card are subject to a 5% fee if doll is returned, except if the doll has crack or chip in bisque or china not described. WE BUY OLD DOLLS.
Blackberry Studio Margaret Gray Kincaid Tel. 410.323.0373 Cell: 646-709-4340 Margaret.kincaid@gmail.com Member NADDA and UFDC
Adorable size 0 Jumeau Dep in her trunk with all her things $3650
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The Wonderful Faces of the Bébés Bru by Dee Urquhart-Ross Bébé Bru Brevete boy, 23 inches, wearing tight fitting heavy silk/satin cream breeches, a Marquis type top coat richly embellished with jet beadwork round the collar and front edges, and a beautiful lace cravat. He has a chubby all kid body, permanently bent legs, and fat little feet with his original wide fitting early bebe shoes which are unmarked unlike the later slippers of the Chevrot bodied bebe. Early type enamel eyes are a deep cornflower blue which lack the crystal bulge of the slightly later paperweight type. He carries an ivory and bamboo shafted walking stick heavily crusted in gold decoration. Small exquisite accessories such as this can add so much to a doll’s “look” and are essential in my view for setting off each doll to best advantage. This semi profile shot of the Brevete boy shows the almond cut of his eyes, the paleness of the bisque and the delicate rendering of his facial features. His original sheepskin wig with those abundant fly-away curls frames his face. Who could fail to love this doll?
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He retains his original shoes with their little high heels! You can see the early Bru shoes were made wide to accommodate the fat little kid feet of the full kid early body type favored by M Bru at the time.
have a theory; people with wonderful names are I feel pre-destined to do wonderful things! Named in infancy with a moniker such as Rudyard Kipling, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Michelangelo Amerighi Da Caravaggio and such, how could you be just “ordinary” and lead a dull inconsequential life? So, Leon Casimir Bru may have started his life in modest circumstances but his wonderful name was just asking for him to be remembered by posterity! A memorable name, one to live up to, seems to me to be a wonderful useful thing to have bestowed upon one by one’s parents! It preordains a life less ordinary by its very memorable qualities and perhaps has a subliminal effect on its owner, pushing him or her to achieve more than merely their potential in life. Starting his doll making company in Paris in 1867 a year after his marriage, M. Bru, like all of his contemporaries, at first produced the lady dolls know as Fashion dolls or Poupées, constructed with a pressed bisque socket head attached with a metal spring attachment to a bisque shoulder plate which in turn was secured to a kid stitched and shaped body. Some of these dolls had kid arms with separately stitched fingers, others sported bisque or wooden lower arms or complete jointed wooden bodies. These early dolls could have painted or inserted glass eyes secured with plaster inside the head and fitted carefully into hand cut eye sockets. These first lady dolls were made between 1866 and 1877. Some were modelled on the unusual looking but very handsome face of the Empress Eugenie and known sometimes as “smilers” and marked ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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Lula McLean’s Doll “The Silent Witness” to History M
by Sara Bernstein
ost doll collectors wonder if only a doll could Witness,” a name given to her by one of the Yankee speak what incredible stories the doll could soldiers who took her home with him as a trophy of war. tell. This is the story of one such doll and her Wilmer and Virginia McLean lived in Manassas, incredible journey as a witness to history. Virginia in 1861 with their five children. It is recorded Years ago, there was a large flea market on Canal in history books that Wilmer Mclean said, “the Street in New York City. Always the antique American Civil War started in my front yard collectors, my parents used to take us there on and ended in my front parlor.” The First weekends. On one such trip, we came across an Battle of Bull Run took place on the McLean’s antique dealer who was selling old picture frames. family farm, in Manassas, Virginia. The Union One frame immediately caught our attention. It Army fired on the McLean’s house which contained an illustration of a rag doll and a was being used by Confederate Brigadier short verse called “The Silent Witness.” General Beauregard. A cannon ball It mentioned General Lee, Custer dropped through the kitchen fireplace. and the surrender at Appomattox McLean was a retired major in the and verses about an old rag doll. Virginia militia and at the outbreak It was a charming picture and of the Civil War was making his we thought at the time that living as a sugar broker for the it appeared to have been a Confederate army. In 1861 he made up children’s story. decided to move his family out There was no evidence that of harm’s way and moved them this was a true story, no to Clover Hill, Virginia which name, signature or a date on was renamed Appomattox Court House the picture. Since it was doll-related when it became the county seat. However, we purchased it. it was not their destiny to get away from This was many years ago, before you the war. Four years later in April 1865 the war could just turn on the computer and the followed them right to the front parlor of their world was at your fingertips. So the picture new home. hung on the wall in our house for a long The South had lost and Confederate General time. Then one day after we moved, while I Robert E. Lee needed a place to surrender was unpacking and hanging pictures on the to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. A wall, I read the verse again and I began to messenger was sent to Appomattox Court wonder about this doll. House to find a place to meet, but the Information was easier to acquire meetinghouse was not available. So on now. I just turned on the computer and April 8, 1865 a messenger was sent to the did a search on the Internet. There she was, The Silent Witness Doll at the McLean’s home to request its use for the Appomattox National Park. surrender. McLean agreed and on April 9, “The Silent Witness”! It was not a made up children’s story, she was a real doll! 1865 Confederate General Lee surrendered The doll belonged to Lula (Lucretia) Mclean, a little to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of girl who lived in Manassas, Virginia at the beginning McLean’s home, effectively ending the Civil War. of the Civil War. Her beloved doll was a cloth rag doll, Once the signing was over, members of the Army made for her by her doting mother. She was made from of the Potomac began removing furnishings from the remnants, cotton scraps of material, as we say today, a home as souvenirs of this historical moment. It is said real folk art rag doll. they handed McLean money as they made off with It has been over 150 years since the start of the Civil his property, although family history disputes that the War and the name that Lula gave her doll is long furnishings left the home with their permission. forgotten. Today she is known only as “The Silent Colonel Horace Porter of General Grant’s staff ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR
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