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Antique DOLL Collector June 2013 Vol. 16, No. 5

June 2013 Vol. 16, No. 5 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com

The

Language of the Fan Kathleen Crescuillo

n every social interaction between men and women flirtation is an essential part. Unlike the current times of texting, IM, online dating, and social networking, the 19th century Victorian could not easily converse with the opposite sex in public, due to restricting social etiquette. As you know dating was not taken as casually as it is now but rather with the main object to secure a good marriage with a reputable mate. Intensive courtships were usually followed by a socially acceptable marriage. Social etiquette disapproved of explicit sexual advances, but indirect or suggestive intimations may at times been considered acceptable. It was an era where everything was more restrained and left to the imagination. Women’s roles were romanticized, becoming pillars of chaste virtue that should aspire to be perfect wives and mothers. Men were required to appear honorable and polite. A man was only seriously considered as a suitor if he had successful prospects. Current flirting is very similar in many ways to time honored flirting but more blatant in its approach. Banter, blowing a kiss, casual touches, coyness, eye contact, flattery, footsy, giggling, imitating, touching one’s hair, and smiling with eye contact directed to the intended recipient are still behaviors that let one’s interest be known. The messages conveyed on the whole are those of love and attraction. It is the methods used to follow up on these approaches of intent that differ from then and today. A young lady did not want to be too obvious about her flirting and take the chance of comprising her reputation. A feminine body language evolved as a way to indicate secret intensions. Many props such as parasols, gloves, handkerchiefs and fans were used to convey these secret messages of intent. Some actions, no matter the prop used, can have the same meaning; for example, drawing a handkerchief or a fan across the cheek in a practiced way means “I love you”. This form of sign language was published in contemporary etiquette books and magazines. The Original Fanology or Ladies’ Conversation Fan was created by Charles Francis Badini, and published by William Cock in London in 1797. In gesture, in repose, the lady was invariably revealed by the way she managed her fan. At the opera, social events, balls and soirees flirting was allowed, following the strict rules of etiquette. How the lady positioned her fan conveyed a coded message understood by any society gentleman. The main rules must have been practiced just to remember them, not to mention the young fellows who also had to learn the language of the fan. Not only could a lady use her fan to communicate quick emotions but have whole conversations in a sort of fan Morse code. If a girl didn’t know the correct fan signals then she could make some serious social blunders. The art of fluttering was said to take months to master, many girls and gentlemen doubtlessly spent hours practicing. Women flirted with danger, sending out signals to attract a lover or rebuff him. They enjoyed these dangerous liaisons, where reputations were made and unmade all under public gaze by expressing their heart through the language of the fan. 18

ANTIQUE DOLL COLLECTOR

JUNE 2013

The Language of the Fan Carrying in the left hand, open: “Come and talk to me”

Carrying in right hand in front of face: “Follow me”

Gazing pensively at the shut fan: “Why do you misunderstand me?”

Twirling it in the left hand: “We are watched”

Carrying it in the right hand: “You are too willing”

Cover the left ear with the open fan: “Do not betray our secret”

Placing your fan near your heart: ‘I love you”

Twirling in the right hand: “I love another”

Drawing across the cheek: “I love you” Presented shut: “Do you love me?”

Drawing across the eyes: “I am sorry”

Letting it rest on the right cheek: “Yes” Letting it rest on the left cheek: “No” Open and shut: “You are cruel”

Dropping it: “We will be friends” Fanning slowly: “I am married”

Fanning quickly: “I am engaged” With handle to lips: “Kiss me” Open wide: “Wait for me”

Placing it on left ear: “I wish to get rid of you”

Drawing through the hand: “I hate you” Placing behind head: “Don’t forget me” With little ﬁnger extended: “Goodbye” Quickly fanning herself: “I love you so much”

Resting the fan on her lips: “I don’t trust you”

Touching tip with ﬁngers: “I wish to speak with you”

The shut fan held to the heart: “You have won my love”

Carrying in left hand in front of face: “Desirous of acquaintance”

Presenting a number of sticks, fan part opened: “At what hour?”

Clasping the hands under the open fan: “Forgive me I pray you”

Shut the fully open fan very slowly: “I promise to marry you”

The shut fan resting on the right eye: “When may I be allowed to see you?” Fanning herself with her left hand: “Don’t ﬂirt with that woman”

Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her left hand: “I am engaged Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her right hand: “I want to be engaged”

Quickly and impetuously closing the fan: “I am jealous” Half-opening the fan over her face: “We are being watched over”

Texting abbreviations are now used much like the fan flirtations of the past. These are some of the more interesting ones. Text: BTYCL? (Booty call) Fan: Open fan slightly over heart and ﬂutter it to indicate the time of your rendezvous. Both mean: I am interested enough for a tryst.

Text: BM&Y (Between me and you) Fan: Cover left ear with closed fan. Both mean: Keep our secret. Text: MOS (Mother over shoulder) Fan: Fan closed, place tip to lips. Both mean: Hush…we might be overheard.

Text: ILU (I love you) Fan: Place the tip of your fan to your heart. Both mean: I am really interested. Text: BIH (Burn in hell) Fan: Lower an open fan and point it at the ground. Both mean: I want you to get lost.

Text: TILIS (Tell it like it is) Fan: Place tip of closed fan to nose. Both mean: I mistrust you. Text: BOOMS (Bored out of my skull) Fan: Yawn behind a closed fan. Both mean: Your conversation is not stimulating.

Text: GIAR (Give it a rest) Fan: Place your chin on the tip of the fan. Both mean: I don’t believe your compliments. Text: NFM (Not for me) Fan: Open your fan and make a brushing movement like you are swatting an annoying ﬂy. Both mean: I want to let him down gently. Text: URH (You are hot) Fan: Open your fan and use it to coquettishly hide your eyes. Both mean: I am interested in you.

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15-1/2” JD Kestner #237 Hilda Toddler, brown sleep eyes, original auburn mohair wig, great bj toddler body w/ mama crier $2895. 13” Hilda JDK jr 245 1914 F.10. mohair wig & plaster pate, beautiful baby body $1495. 6” Steiff 1950’s Mohair Teddy Bear w/ original ribbon $185. 3-1/2” Steiff 1960’s Mohair Teddy Bear, no tags $195.

12” K star R 114 Gretchen, original wig, shoes & socks, ball jointed body, painted blue eyes $1995. 12” K star R 109 Elise professionally repaired head, 5 piece body, original chemise $1825.

12-3/4” Pink Luster Frozen Charlie with wonderful painted brown eyes, great detailing $595.

15 ¾” Rohmer Fashion on marked kid body, a little stitching open on front, bisque arms, wood shoulder joint, stiff shoulder plate, blue painted eyes, pierced ears, professionally repaired ﬁrst two ﬁngers on both hands, hairline on left back of head, antique undergarments, leather boots & socks $2495.

18” Prevost Huret French Fashion on wood jointed body with metal hands, painted blue eyes, HH wig $6995.

21” CM ED 10 - Etienne Densmar, blue pw eyes, dr br HH wig, antique shoes, body paint as is $1700.

22” CM Depose Tete Jumeau 10, blue pw eyes (right one cracked), HH wig and cork pate, antique shoes & undergarments, repainted hands $4200.

11” Early Wee Paulson “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” pedals on stones as is, tagged “We Did It” $325.

27” CM Kestner 128, brown sleep eyes, HH wig w/ plaster pate, antique clothing $2495. 5-1/2” x 3” Steiff fully tagged Joggi groundhog 1958-69, $90. 14” Norah Wellings Scout with hat, P.C.M.P. on shoulder patch, faded blue pants $110.

14” CM 3 Hole Belton Ernst Grossman with Bru look, marked with fancy r 7, spring strung wood body w/ repainted arms & legs, pierced ears, blue stationary eyes, antique shoes, HH wig, little peppering on face $1250.

7-1/2” Vogue Toodles 1945 - 49 Tyrolean Pair in tagged outﬁts, Vogue on back of bodies $245. pair 7-1/2” Ronnaug Pettersen Norwegian pair, both tagged $195. pair 19” Ideal Toni P92 in tagged plaid taffeta dress, Fairyland shoes, great coloring, light brown wig $195. 16” Terri Lee in tagged cream taffeta dress, dark brown hair, replaced shoes, great face painting $165. 16” Terri Lee honey blond in tagged red & white outﬁt, holding original daisy $245. 10” Tiny Terri Lee walker body, platinum blonde hair, tagged dress $125.

17” x 10” x 18”H #204 Bliss 1910 Doll House with original litho paper covering (as is on right side and some edges), paint on pillars as is, wonderful two story house with chimney $995. 19” Effanbee Patsy Ann, compo is in great condition, redressed $225.

10” Circ. Bye-lo w/ blue sleep eyes, nice celluloid hands, purple stamped frog body $195.

14 ½” Schoenhut Carved Hair Girl, blue intaglio eyes, pink band through hair $1950. 15” Carved Hair Schoenhut Girl with pink bow, brown intaglio eyes, repainted head, hair and arms, redressed $795. 8” All Original Schoenhut Barney Google w/ copyright 1922 by King Features Syndicated label on foot $275. 3 ¾” Schuco Bear in honey colored mohair, black eyes $97.50 Now $72.50

12” 3 Hole CM French type 137 Belton, blue threaded pw eyes, pierced ears, piece glued left side of neck, hairline, early body with separate ball at top of straight legs $545. 15” Mother, 12 ½” Son, 11 ½” Daughter WPA Dolls ? possibly by Kansas City WPA Group, girls thumb glued, boys nose has had some work done $750. for 3 dolls Ann Parker of England 11-1/2” “An English Costume of 1852”, blue grey eyed lady dressed in pink w/ parasol $200. 8-1/2” “Alice” holding pig from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, mohair wig & blue painted eyes $225.

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The Dolls of Michael Lee Little Man - Big Heart

by Margo Delaughter

s doll collectors we sometimes focus all our attention on the dolls of well-known toy makers. We read articles and books about these dolls and eagerly seek them out at doll shows. Dolls of lesser known makers are often passed over in our enthusiasm to obtain the doll of a well-known doll artist or company. Such is the case I feel with the dolls made by Hong Kong doll maker Michael Lee. This article is written to tell the story of a remarkable man who was a humanitarian as well as a doll maker. Mr. Lee made dolls not for his own profit, but to help his fellowman. Mr. Lee’s early dolls were made of composition and cloth and dressed in wonderful authentic Chinese clothing. It is these dolls that are featured in this article, but mention is made of his later dolls to show the transition from composition and cloth, to all cloth and finally to cloth and vinyl as he attempted to keep up with the ever changing world of dolls. All of his dolls came with a red and white tag stating that it was a Michael Lee character doll that was made in Hong Kong. Each tag included the doll’s name, a number and his trade mark name “MICALE”. There was also a cloth tag sewn on the body which had the doll’s name and stated that it was made in Hong Kong by Michael Lee. Mr. Lee made dolls from 1947 until the 1990’s. It was on the website of a doll dealer that I discovered a 10-inch chubby Chinese toddler with a beguiling smile that immediately elicited the same smile on my face. One look at his original Chinese child’s outfit complete with a tiger ear hat and I knew I had to have him. A quick email to the dealer and he was in my possession. The doll’s hang tag as well as a rectangular tag on his body indicated that he was made by Michael Lee of Hong Kong. The body tag was also stamped No. 2 (Photos 1-3). His name was listed as Bow-Bow. The doll has a composition head and composition lower arms and legs. His cloth body is firmly stuffed and on his feet are red painted shoes and white socks. The little outfit is very well made. He wears black pants that are tied at the ankle, a dark blue flowered tunic, a blue apron with a large pocket in front and a tiger eared hat trimmed in white and pink. It is interesting to note that his pants are not really pants as they are open at the crotch as is typical for young Chinese children. Then, much to my surprise, his “twin” appeared on eBay (Photo 4). Naturally, my first Bow-Bow needed a companion so I purchased that doll too. The dolls bear the same name and similar outfits, but the second doll is barefoot and his hat is trimmed in gold. The body tag on this Bow-Bow is different from the first doll (Photo 5) A short time later I viewed an original hang tag that explained the meaning of their name. The tag stated: “Bow-Bow means treasure. He is generally a peasant boy, a native of northern China or district around Yangtze Valley. His padded gown and practical split-bottom pants are of native patterns. His tiger hat symbolizes valor. His apron has a pocket for his playthings. He is a jolly, rosycheeked, healthy little fellow.” He is indeed all of these things! These dolls began to interest me so I continued to check the eBay doll site in search for more of Michael Lee’s dolls. I was rewarded when his doll DiDi came up for auction (Photo 6). He has no hang tag, but does have a rectangular tag on his body similar to the painted shoe Bow-Bow tag stating that he was made by

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