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Antique DOLL Collector September 2010 Vol. 13, No. 8

September 2010 Vol. 13, No. 8 $595 / $695 Canada www.antiquedollcollector.com

The Special and Rare Dolls of

Martha Chase T

by Bernice Millman

o recount a history of Martha Jencks Chase’s career would be redundant. This illustrious doll maker has been celebrated in many excellent published books and magazine articles. Her factory in Rhode Island turned out hundreds upon hundreds of cookie cutter like dolls. The charm and workmanship of these dolls is not to be discounted, however, examples of these are easily found today. Throughout the years of production many special dolls were created at her factory. These offerings are outstanding for their rarity, uniqueness and appeal.

A WEE CHASE DOLL

A difficult example to locate is the size referred to as 00. This child measures a mere 8” in height. Lore regarding the creation of this doll tells us that Martha Chase was active in community service and gave herself freely to helping others. At one juncture of her life she volunteered to teach sewing classes to young girls at the nearby Church Hill School. She gave instructions to her pupils for creating this wee doll as a classroom project. This doll is a perfect miniature duplication of Martha’s larger dolls. A sateen covered body with stitched shoulders, hips, elbow and knee joints, painted arms and legs and even separately applied ears and thumbs are features difficult to imagine in a doll so tiny. After the dolls were sewn by the students, they were sent to the Chase factory for painting and finishing. A lovely and generous gesture on the part of Mrs. Chase was the return of each doll to its small makers. To quote Marjorie Bradshaw in her book The Doll House, “I met a woman, now 90 years old, who was one of her (Martha Chase’s) pupils. She was delighted to see my doll because hers had disappeared many years ago.”

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Chase made several dolls based on American, literary, and historical figures. Her representation of George Washington created in 1921 (and possibly earlier) was the most impressive and I think the most expensive doll that Chase made for mass distribution. The cost was the whopping sum of $25.00. George was only made in one size, 24”. This doll is a true portrait of The Father of Our Country. His face bears a stern expression but behind those blue eyes and slightly smiling lips, there is serenity in his gaze. White hair in the usual heavily painted impasto style is very bouffant and features side-burns ending in a queue (or pigtail). His sateen and muslin body has fully jointed and painted limbs with elbow and knee areas stitched across for flexibility. His large hands are beautifully molded. A paper label firmly attached to his back identifies him as a Chase. This oneof-a-kind example wears clothing different from the often found blue and gold costume of other issues. Each impeccable item of clothing is made of ecru cotton or woolen fabric. From his black felt tri-cornered hat to his shirt with its lace jabot and cuffs to the woolen vest with matching knee length trousers, brass buttoned jacket and his high-heeled slippers, George is elegantly dressed in authentic colonial attire. His clothing is believed to be the only outfit made in these colors. Martha Chase made this doll as a gift to her grandson, Julian C. Chase Jr. According to the provenance that accompanies the doll he never left the Chase family and was passed down for decades from one generation to the next.

Below: Rarely seen is this diminutive 8 inch child by Martha Chase. All the details of the larger dolls in a small package. Left: A 24 inch George Wasington comes from the Chase family and is the only known example in this costume.

The impressive Chase Mammy doll measures 27” tall. Three black Chase girls measure 17”, 16 1/2”, and 13 “ tall and show a variety of paint and modeling.

He was most recently owned by Thomas B. Chase. George came packed in a tan cardboard box bearing a label that reads: CHASE STOCKINET DOLL Style, Size, Color. No written words ﬁll the gaps on the box ends. He has not been fully undressed so body marks other then the label are not known. George was recently sold at auction and is now in a notable private collection.

Mammy wears an original nursemaidtype dress. Her young charges have strongly molded features.

MAMMY AND HER PICKANINNIES

What was the inspiration behind Martha Chase’s design of a black Mammy doll? Was the creation of this Mammy and her Pickaninnies meant as a tribute to a beloved family servant and her children or was it her interpretation of a character out of the writings of the author, Joel Chandler Harris (1848-1908)? This impressive 27” Mammy doll was made around 1921 and is indeed a rare ﬁnd. Her artistically painted ethnic features display a wide grin. A black wig made of rough woolen cloth that resembles fur (but is still washable) sets her apart from the usual painted hair Chase dolls. Her brown sateen body with matching painted and fully jointed limbs is meant to be barefoot. Simple cotton clothing covered with an apron and wearing a bandanna on her head is appropriate for her station as a woman of servitude. The boy and girl Pickaninnies feature dark complexions and black rough woolen wigs that match Mammy’s. Brightly painted red lips smile a friendly welcome. Their cotton clothing is simply constructed. Several other equally rare, black children were issued by the Chase Doll House, some with ethnic features and some black versions of her typical stockinette dolls.

Enjoy the beautiful coastal village of Camden, Maine located on the pristine Penobscot Bay. 49 Bay View Street, Camden, ME 04843 The shop is now open 7 days a week until Labor Day 10:00 - 4:00 and then Friday and Saturday until Christmas.

16” Bru Jne Bebe $25,000.

Pair all original Marklin beds 6” long $995.

15-1/4” brass and walnut English longcase clock $395. 9” long, large scale all original walnut bed $795.

3 piece ormolu parlor set $795.

Uncut framed 1910 muslin Christmas stocking - frame 27” x 17” $795. Pair 8-1/4” early childs skates - signed O. Sanford $595.

Jay and Connie Lowe, email: big.birds@comcast.net

Jan Foulke, email: janfoulke@aol.com

26 inch K*R 116A, $3950. E & G Antiques, email: gertleonard@yahoo.com

UFDC 2010 National Salesroom • Chicago PHOTOS COURTESY UNITED FEDERATION OF DOLL CLUBS

PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE 2010 UFDC NATIONAL CONVENTION BY KEITH KAONIS

f you could only go to one doll show a year (heaven forbid!) our pick would be the UFDC National Convention. Held this year in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency, beautifully situated on the Chicago River and only a block from the famed “magniﬁcent mile”, it shone with its own

Sheila Needle, email: dollwitch@cox.net

magniﬁcence. Undoubtedly the most prestigious doll show in the world, dealers go the extra mile to bring their ﬁnest dolls and related merchandise. Here’s a sampling of some of our favorite items for sale. . . we’ve included email addresses when possible so you might enjoy some retail therapy.

Hacker Dollhouse with working elevator, $8500. Sondra Krueger, email: sondkr@sondrakrueger.com

18th century painting of young girl and carton moule doll, $13,500. Greg Mountcastle. 27

6029 N. Northwest Highway, Chicago, Il 60631 • (773) 594-1540 • (800-442-3655 orders only) • Fax (773) 594-1710

Open: Tues., Wed., Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thurs., Fri. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Closed Sun and Mon. Near O’Hare, Park Ridge & Niles, 3/4 miles east of Harlem Ave.

FOR CALL HLy MONTALS! SPeCI

Parking in the rear of the building. Close to all major expressways and public transportation. Chicagolands’s finest selection of Antique, Modern and Collectible Dolls, Barbie, Gene, Alexander, Tonner, Fashion Royalty, Steiff, Dollhouses and Accessories. • Member U.F.D.C. and NADDA • Checks • Layaway • Worldwide Shipping

Call for monthly specials! Check us out on the web at WWW.GIGISDOLLS.COM

13” Lovely Jumeau 0 Fashion Doll, bisque swivel head on kid gusseted body, brown glass eyes, original satin, crushed velvet and lace walking suit and hat, antique slippers, original mohair wig, pierced ears, 13 x 8 ½” Embossed Antique Trunk with original photo on inside lid $2350.00

36” Kestner #142, mohair wig, antique dress, unders, molded eyebrows, brown sleep eyes, original body marked Excelsior, missing middle finger right hand $1695.00 16” K * R 116 on toddler body with celluloid hands, great expression, blue stat eyes, small eyeflake lower right eye, o/c mouth w/ molded teeth $2500 Now $1995.00

27” Simon & Halbig #1009 fabulous smooth bisque and wonderful facial sculpture, original HH wig and body (paint on lower arms & hands as is), antique dress, slip and boots, pierced ears $1000.00

20” Truly fabulous Shirley Temple in Rare “Our Little Girl “ tagged dress, combination, shoes, socks and pin, wig in original set, composition in wonderful condition, small eye chip under right eye $995.00

5 ½” All Bisque #259 “Cupid”, jointed arms & legs $75.00

19” 1892 - 1893 Rare C/M French CTF Cosman & Freres, lovely blue paperweight eyes with shading above eyes, French body professionally repainted lower legs and hands, eye lobe chips professionally repaired, antique dress, unders, shoes, velvet hat and blonde mohair wig $2995.00

4 ¾” #208 C/M All bisque, blonde mohair wig, pink dress & bonnet, jointed arms & legs, brown sleep eyes Sold 5” #208 2 O/M All bisque, brown sleep eyes, brown mohair wig, black slippers, jointed arms & legs $225.00

6 ½” All Bisque jointed arms & legs (left leg repair), molded clothes and hair, painted eyes to the right, adorable $85.00 Now $75.00 4 ½” Pink all bisque, molded hair, painted blue eyes to the right, nicely molded hands & feet $150.00 4 ¾” Frozen Charlotte (left toe chip), molded bow in black hair do, cute face $150.00 Now $125.00 15 ½” Pink Luster Frozen Charlie, great molding on hair and blue eyes, sculptured hands and toenails $725.00

4” #236 All Bisque, blue sleep eyes, dark mohair wig, jointed arms & legs, chip by arm hole $145.00 5 ½” C/M All Bisque w/ painted blue eyes, jointed arms & legs, HH wig, brown slippers, toe as is, cotton dress $80.00 25” O/M Bergman Walterhausen 1916, blue sleep eyes, HH wig $525.00 Now $450.00 12” Maude Tassle Fangle painted face baby, oil cloth body, original dress & bonnet as is, really adorable $450.00 Now $390.00

36” Heinrich Handwerck Simon & Halbig size 7, blue sleep eyes, o/m, mohair wig, pierced ears, antique dress & slip, body marked Heinrich Handwerck $1195.00

16” Gotz Series Sasha “No Nose” Gregor all original in brown corduroy overalls and white shirt, 27” 1890 Armand Marseille #390, original sandals 1 strap as is, hand blue sleep eyes, o/m, smooth painted eyes & face $850.00 bisque, original body w/ repainted hands, HH original wig, antique 16” Rare Sasha Frido 1966 – 68 dress $415.00 with no philtrum, blue hand painted eyes, super full blonde hair, all original blue corduroy dress & pants, blue shoes Call

#850 Mint w/ box, Blonde Bubble cut Barbie, beautiful hair & coloring, original wrist tag (as is), liner, stand, catalog $375.00

25” All Original 1938 Deanna Durbin in tagged rust velvet jacket & wool skirt, HH wig, compo really great, a delightful addition, new pin $725.00 Madame Alexander’s 1965 – 72 20” All Original Deanna mint in box Durbin in tagged floral 8” #798 Tyrolean Girl, bent knee print cotton dress, unders, $65.00 gold strap shoes, HH wig, 8” #799 Tyrolean Boy, bent knee great condition $825.00 walker $65.00 Now $725.00

8” #755 Laurie Little Women , bent knees $65.00

1965 Brownette Bendable Leg Midge mint with box, suit, hair ribbon, stand $595.00 Now $500.00 1965 NRFB American Girl Ash Blond Barbie with box, bendable leg body, wrist tag, suit, catalog, beautiful hair and facial coloring $1695.00 Now $1250.00 #850 Mint w/ box, Ash Blonde Bubble cut Barbie, beautiful hair & coloring, original liner, stand, catalog $325.00 #1160 Twist N’ Turn Red Head, 1966, great facial coloring, eyelashes & hair $475.00 Black Francie in original swim suit, beautiful hair, makeup and facial coloring $995.00 #1588 Sears Exclusive 1970 P.J. Swingin In Silver Giftset - silver coat & boots with white fur trim, pink dress with silver skirt $475.00

8” Betsy McCall all original Bride with veil stapled on original hair clip, bouquet, shoes, slip & panties $175.00 Red hair Jill tagged pajamas and robe, original heart earrings, blue eyes, great coloring $95.00 #9208 Little Miss Revlon tagged pedal pusher outfit, blonde hair, original earrings, shoes & stockings $95.00 #87 1940’s Bridesmaid NASB doll Pudgy Tummy, jointed arms & legs, all original, missing hat $165.00

Comic Strip “Pillow” Dolls from the 20’s period: 13 ½” Skeezix by King $75.00 Now $35.00 12 ½” Rare Chester Gump by Sidney Smith $65.00 26” Uncle Walt by King, patt applied for 1923 $55.00

18” Ideal Howdy Doody, hard plastic head, 1953-58, cloth body, moving eyes, scarf & boots missing & string for mouth, original shirt & pants $175.00 Now $120.00 11 ½” Composition Charlie McCarthy molded paint as is $55.00 15” Effanbee all original Charlie McCarthy, compo head, hands & feet, cloth body, some soil on jacket & shirt, original Effanbee pin and monical (no hat) $235.00 19 ½” Effanbee Charlie McCarthy compo head, hands & feet, cloth body, no hat or cummerbund, has monocle, slight craze on nose $250.00

20” Hard Plastic head, cloth body, felt shirt, original scarf, moving eyes, 1953-55, Ideal Howdy Doody $195.00 Now $150.00

7” Little Betty composition, painted eyes to the right, mohair original red wig, bride dress and bouquet, slip & undies, no veil $225.00 Now $190.00 6” Effanbee composition painted blue eyes, brown mohair wig, all original “Fairy Princess” $175.00 Now $150.00

16” Howdy Doody Puppet, compo head, feet & hands, all original with boots & scarf, needs restringing $125.00 Now $99.00 13” Molded vinyl Howdy Doody, small split by right hand $22.50 20” Emmett Kelly coat tagged ‘Baby Berry NYC, all original (pants faded and no patches), original clothes pin tie clasp, shoe string tie and hat $70.00

HOPe TO See yOU AT THe FOLLOWING SHOW: Willowbrook, IL • WILLOWBROOK DOLL & BeAR SHOW & SALe Sunday, September 26 • 9am - 3pm Ashton Place Banquet Center • 341 75th Street

16 ½” 1930 Little Lulu all original dress, beanie, hair & unders, some repaint on face $175.00 23” Sterling Co. compo head, painted wonderful molded features, Johnny “Call for Phillip Morris”, velvet body and oil cloth shoes, slight repair on back of jacket $125.00

GERMAN ALL BISQUE DOLLS Part II

by Penny Hadﬁeld

his project has been such fun! I really have enjoyed this opportunity to pick out favorites from my collection, photograph them and share them with other doll lovers. So many collectors turn to the little all bisque dolls only when they have run out of room for any more large dolls…by contrast, I started off loving the little ones…at least that is my excuse for having so many of them now! You might think that I have photographed every doll I have…not so… many of them are feeling insulted and neglected because they were not included, but to include them all would require a book! I really enjoy ﬁnding dolls with similar characteristics and trying to ﬁgure out the relationships and who made them. Sometimes

1 1 – A Factory Original Pair of Kestner 178 Toddlers - These are 7” darling rosy cheeked toddlers in their wonderful factory original detailed outfits. They have swivel necks, plaster pates, sleep eyes (hers are blue, his dark brown), brushed brows and great open/closed mouths with 2 molded lower teeth and tongues behind. The heads are marked “178 / 1.”. I had to carefully remove all their clothes to restring these, but that was many years ago, and I did not note markings on other body parts. Their arm positions are interesting with the sharply bent right arm and almost straight left. I remember that they have beautifully molded bare feet. 2 – A Mystery Toddler – This 9” toddler is marked ‘203 / 7’ on his head and ‘7’ on his arms. His leg joints are kid lined and I partially peeled back one but found no mark. His legs look identical to those found on my pair of Kestner ‘178’ twins (picture 1), with great fat creases, knee caps, and beautifully modeled feet. His arms are quite similar also, although the left arm is bent more than the right… the reverse of the pair. Could this be a doll made by Kestner for Catterfelder Puppenfabrik? The eyebrows are not typical of Kestner but the dimple in the chin sure is. He has dark brown sleep eyes and an open/closed mouth with molded tongue. His thick blond mohair wig is on a gauze cap over a cardboard pate. Love to hear other ideas!

3 – 3 Early Kestner Babies. These are essentially 3 different sizes of the same early Kestner baby, but the hefty big 13” edition uses the odd early stringing method displayed in the baby in picture #16 of Part 1. The arms and legs are connected with elastic cord through smooth tubular channels inside the body. It 3 had to have complicated the molding process incredibly! Genevieve Angione calls this baby the “13 mold infant”. Jan Foulke calls the whole doll a “work of art” in her book on the Kestner firm (pictured nude on page 219). He is just that! Starting at the top, his hair is a bright golden blond full of soft curls with fine comb marks. His eyes are gorgeous…they are bright glossy cobalt blue with incised lines surrounding the iris and the pupil…making them very intense. The upper lids are sharply molded and black lash lines follow the edge with red lid lines above. His mouth has a protruding upper lip and is painted coral red with a dark center line…a dimple is centered on his chin. His hands and feet are both very finely modeled with super detail even on the palms and soles of his feet…all digits show nails and dimples. He is marked only with a size ‘10’ on his legs and arms. The two smaller versions are 3” and 5-1/2”…both are brass wire jointed and have layers of exquisite clothing. The 3” doll has very dark hair and features, and has both hands molded in fists, while the 5-1/2” one is quite soft in her coloring and has her right hand in a fist and the left one open. So typical of Kestner…they use these closed fists in any combination! 33