DOLL MAKERS LIST:
BARONNE (Baronne Sandra Belling)
CROLLY (Doll Factory)
EFFANBEE
GWYNETH (Doll Factory)
KALISZEWSKI (Mr & Mrs)
KOUKINOVA (Alexandra Koukinova)
LENCI
MORRIS MITCHELL & CO. LTD
CROLLY (Doll Factory)
EFFANBEE
GWYNETH (Doll Factory)
KALISZEWSKI (Mr & Mrs)
KOUKINOVA (Alexandra Koukinova)
LENCI
MORRIS MITCHELL & CO. LTD
PETTERSSEN (Ronnaug Petterssen)
SHALLOWPOOL DOLLS
STANISLAW WYSPIANSKI COOPERATIVE
UTZIL - Doll-workshop (Quezaltenango)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0064A)
Doll discoloured with age
(and some "spillage" on face!)
* * * * * * *
SHALLOWPOOL DOLLS
(I have added this information onto the DOLL MAKER page with the kind permission of
SUSAN BREWER - Freelance Writer and a collector of Shallowpool dolls)
The SHALLOWPOOL HANDICRAFTS Cottage Industry was formed by three ladies, Peggy Pryce, Joan Rickarby and Muriel Fogarty in Cornwall, South West England. The dolls were made between the 1950's and the late 1980's. They were made to represent dolls such as pasty sellers, apple sellers and sailors etc. Others were dressed in National Costumes.There were also many other designs depicting Cornish people such as tin miners, dairy maids and Morris Dancers. A series of historical dolls and nursey rhymes were also made,
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Left to right:
APPLE SELLER, PIRATE, DOLLY PENTREATH
(Website Id: Europe - England - 001)
MARY KELYNACK
(Newlyn fishwife)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0052)
MARY KELYNACK
(Newlyn fishwife)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0052A)
NETHERLANDS (female)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055)
NETHERLANDS (female)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055 - A)
NETHERLANDS (male)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055A)
NETHERLANDS (male)
(Website Id: Europe - Netherlands - 0055B)
* * * *
DOLLY PENTREATH: In her basket is a piece of paper with a rhyme on it. It states that she was a Cornish fisher-woman of Mousehole (Cornwall), who died in 1788 at the age of 102.
SHALLOWPOOL DOLLS
STANISLAW WYSPIANSKI COOPERATIVE
UTZIL - Doll-workshop (Quezaltenango)
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UTZIL - Doll-Workshop in QUETZALTENANGO, Guatemala.
Founded in 1980
* *
GUATEMALA
Website Id: (America - Guatemala - 006 and 006A)
(Close-up of Guatemala doll)
GUATEMALA - (Santiago Atitlan doll)
Website Id: (America - Guatemala - 006 and 006A)
The UTZIL - Doll-Workshop in Quetzaltenango was founded in 1980 by a mother and her three sisters, who originally made dolls as a hobby. "Creaciones Utzil" then became a family business,
The dolls are all hand made and are wearing authentic Guatemalan costumes.
To date, the Workshop consists of ten workers - eight manufacturers and two Admin. staff. All the materials to make the dolls, are re-cycled - bottles, metal-ware, styrofoam and newspapers. A bottle forms the body. The doll is then covered over with fabrics and the costumes are then given a covering coat of paint and then meticulously painted in one of approximately 130 authentic Guatemalan designs. Finally, they are varnished over.
Each doll takes approximately seventy two hours to complete.
You can see the Utzil Doll Workshop at: http://creacionesutzil.com
* *
GUATEMALA - (Santiago Atitlan doll)
Website Id: (America - Guatemala - 006 and 006A)
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MORRIS MITCHELL & CO. LTD/MITCHELL PLASTICS LTD/
MITCHELL & HARDY LTD.
1946 to 1967
ENGLAND
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0064B)
This Company, which was based in Dalston (East
London ) started out in 1940 making dolls masks, eye shields,
lampshades, cycle mudguards and various novelties. Their trademark was “Mormit”, which was
derived from the surnames of the Directors.
When the
Managing Director Mr F.G. Mitchell was experimenting with PVC for making a doll
mask, he realised that he could make a complete doll using this substance. He produced his first doll in 1945 using an
ordinary domestic oven. His dolls
changed the doll industry completely as most of the other dolls made during the
post-war years had elastic strung limbs.
The Mitchell Mormit doll was a drink and wet doll which could be bathed
in water and fed with a feeding bottle.
Its napkin could be changed.
There were no elastic bands or hooks used.
The first series
of dolls produced by the Firm were the”Marie” series, made of soft skin-like
plastic. The first two dolls to be
produced in 1945 were “Marie Jose” (9” tall) and “Marie Valerie” (13”
tall). They were named after Mr. F.G.
Mitchell’s daughters who were little girls at the time. “Marie Lou” (15” tall) and “Marie Ann” (24”
tall) followed in 1947. They all had
fixed glassine eyes. They were marked
across the shoulders with the name of the doll and the Patent No., which
denoted the year in which the doll was made, and also: "Mormit Product, Made in England".
In 1947 the
Company opened a new factory under the name of “Mitchell Plastics Ltd.”. It was based in Wood Green, London . There were usually up to 100 people working
for the Company at any one time. The
dolls were still being made by hand through the 1950’s. The factories closed down during the 1960’s
leaving the Company making household and commercial products which were more
profitable for the company.
ENGLAND(Website Id: Europe - England - 0064A)
Doll discoloured with age
(and some "spillage" on face!)
SHALLOWPOOL DOLLS
(I have added this information onto the DOLL MAKER page with the kind permission of
SUSAN BREWER - Freelance Writer and a collector of Shallowpool dolls)
The SHALLOWPOOL HANDICRAFTS Cottage Industry was formed by three ladies, Peggy Pryce, Joan Rickarby and Muriel Fogarty in Cornwall, South West England. The dolls were made between the 1950's and the late 1980's. They were made to represent dolls such as pasty sellers, apple sellers and sailors etc. Others were dressed in National Costumes.There were also many other designs depicting Cornish people such as tin miners, dairy maids and Morris Dancers. A series of historical dolls and nursey rhymes were also made,
and some dolls are linked to the Isle of Wight as the makers had an outlet there. Other "oddments" such as a Cornish Pixie and Father Christmas etc., were made. In addition, the ladies made one-offs for collectors and exhibitions, including a set depicting costume through the ages (these were larger than the usual dolls) and another depicting royal brides, which is now in the posession of a wealthy titled lady. So many dolls were made that no-one knows for sure the complete list of Shallowpool dolls.
The dolls have cloth over wire armature bodies, with clay head, hands and feet. The features are painted. * * * *
Left to right:
APPLE SELLER, PIRATE, DOLLY PENTREATH
(Website Id: Europe - England - 001)
SAILOR
(Website Id: Europe - England - 002)
(Newlyn fishwife)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0052)
(Newlyn fishwife)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0052A)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055 - A)
(Website Id: Europe - England - 0055A)
(Website Id: Europe - Netherlands - 0055B)
DOLLY PENTREATH: In her basket is a piece of paper with a rhyme on it. It states that she was a Cornish fisher-woman of Mousehole (Cornwall), who died in 1788 at the age of 102.
MARY KELYNACK (Newlyn fishwife): There is a leaflet in her cowl (basket) on her back, giving the following information:
"When she was 80 years of age, this old Newlyn fishwife walked to London with her fish cowl on her back and presented Queen Victoria with half a pound of tea. It became her dearest wish to be buried next to her friend, Dolly Pentreath, beside whom she now lies in Paul Churchyard". (It also states: "Shallowpool Handcrafts - near Looe, Cornwall").
(THANK YOU SUSAN)
* * * * * * *(THANK YOU SUSAN)
NOTE:
I have added the doll maker KALISZEWSKI onto the DOLL MAKER PAGE, with the kind permissionof Margaret, who is a collector of Polish costume dolls, and a fellow blogger. You can see her dolls on her blog at POLISH FOLK DOLLS. (Thank you Margaret).
To see more pictures of my dolls shown below, please see the website.
Thank you. Carole.
POLAND - Zakopane mountain man
(Made by Mr & Mrs Kaliszewski)
(Website Id: Europe - Poland - 006 and 006A)
Polish folk dolls by Mr. & Mrs. Kaliszewski
This is a full-time self employed couple who make these dolls out of their home in Warsaw. When Jadwiga was younger, her mother started making these dolls from their home in the mid 60's. Jadwiga got interested and helped along with her for a while. She went on to finish higher education, get married and worked in her profession. Later when her children were little, she decided to stay at home for a few years and started again to make dolls to supplement the family income. This was to be for a few years and would later return to work in her career, but she never did. Her husband Andrzej retired from his job and started working along with her full time. Their dolls became quite well known and admired in Poland as well as for collectors abroad.
Mr. and Mrs Kaliszewski have made many dolls over the years and have sold them across Poland in Cepelia stores, Polish stores abroad, as well as fulfilled special orders. They had a website, however this is recently been taken down, as they are officially retiring from doll making totally in 2013. These dolls will show up in various places from time to time like e-bay, estate or rummage sales, doll shows, etc. There are still some for sale at souvenir stores in Warsaw.
This is a full-time self employed couple who make these dolls out of their home in Warsaw. When Jadwiga was younger, her mother started making these dolls from their home in the mid 60's. Jadwiga got interested and helped along with her for a while. She went on to finish higher education, get married and worked in her profession. Later when her children were little, she decided to stay at home for a few years and started again to make dolls to supplement the family income. This was to be for a few years and would later return to work in her career, but she never did. Her husband Andrzej retired from his job and started working along with her full time. Their dolls became quite well known and admired in Poland as well as for collectors abroad.
Mr. and Mrs Kaliszewski have made many dolls over the years and have sold them across Poland in Cepelia stores, Polish stores abroad, as well as fulfilled special orders. They had a website, however this is recently been taken down, as they are officially retiring from doll making totally in 2013. These dolls will show up in various places from time to time like e-bay, estate or rummage sales, doll shows, etc. There are still some for sale at souvenir stores in Warsaw.
More dolls made by Mr & Mrs Kaliszewski:
POLAND - Kurpianka Easter doll
(Website Id: Europe - Poland - 007)
POLAND - Poznan region
(Website Id: Europe - Poland - 009 and 009A)
POLAND - Polish Jew
(Website Id: Europe - Poland - 0013 and 0013A)
* * * * * * *
THE STANISLAW WYSPIANSKI COOPERATIVE
POLAND
(Website Id: Europe - Poland - 004)
NOTE:
I have added this doll maker onto the blog with the kind permission of Margaret, a fellow doll collector and blogger who is a collector of Polish costume dolls.
You can see Margaret's blog at:
POLISH FOLK DOLLS
The Stanislaw Wyspianski Handcraft and Art Cooperative was established in 1945. Many of the dolls I have in this blog are from there, especially the historical ones. It is named after a famous Cracovian artist and playwright. (see below)
This cooperative was created by artists and for many years was directed by lecturers of Academy of Art in Krakow. From the beginning of it’s existence it was involved in preserving folk art and traditions. Today the company prides itself on producing dolls in folk attire, national regional costumes, banners, kilims and tapestries.
Whole production is based on designs developed by artists and ethnographers and is approved by the National Commission of Artistic and Ethnographic Validation "Cepelia" on all designs. The Cooperative is established in Krakow and has won numerous awards in excellence and is the leading Polish doll makers for both Poland and export. These dolls have been sold in the ‘Cepelia’ folk souvenir stores for many, many years.
The regional dolls they make range from sizes of 12 to 50 centimeters (5 to 20 inches). Not only all Polish regions are represented (over 60), but they also make Polish historical dolls, village scenery showing rural customs and other European folk costumes in small sizes and doll ‘art’ cards.
Stanislaw Wyspianski (1869–1907) was a Polish playwright, painter and poet, as well as interior and furniture designer. A patriotic writer, he created a series of symbolic, national dramas within the artistic philosophy of the Young Poland Movement. He was one of the most outstanding artists of his time in Europe. He studied, lived and died in Krakow, a national hero.
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LENCI
(Elena Konig Scavini)
ITALY
ITALY
Elena Konig Scavini was born in 1886. She later ran away from home with her sister Gherda to join a circus, and eventually married her husband, Enrico Scavini. “Lenci” was the pet name given to her by her husband.
The Lenci Company ran from 1919 to 2002. It was started in Turin , Italy Paris
They began by making dolls based on famous characters, one of them being Rudolph Valentino which was dressed in a costume from the film, “Son of the Sheik”.
Between 1923 and 1927, the Lenci Company made Oriental dolls. The Japanese were very impressed with her dolls and wanted her to transfer her Company to Japan Turin , Italy
ITALY - (Lenci doll)
(Website Id: Europe - Italy - 0022)
(Website Id: Europe - Italy - 0022A)
A later plastic Lenci doll
(Website Id: Europe - Italy - 0011)
* * * * * * *
RONNAUG PETTERSSEN
NORWAY
(Website Id: 0012, 0012A and 0012B)
Ronnaug Petterssen was a leading doll artist between 1930 and 1978. She was born in Vesteraien, Northern Norway on October 1st, 1901. In 1929 she studied art in a State Academy in Berlin, Germany, and in 1933 she went to Spain where she made dolls in different local costumes. She also made ski dolls and Santa dolls. It was here that she met her future husband Johannes Kunz, who was a painter and photographer.
She exhibited dolls at the World Fair in Paris in 1937 and in New York in 1939 on behalf of Norway. She won 1st. prize in New York. The workshop closed during the war.
After the war she started to concentrate on costume dolls and was commissioned for several different projects. At one time she had approximately 50 home workers working for her. Two factories made plastic dolls for her but felt dolls continued as before.
She died in Oslo, Norway on December 16th. 1979.
NORWAY
(Hardanger boy)
(Website Id: Europe - Norway - 001)
(Romsdal region)
(Europe - Norway - 005)
(Website Id: Europe - Norway - 0011)
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BARONNE SANDRA BELLING
SYRIA
Id: Asia - Syria - 001
SYRIA
Id: - Asia - Syria - 003
SYRIA
Id: Asia - Syria - 003A
Id: Asia - Syria - 003A
SYRIA
Id: Asia - Syria - 003B
Id: Asia - Syria - 003B
BARONNE SANDRA BELLING was born in 1864 and was a Russian noblewoman who exciled to Syria after the Russian Revolution, and started teaching doll making and ballet to wealthy families in the 1930's.
Her dolls were often stamped with her name but sometimes the AROUANI BROTHERS OF DAMASCUS (who were exporters), would sew their name tag over her's, as seen in the fourth picture, Id: Asia - Syria - 003B. This would obviously not be allowed today.
Her dolls, made of cloth covered with stockinet, and hand painted features, represented Druse people of the mountains. She also made a Syrian Gypsy Fotune Teller lady with a moulded head and tattood chin, holding a baby with a celluloid head and painted features - (doll, Id: Asia - Syria - 001, doll on left). She worked with a group of Syrian women to make Syrian and other Middle Eastern dolls. She used to make the faces and cover them, and local women would make the clothing for them.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
SHYRONE from the U.S.A. has been researching this maker and has very kindly allowed me to add the following onto this page:
QUOTE:
Not much more can be found about the enigmatic doll artist Baronne Sandra Belling other than what has already been published by Kimport, Hedrick and Matchette, Nardone, and others. However, my curiosity and that of other doll collectors still remain, regarding what happened to the Belling family after the late 1950s since their final move to Lebanon. I did however discover that Baronne Sandra Belling's husband, Baron Erhast Belling, taught piano in Damascus, Syria, in the early 1930s and that he was a former conductor of the Russian Imperial Court. This was noted by two contemporary classical composers who were taught by Baron Belling as noted on their websites: Boghos Gelalian, (b. 1927 Syria) an Armenian composer, arranger, pianist, piano and harmony teacher currently residing in Beirut, Lebanon; and Walid A. Al Hajjar (b. 1932 Syria) a Syrian novelist, artist and classical composer living in Damascus, Syria. Gelalian states that after he arrived in Lebanon during World War II as a teenager, he took "sporadic lessons with the Russian Baron Erhast Belling, previously the conductor of the Imperial Court of Russia." Al Hajjar notes that he also "studied piano at a very early age with Tzarist Russian Baron Belling."
FURTHER INFORMATION:
SHYRONE from the U.S.A. has been researching this maker and has very kindly allowed me to add the following onto this page:
QUOTE:
Not much more can be found about the enigmatic doll artist Baronne Sandra Belling other than what has already been published by Kimport, Hedrick and Matchette, Nardone, and others. However, my curiosity and that of other doll collectors still remain, regarding what happened to the Belling family after the late 1950s since their final move to Lebanon. I did however discover that Baronne Sandra Belling's husband, Baron Erhast Belling, taught piano in Damascus, Syria, in the early 1930s and that he was a former conductor of the Russian Imperial Court. This was noted by two contemporary classical composers who were taught by Baron Belling as noted on their websites: Boghos Gelalian, (b. 1927 Syria) an Armenian composer, arranger, pianist, piano and harmony teacher currently residing in Beirut, Lebanon; and Walid A. Al Hajjar (b. 1932 Syria) a Syrian novelist, artist and classical composer living in Damascus, Syria. Gelalian states that after he arrived in Lebanon during World War II as a teenager, he took "sporadic lessons with the Russian Baron Erhast Belling, previously the conductor of the Imperial Court of Russia." Al Hajjar notes that he also "studied piano at a very early age with Tzarist Russian Baron Belling."
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ALEXANDRA KOUKINOVA
Id: Asia - Russia - 003
(Arhangelsk) - 26.5" high.
Id: Asia - Russia - 004
(Festive costume) - 27.5" high.
Id: - Asia - Russia - 005
Glafira woman (winter outfit) - 25.5" high.
Alexandra Koukinova was born in Russia in 1964. She is also known as Sasha.
From a young age she used to draw and sew dresses for her dolls. She also used to study fashion books.
In 1983 she began studying in a Theatrical Institute and became a theatre costume designer. She eventually started making dolls during the breaks between theatre performances. She then made her first cloth doll.
The Company started in Moscow in 1989. Her cloth dolls wore costumes representing various regions of Russia. They were exquisitely decorated with bead - work and she paid great attention to detail. She later made dolls with porcelain heads and limbs.
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GWYNETH DOLL COMPANY
Id: Europe - Wales - 0011
The Gwyneth Doll Company was started by Mr and Mrs Arthur in Swansea, South Wales, in 1969. They later moved to Pontardulais, South Wales, in 1975, to a building which was previously a Royal British Legion building. They originally used Pedigree and Roddy dolls but later started importing dolls from Hong Kong to dress. They paid great attention to the detail of their costumes when dressing their dolls, for which they would use Welsh flannel. (I am not certain if the Cockle Picker doll is actually the same as the Winkle Picker doll). The doll pictured here is wearing an over-skirt called a betgwyn which they would pull up out of the way when working in the water. They would be pulled back to each side, leaving the front open. The doll is made of plastic with moveable arms and legs, swivel neck and opening/closing eyes. 7.5" high. Wales. C.1970's. Makers marks: Clothes covering any possible marking.
The "Gwyneth Doll Company" was sold to Scottish buyers - Alex and James Smith in the mid 1980's.
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CROLLY DOLLS
(IRELAND)
Id: Europe - Ireland - 001
C.1955
Id: - Europe - Ireland - 006
C.1970's
(CROLLY DOLL - Gnome)
The Crolly Doll Factory started in Co. Donegal, Ireland, in 1939 and closed in the 1970's. It re-started in 1993. They made a range of dolls dressed in costume and also character dolls such as gnomes.
The original dolls were hand made with soft cloth bodies and they were dressed in hand knitted garments and local fabrics such as Donegal tweed. They were later made with composition (C.1950's) and vinyl (C.1980's). Today they make porcelain headed dolls, which are exquisitely dressed.
The first doll shown above is made of composition and has painted features, and moveable arms and legs. It is marked "CROLLY DOLL" on the back. The second doll shown is made of plastic with vinyl head and hands. He has glassy looking eyes (plastic) and moveable arms, legs and swivel neck. He is also marked: "CROLLY DOLL" and "Made in the Republic of Ireland" on the back. Carole
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EFFANBEE DOLLS
The Firm started production in 1912, which was also the beginning of composition dolls. They were later made in rubber, vinyl and hard plastic. The Company is now owned by Tonner Dolls since 2002. The Firm was founded by Bernard Fleischaker and Hugo Baum.
Well known dolls made by Effanbee include Patsy, Patsyette, Ann Shirley, Little Lady, and others. In 2008 they produced Betsy McCall.
Their dolls ranged in sizes from 6" to 28" high.
Carole.