Artist Replica Late 1700's Fashion Lady Doll by Lee Ed

This doll is a "Revolution" era lady as her hairstyle is a representation of those worn in the late 1700's.  Her hair has even been coloured to imitate a "powdered" wig - very appropriate for the time - and the style is topped by the most detailed and delicate porcelain leaves and roses.  Her painting is exceptional, crisp and clear with beautiful details such as the faint blush on her cheeks, the beribboned garters on her legs and the gilded boots painted in the style of Emma Clear dolls.  Another feature of this doll which rivals the quality of Mama Clear's dolls is its extremely well-made, shapely muslin cloth lady body.   The artist's signature:  "Lee Ed 1956" is found on the back of the doll's shoulder plate.  This impressively-sized lady is a wonderful find and would be a very desirable addition to any collection.

CONDITION:  This doll is in remarkable condition with only one teeny, tiny flea bite on the left-most small rose in her hair.  This flaw is so minor that it's difficult to see, even in the close-up photo of the roses.  The doll's shoulderhead was carefully detached from the body in order to display it in a glass-enclosed cabinet.  The original twill ties were retained so that the doll could be restored to "original" condition if desired.  Both pieces are in lovely clean and dust-free condition.  

SIZE:  This lady is approximately 21 and 1/2 inches tall when she is together.

Parian Gentleman by Ed Schulze and Lee Ed, 1955

As it is always much harder to find a good man to escort all of our ladies to their social engagements, this gentleman is a nice find indeed!  He is especially interesting as he appears to be made by Ed Schulze, Lee's husband, according to the marks on the doll himself and the handwritten note that accompanied the doll at purchase.  This doll is marked on the back of his shoulder plate:  "Original by Ed Schulze, Lee Ed - 1955" and is made of parian porcelain (head, hands and lower legs) with a cloth body.  The detail in the painting of his face, beard and hair is fabulous with molded lines and painted stippling denoting even the wisps of hair over his ears!  His outfit is equally wonderful.  He is dressed-to-the-nines in a wool two-piece suit with a white gabardine shirt and black taffeta bow tie with details, details, details!  His pants are fully functional with a button and hook fly, his period-correct long jacket is lined and buttons closed with fully functional tiny placketed pockets!  His shirt closes with tiny mother-of-pearl buttons and even his tie is removable with a tiny snap closure.  He wears a ribbed cotton undershirt underneath.  As with all of Lee Ed's dolls, this doll shows marvelous workmanship from head to toe!  Add a top hat and he can go anywhere!

CONDITION:  Excellent!  The doll himself is clean and damage-free, with only his body showing a bit of foxing consistent with his age.  His outfit is clean and neat with only a few small moth nibbles on his wool suit.  This doll is display ready!

SIZE:  Approximately 18 inches tall.

Little Women Jo by Martha Thompson

A Master of her bisque and Parian media, Martha Thompson gave to her doll portraits and creations a quality of reality and a feeling of the essential character, which came of her sympathetic understanding and identification with the subject through study and research.  Her Little Women are not just four unusually pretty dolls got up in appropriate period costumes, but the individual personalities of Meg, Amy, Beth and Jo.  (Helen Bullard, The American Doll Artist, Vol.1.)

Martha made her Little Women in both bisque and parian.  This particular Jo doll is made up in parian and is dressed in the costume most recognizable for this doll:  a period-appropriate black Zouave-style jacket with applied red and black decoration, a silk full-sleeved blouse and a silk skirt.  Her undergarments include a matched set of petticoat and bloomers made up in a delicate batiste cotton, trimmed with vintage lace.  The requisite blue flat-soled molded slippers adorn her feet.  She is marked:  "52" on the back left side of her shoulder plate and "M.D.T." on the right side of her shoulder plate.  Her body is stamped on the back with Martha's signature stamp.

CONDITION:  Jo is in very good - excellent condition with only a few usual, age-related issues of note.  Her pearl earrings have some oxidation and wear to the finish and there is a bit of foxing/patina on her body.  Her silk blouse only shows significant melting but still displays very well.  (The rest of her outfit is just fine.)  There is also some wear to the flower decoration on her right shoe and a green mark on her left shoe as can be seen in the slideshow photos.  She is a beautiful doll made by a very gifted artist.

SIZE:  Jo is approximately 18 inches tall.

Mercer Girl by Gertrude Florian

This doll is Gertrude's "Mercer Girl", one of the courageous young women that left the comfortable East coast for the wild Northwest at the behest of Asa S. Mercer during the Civil War era.  Asa Mercer's intent was for these women to become brides most particularly, and otherwise balance the 9:1 male-to-female ratio of the Seattle Territory. 

Gertrude crafted her dolls in a custom-formulated ceramic compound, and our Mercer Girl is a lovely example of her success.  The doll's head, arms and legs are made from this unique, rather heavy material, and then painted; and the rest of her body is cloth.  Our Mercer Girl has beautifully carved brown hair styled in the fashion of the time:  a braided bun and a cascade of ringlets; and she wears a darling period ensemble to match.  She is dressed in perfect frontier fashion in a meticulously-made printed cotton gown with tiny cotton lace trim.  Her bodice is lined and the edges of her sleeves are piped.  Her undergarments are a matched set of camisole, bloomers and petticoat, all with finished seams and trimmed with delicate lace.  On the back of her shoulder plate she is marked on the left:  "Mercer Girl", and on the right:  "C (missing part of the G?) Florian.  She appears to have the sweetest disposition imaginable judging by her lovely face, but underneath that sweet and gentle exterior she must have a will of iron if she is going to tame that wild territory and some adventurous bachelor!

CONDITION:  Excellent - very clean with no damage or repairs. The only very minor point of cosmetic note is some slight uneven fading of the printed flowers on the vintage fabric of her dress.  This doll is in display-ready condition.

SIZE:  Approximately 15 1/2 inches tall.

Unusual Artist Replica Parian Bonnet Head Lady Doll

This lady's painting is lovely with gentle blue intaglio eyes, softly blushed cheeks and slightly open mouth, as if she's just about to speak.  She has so many wonderful details:  her arched eyebrows are painted just a tad darker than her flowing blond curls, tiny dots define her nose, she has darling dimples molded into her cheeks and she wears the most wonderful pink pill-box styled hat.  The hat is ever-so-stylish with its painted white embellishments and two molded bows, one at the back and one which ties demurely under the doll's chin.  Her heeled boots are pale blue with darker blue "trim" which matches the darker blue "ribbon" garters painted just under her knees.  Her well-made muslin body includes a self-fabric bust enhancer to ensure an elegant figure in any style of dress.  She is wearing an undergarment set consisting of cotton-blend pantalettes and a one-piece chemise and petticoat combination, both trimmed with eyelet lace and pink ribbon.  A very sweet replica parian lady doll with a gentle and tender disposition.

CONDITION:  Excellent - very clean with no damage or repairs. 

SIZE:  Approximately 17 3/4 inches tall.

Artist Replica of Gertrude Florian's Mother and Baby Doll Set

When we purchased this sweet set, it was thought to be an authentic Gertrude Florian piece.  The painting style and "look" of the face was similar, the clothing was lovely, the position of the dolls so similar....  When we searched for markings on the Mother while photographing the pair we found what appeared to be definitive proof of the set's replica status.  On the back of the Mother's shoulder plate are the words: "Repro" on the left shoulder, and "Florian" on the right.  This prompted us to compare the doll closely to the picture and information on Gertrude's Mother and Baby dolls presented in Helen Bullard's book:  The American Doll Artist, Vol. 1.  The dolls look so similar that it's uncanny.  Whether this is a copy of the original set of dolls made by Gertrude Florian herself, or by another talented artist, we don't know.  It is fascinating however, to consider a "modern" replica of an early artist's work.  The honour is not reserved for antique dolls alone!  It is possible that the only way to own one of these sets is if it is a replica.  In the catalogue section of Helen Bullards's book it is noted: 

Mother and Baby in the Rocking Chair.  Developed over 6 yrs.  First shown (1951) at the Detroit convention of the UFDC.  Original in the artist's collection.  Copies:  3 in 1963.  (The American Doll Artist, Vol. 1, Page 181.)

Perhaps this is one of the three copies???  All of the "detective work" aside however, this Mother and Baby pair are beautifully made by a skilled artist who has captured the signature "inner radiance" imparted in Gertrude's dolls, and they are a joy to behold.  The mother gazes at her child with all of the love in the world evident on her pretty, glowing face!  She is dressed in marvelous vintage fabrics - tan silk taffeta with violet and brown stripes - fashioned into a darling dressing gown embellished with vintage buttons and antique lace, complete with lace-trimmed cotton petticoat and pantalettes.  Tiny faux-leather buttoned slippers cover her feet.  Her mohair wig is beautifully styled in an old-fashioned double-braided bun-over-the-ears hairstyle.  It was very tempting to list her under the Victorian era as her wonderful outfit is so reminiscent of turn-of-the-last-century dressing/morning gown styles, but the soft pink pajama outfit worn by the child seemed a more "modern" ensemble.

 The dolls come seated in their original wooden rocking chair.  

CONDITION:  Excellent overall with the only point of note being some wear to the faux-leather finish of the mother's slippers.  Any white spots on the faces are only from the camera flash - they do not exist in reality.  A wonderful set to add to an Early American Doll Artist collection or to any Fine Art Doll collection.  

SIZE:  Approximately 12 inches tall seated.

Hélène Boullé, Wife of Samuel de Champlain by Madeline Saucier

CONDITION:  Excellent vintage condition with only very minor points of note, these being one tiny moth nibble at her neck which does not go all the way through the felt - just a little indentation, some wear to the edging on her bonnet, some wear to two of the embroidered "v's" at the back hem of her petticoat (the front v's are only folded up in the picture - they are not damaged), two absent faux pearls on her right shoe and two tiny spots of foxing on her stockings.   Minor issues indeed for such a charmingly-dressed, display-ready, rare vintage doll!

SIZE:  This lady is approximately 18 and 1/2 inches tall.