Children of Japan

Children of Japan
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Hinges and Hearts

Hinges and Hearts
An Exhibit of our Metal Dolls

Tuxedo and Bangles

Tuxedo and Bangles

A History of Metal Dolls

A History of Metal Dolls
Now on Alibris.com and In Print! The First Book of its Kind

Alice, Commemorative Edition

Alice, Commemorative Edition
Courtesy, R. John Wright

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Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory

Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory
Her Grace wishes us all a Merry Christmas!

Annabelle

Annabelle

Emma Emmeline

Emma Emmeline
Our New Addition/fond of stuffed toys

Cloth Clown

Cloth Clown

Native American Art

Native American Art

the triplets

the triplets

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby
Bought Athens on the street

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Sand Baby Swirls!

Sand Baby Swirls!
By Glenda Rolle, courtesy, the Artist

Glenda's Logo

Glenda's Logo
Also, a link to her site

Sand Baby Castaway

Sand Baby Castaway
By Glenda Rolle, Courtesy the Artist

A French Friend

A French Friend

Mickey

Mickey
From our friends at The Fennimore Museum

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll
British Museum, Child's Tomb

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll
Among first "Toys?"

ushabti

ushabti
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

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Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase
Courtesy, Antique Daughter

Judge Peep

Judge Peep

Hakata Doll Artist at Work

Hakata Doll Artist at Work
From the Museum Collection

Japanese Costume Barbies

Japanese Costume Barbies
Samurai Ken

Etienne

Etienne
A Little Girl

Happy Heart Day

Happy Heart Day

From "Dolls"

From "Dolls"
A Favorite Doll Book

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Jenny Wren

Jenny Wren
Ultimate Doll Restorer

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Baby Boo 1960s

Baby Boo 1960s
Reclaimed and Restored as a childhood Sabrina the Witch with Meow Meow

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum
L to R: K*R /celluloid head, all bisque Artist Googly, 14 in. vinyl inuit sixties, early celluloid Skookum type.

Two More Rescued Dolls

Two More Rescued Dolls
Late Sixties Vinyl: L to R: Probably Horseman, all vinyl, jointed. New wig. R: Effanbee, probably Muffy, mid sixties. New wig and new clothing on both. About 12 inches high.

Restored Italian Baby Doll

Restored Italian Baby Doll
One of Dr. E's Rescued Residents

Dolls on Display

Dolls on Display
L to R: Nutcrackers, Danish Troll, HItty and her book, Patent Washable, Mechanical Minstrel, Creche figure, M. Alexander Swiss. Center is a German mechanical bear on the piano. Background is a bisque German costume doll.

A Few Friends

A Few Friends
These dolls are Old German and Nutcrackers from Dr. E's Museum. They are on loan to another local museum for the holidays.

Vintage Collage

Vintage Collage
Public Domain Art

The Merry Wanderer

The Merry Wanderer
Courtesy R. John Wright, The Hummel Collection

The Fennimore Doll Museum

The Fennimore Doll Museum

Robert

Robert
A Haunted Doll with a Story

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

The Cody Jumeau

The Cody Jumeau
Long-faced or Jumeau Triste

German Princesses

German Princesses
GAHC 2005

A Little PowerRanger

A Little PowerRanger
Halloween 2004

The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls
Shrine to Dolls in Mexico

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death
Doll House murder

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A lovely dress

A lovely dress

Raggedy Ann

Raggedy Ann
A few friends in cloth!

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI
Pixar Animator's Collection

Little PM sisters

Little PM sisters
Recent eBay finds

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Really old Dolls!

Really old Dolls!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Marque and Rockwell

I was pondering my dolls, and one of the newest editions, a Repro A. Marque, and was struck by the similarity to a Grace Corey Rockwell head in my collection. I also recently read an article in Antique Doll Magazine about an "American Marque" that was, well, an "unmarked Marque" which strongly resembled the French Doll. Below is some catalog information on the A. Marque doll, examples of which were in collections of Dina Vierny, Mildred Seeley, and Dolls in Wonderland. Lot: 17. An Outstanding and Extremely Rare French Bisque Doll by Albert Marque 22" (56 cm.) Bisque socket head with highly-artistic sculpting achieved by a unique four-part mold used only for this doll,prominent definition of facial planes,softly-rounded nose,heart-shaped face with elongated slender throat,brown glass paperweight eyes,thick dark eyeliner,painted dark curly lashes,feathered brows,accented eye corners,shaded nostrils,closed mouth with petulantly-shaped lips,well-modeled pierced ears,original brunette human hair hand-tied wig,original uniquely modeled body with elongated tapered-shape torso,wide hips,undefined waist,composition upper arms,bisque lower arms with bisque attached-ball-joints at the elbows,separately sculpted fingers,wide upper thighs,elongated lower legs with shapely calves,elongated narrow feet. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: A. Marque (incised signature) 65 (inscribed number on head) Cauchoise (pencil signature on foot). Comments: France,circa 1916,the artistic doll was commissioned from and sculpted by the esteemed French sculptor,Albert Marque,for an exhibition presented by Parisian art patron,Margaine-Lacroix in her fashion boutique. It is believed that only about 100 models of the Marque doll were created,most bearing their particular number in the series,this being #65,and some still bearing the pencil notation on their foot describing their costume,this being Cauchoise,referring to French Normandy region of Caux,near to Rouen. The history of the doll from 1916 to 1943 is not known,although at some point it was acquired by the North Carolina antiquarian,Mr. Tipton,whose antique shop in Charlotte and summer shop in the luxury resort town of Blowing Rock,North Carolina presented prestige art objects. In 1943,Mr. Tipton sold this doll to its present owner who cherished and preserved for its next 67 years until its presentation at this auction (the name of this owner will be available to the buyer). The Marque dolls were presented at their 1916 Paris Exhibition in costumes of one of three major themes,this being from the theme of dolls in historical French costumes,namely Cauchoise (the other themes were French court and Russian folklore). Value Points: superbly preserved condition of the extremely rare doll,with outstanding quality of bisque and painting,original wig,perfect original body,original undergarments,signed shoes,and superb ivory silk faille costume with patterned flowers,black velvet ribbon trim,rose silk apron with lace edging,silk sash,earrings,cameo brooch. Realized Price: 160000 I have no pretensions of finidng the ultra rare original Marque, but am currently looking for good replicas and information about all things Marque. I read in a Coleman publication years ago that Andrew Carneghie commissioned Marque dolls for display, and that these cost almost 1000 in the early 1900s, a about 1914. This is a relatively late French bisque in the world of antique dolls, and it comes at a time when other French dolls are supposedly "in decline," though I've always thought even the later SFJB dolls were wonderful.
I include some photos from my files for comparison, and some information on Grace Corey Rockwell, who, like Marque, was an artist.
Here is a link from the Antiques Roadshow Guide to Collectibles, a Google book online, with info on dolls and in particular, comments on Rockwell dolls by the late Richard Wright: http://books.google.com/books?id=Nk14Us8-iCsC&pg=PA265&lpg=PA265&dq=grace+corey+rockwell&source=bl&ots=c-RMANwc0m&sig=L2IH2BeOV_NsH5ciV015ZsswCWY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vCPfUMD1OoiFqgGQ-4CwAw&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=grace%20corey%20rockwell&f=false The site Items of Antiquity advertised a Rockwell doll for $5000; these dolls were usually made in the 1930s, about 16 years after Marque. From the site eloradollhouse.com, comes a repro Rockwell doll for 59.99. http://www.eloradollhouse.com/products.php?cat=85&pg=2
Here is a German database for old toys with information for a Rockwell doll sold by Julia auctioneers: http://www.historytoy.com/Rockwell-Grace-C_4 Database for Old Toys:

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