Ah, Sweet Mystery of Doll Life, I'm Glad I Found You!!

In every collection, there are some mystery dolls, and we may wonder, "are they, or aren't they?"  In some cases, we aren't sure of a mark, or if they are old.  We have to wonder if we got lucky, or if our luck is just too good to be true.  In this post, in honor of Halloween and El Dia de Muertos, two mysterious times of the year to be sure, I am writing about some of my mystery dolls. To be honest, I don't necessarily want to know "the truth."  I love the dolls, and I didn't bankrupt myself on any of them, and they are good dolls.

Don't all write in to burst my bubble!  They aren't for sale, and  even if they were, I would make it clear that I am unsure of their family history.  The museum has good dolls in all categories, from high to low end, from the sublime to the ridiculous.  We are an equal opportunity doll collecting establishment, but I just love a mystery, and I love to share:



Doll #1:  She is jointed, black oil cloth, hand painted.  "Izannah" is written across her back.  She isn't jointed like a typical Izannah Walker doll, but her face and hair are similar to black Izannahs I have seen.  Her dress was simple shift, similar to that worn by 1920s and 30s dolls.  I've looked through all kinds of books and blogs, some just on Izannah Walker, through articles, and websites,and I find no consistency in scholarship on the dolls' marks.  For example, here is information from the excellent site, DollReference.com: " Izannah F. Walker Doll Company 1865+ Central Falls, Rhode Island USA, primitive stockinette stuffed cloth rag dolls with oil painted or sculptured faces, doll mark Patented Nov. 4th, 1873 or I.F. Walker's Patent Nov. 4th, 1873 or unmarked.  It is believed Miss Walker may have produced her cloth dolls as early as 1840."

Still, I like my doll very much.  For the purists out there, and the high end dealers, we love you, but please don't all burn up The Internet in an attempt to correct me.  Dr. E is stubborn, and won't listen, anyway.  We like our dolls because we like our dolls!

This Huret Head is for sure a Reproduction; she is here for Comparison

Doll #2:  I have one doll head by Huret, who is one of my doll heroes, and yes, horrors, two or three artist made reproductions, including one I did myself, down to the red soutache braid on the dress.  This doll is old, and is marked "Huret" in red letters.  I think she is an antique, but I really don't think she is Huret.  All the same, her price was right and I love her.  Her previous owner as into guns and boys' things.  He was not interested in engaging in a discussion about dolls.  Again, I find discrepancies in marks on Huret dolls; since I don't think her body is original, it is hard to know.  Part of the mystery also likes in my own curiosity; is the current Huret bicycle company of France related to the doll maker?







Doll 3#: I think she is a vintage doll made from Seeley Molds, on an old body.  Her dress is really quite lovely, and carefully lined.  She looks a lot like the antique Marque dolls, but she probably is not an antique.  She did, however, come from the collection Maury Verschoore, once camera man on Saturday Night Live.  Her provenance, alone, makes her priceless to me.  She does have the "A. Marque" signature on the right place.

All Photos of Marque doll courtesy jerryveryjerry