• "NS" Doll - likely made by Norbert Sadei from Italy
• Doris Hupp Hitty

I was fortunate to locate this doll (5/98) and examine it personally. I found that this doll and all of her clothing were labeled "Hupp and a number". The book that originally came with this set was badly damaged and all of the color plates had been removed (likely to be sold separately), but it held an important key to identifying the doll artist since Doris Hupp's signature was found written in the front cover of this 1930 Hitty book.

I was able to track down more information about Doris Hupp and was delighted to find that this Hitty was Doris' first attempt at carving dolls and it led to her creating a fabulous doll collection, refurbishing antique dolls, and sculpting a few more original wooden dolls. I would love to find some more wooden dolls sculpted by this very talented lady.

• Kentucky Poppet Dolls -

I found a photo and detailed information (1/98) in the Coleman's Doll Encyclopedia.
• Swiss type doll proved to be a true Brienz Swiss doll -

I found another Swiss doll (4/98) with the exact same body jointing method.
• Carved Hair Mystery Doll - was made by Marion Krahmer
• Poppy Doll Co -

I was fortunate that Chuck Daniels, a collector, offered some photographs and some information aobut his "Scarey Ann" including the box. This will help illustrate this type of redwood toy/doll. I also found several references to The Poppy Doll Company in the Coleman Doll Encyclopedia.

Antique Mystery Wood Dolls
Can you help with more information or do you have a mystery wood doll to share?

RARE HURET AND JUMEAU WOODEN HEADS

How many wooden headed Jumeau and Huret dolls are there?
Was this a short-lived experiment to try to create the elusive "indestructible bebe"?
Were these wooden dolls a special order from Huret?

Will anyone share a photo of their wooden head Huret and wooden head Jumeau?

Oriental looking doll  photo by Jean D. Lotz

Oriental looking "US Folk Doll"? This 29" doll has very hard wood head hands and feet strung on a simple tubular shaped muslin body. The carving is simple and crude. It has been repaired / repainted. There is a light uneven top-coat of yellow shellac. You can see filler material behind the ear area. The head is very flat and shallow. The body might be a replacement.  The wig was a collection of misc. wigs layered together. I removed the obvious late additions to leave her with just a very sparse silk thread wig which may be original to this doll.  The doll was dressed very strangely and inappropriately in an old, cotton slip (possibly a modified old apron) which is just safety pinned in the back and a long cotton "pioneer style" dress and bonnet. It looks like it is a US Folk Doll made to represent an oriental lady. She looks Korean to me. Do you have any information to share about her?

Antique Fakes? - Mystery Wood Dolls

Antique Fake Santos / cage dolls
I have been seeing a lot of Santos and cage dolls for sale via the Net and from collector photographs that have some symptoms of antiquing. Who is creating these well carved fakes, when and where?

"Antique Fake" or "Antiqued" Shoulderheads

Since I first displayed the shoulderhead below, several collectors have sent me information and photographs of similar dolls in their collections. I would like to know who made these dolls, about how many were made, and when. Please share your knowledge!

These dolls share many characteristics: the body pattern; the way the arms and legs are joined to the body; puckered lips with deep corners; strongly painted eyes; and the "baby styled dress and bonnet". They typically have black broad brush stroked hair but I have seen at least one with wonderfully carved hair. The differences noted in some examples can be the result of efforts to make them cheaper, or due the work of a different set of "workers" producing these dolls.

The treatment of the ear each doll may be different. So far, I have seen 3 different ear treatments in these dolls:

• the inner ear defined by carving with just 3 gouge passes - the carving tool marks are very obvious.
• the inner ear is defined by carving a "S-curve".
• the ear was a simple wedge of wood.

Unfortunately some collectors are being told some fabulous tales to make them believe the dolls are true antiques. The only way to combat this bad situation is by educating collectors so that they can recognize these antique fakes and stay clear of dealers trying to validate the age of these dolls with creative stories.

Some people call them "reproductions" but they are NOT a reproduction of an existing great antique doll but rather a copy of a style of antique doll. So what are they reproductions of? My guess is that the makers were emulating early Colonial American wooden shoulderheads.

Many people call them "antique fakes". I have one in my collection. I use it for my research, and I wouldn't mind owning a few more to redress.

A PARADOX: These durable dolls will eventually be old enough to be an antique. They will be very old but they should always bear this stigma: once a fake, always a fake!

Antique Fake Shoulderheads: head without a body (same as below but without the body)
 

Shoulder head with no body photo by Jean Lotz ANTIQUE FAKE? Yes they are out there!

A close examination of the shoulder head without a body (see the illustrating photo to the left)  If you closely examine the shoulder head, then you will see several symptoms of "antiquing". It looks in great condition with no evidence of "natural looking" wear. Instead a wash of dark oil stain was applied over the whole thing to make it seem older. The wood looks very dark on the underside, the wood is dark but some of the color comes from the antiquing methods used.

Although he as a particular charm - he was very quickly carved. You can see tool marks left by traditional carving tools. The inner ears were defined with just 3 gouge passes. His features are not symmetrical, and his hair is quickly painted with broad-brush strokes. The wood was roughed out with a bandsaw or large coping saw because traces of these cuts are still visible at the base of the neck and under the shoulder plate.

If this doll was created as an antique reproduction, then it should be have been signed and dated labeling it as a reproduction, but this doll is NOT!Thus the label "ANTIQUE FAKE" seems to fit.

One of the members in my local doll club said that many "antique fakes like this one" were made a few years ago. I am currently searching for more information on these "antiqued wood dolls". When and where did they first show up on the doll market?

I refer to this doll as a boy because it looked like a boy to me. But I have since discovered that these dolls were typically dressed as girls in horribly inappropriate looking dresses. I don't care. These are not valuable dolls as they were originally created so I can have fun and do as I like to make mine what I want it to be. So I still hope to make a body, arms and legs and dress the one in MY COLLECTION as a BOY and a very fancy dude too!

Antique Fake Shoulderheads: paint brushed hair type heads with bodies and dresses
 

dressed with matching bonnets photo thanks to private collector

More Photographs: photos thanks to a private collector full-length typically dressed dolls undressed to show the cloth body style side view undressed to show the arm/leg jointing - note the holes drilled in the sides. leg and arm attachment method. Note the strings sewn through a hole in the sides.

Antique Fake Shoulderheads with carved hair (made by the same person(s) as those above)
 

see back of head see a full length image     photos thanks to Lonnie Moore

This is a wonderful wooden doll but unfortunately it falls under the "antique fake" category. Carved hair dolls can definately become a very handsome part of a collection if they are redressed and supported by a very strong doll stand. I have seen five "antique fakes" with carved hair. Each were strikingly different. The hair styles were totally different. Most look like boys with long hair. Only one has looked like a girl.  A lot more care and time was put into creating these dolls, but they still share a lot of similarities with the rest of these "antique style dolls". Compare this head with the one without a body above and note the similarities in the carving of the features, the long, thin nose, the overall paint job, and the striking painted eyes. Some have very pronounced grooves carved  on the sides of the mouth. The most obvious similarities are the typical frumpy cloth body, and the way the wood parts are attached to the body.

Have Some Fun With Them - Re-dress Them!

Although it is NOT as old as it looks, considered a fake by many, and will never be as valuable as a true antique, I still like these dolls. They are very durable carved dolls that you don't have to be too concerned about protecting. They can be displayed anywhere in you home and they will demand immediate attention from all of your visitors. Unfortunately you may also occasionally hear a "yuck, you have one of those fakes in your collection" comment but just ignore the rude comment and enjoy your doll.

These can be a doll costumer's dream doll. Although these dolls were typically dressed in inappropriate girl bonnets, dresses and pantaloons, I don't visualize this doll as being a girl. This would make a really fine looking Victorian Boy dressed in a very dapper, fancy suit.

I can't stand the frumpy long-waisted bodies that come with these dolls, and I despise the original clothes. Such a waste of attractive wooden parts. They are not tremendously valuable in their original state, so I believe that they can be redressed. They can be made to look more impressive and appropriate. If these dolls are redressed in long costumes, then the original body and clothes can be kept but well hidden under the better looking costume.

Don't display them slumped over in a chair! Stand them up supported by a very strong doll stand. They will command attention with their height and strong facial features.

Question: Will it be worth all of this work?
Answer: Only if you are doing this work your own enjoyment, because "an antique-style doll" will never have the value of a true antique.

Redressing suggestions:

• a nun - One of these dolls appeared on Ebay fabulously dressed as a nun. A strong stand held her up straight and she was spectacular!
• Victorian Boy in the finest clothes
• Victorian Christmas Carolers - men in long coats, or women in long dresses and long capes.
• Witch, Warlock, or Socorer
• 3 dolls can be dressed as the 3 Moustateers
• Pheobe Prebble holding a Hitty doll. These dolls are big enough to carry this story book doll set off well. See my Hitty pages for more information.

Modern Mystery Wood Dolls
Can you help with more information?
 

Refugees or Homeless Men by a mystery artist   click for full-length view photo by Jean D. Lotz

Two Vagrants, Refugees or Homeless Men These two dolls look like they belong in a diorama depicting a group of refugees or homeless people trying to stay warm. They are very expertly carved having details down to the knuckle wrinkles and fingernails. The cloths are good quality materials (silk and wool) which have been intentionally distressed and soiled (with paint?) They have wood heads, hands, and feet on an unstuffed wire armature except for one hand. One doll has a triangular chunk of wood for his hip area to provide a stable platform for sitting. They are posed in uncomfortable looking, exaggerated positions as if they were supposed to be interacting with other dolls or some missing accessories. The paint on the wood parts is very expertly painted with glazed base colors. An aging patina technique has been used to achieve a "dirty" effect. There are traces of lighter paint on the hands as if it was applied and largely removed to give the impression of age or soiled surfaces.

The hands of the doll wrapped in the blanket remind me of some of the poses found on religious icons or crèche figures. This doll's left hand is loosely tied into the sleeve rather than being attached via a wire.

These are not old dolls. I would be surprised if they were more than 8-10 years old.

Who is the artist and what diorama were they made for? What accessories are missing?

I don't know of this artist. Does anyone have a clue? There have been 2 on-line auctions with very similar artist dolls.One was described as follows:

"This is a most unique doll. It has been handcarved and is all wood, the whole body. The arms, legs, knees, Shoulders are all jointed with wooden pegs. Face,hair, and shoes, are hand painted. Her hair is pulled back in a bun. Her outfit is handmade also, she has on bloomers with lace and a full slip with lace. She is much prettier than this picture shows. She is 15" tall. Expertly done, and a real collectors piece. I have one more from the same Estate Sale. On her hips is carved C.J. 1977"