Catalog: Dolls: Antique Dolls: Cloth (231)

This doll has a dynamic face with bright blue eyes and long eyelashes. She has great hands with lovely long fingers and thumbs. She is uncomplicated all one piece of fabric in back and in front. She isn't jointed but she does sit. She has normal length arms but when I photograph here with her clothes on they look short. I don't get it is what it is. (See pictures with her clothes off.) She came bald but with evidence of a wig. I plunked one on her but it is just pinned on...

Antique cloth doll with ink drawn face and hair, a body that is all original and dressed in a period dress, pantaloons and blouse. The wild hand knit red and white wool socks are a surprise but I can picture a little girl putting them on her and thinking they look grand. This is the way I bought her so I have left them on as a talking point I guess... She is jointed at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The clothes are sewn on but it feels like her arms have been replaced...

This is an early heavy rag stuffed cloth doll with ink drawn features and sew through the cloth yarn hair. The yarn is the early homespun single twist and is very nice. She is all hand sewn, jointed shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. She has several layers of socks, the top layer is a wonderful blue linen pair. She came with her under clothes and I added her skirt. She is 20 " tall and is C. 1880

This dynamic painted face black stockinette doll is a sturdy as you get. She has a solidly packed rag body and head that is really heavy. Under the black stockinette body, her body is covered old blue and white ticking as well as her attached arms and legs. Her hair is two tone crocheted string and yarn. I have never seen this technique before but it is very effective. Her dress fits the top of her so tightly I don't think I can get it off without tearing it...

Funky old embroidered face, button eyed, black cloth doll. Antique cloth dolls feel old as well as looking old. The stuffing, whether it is rags or cotton, should feel compact, not spongy like polyester filling or with raw wool is should have a little give but not much snapback. This doll is a good example of not only looking but feeling really old. She is stuffed with cotton and is quite firm with no snapback. Her body is all continuous so sitting is a struggle...

This most unusual black doll is built around a strong wireframe that is bendable to any position you want. She has a fine embroidered face, pinched nose and astrakhan hair. She is wearing age-appropriate clothes are really wonderful. She is in very good condition, is all hand sewn. These one of a kind black dolls are tokens of love, made for a child to play with. She is 15" tall and is circa 1890

In this wonderful, finely embroidered face, black doll you can see fatigue. It makes me wonder just who did make this very fine cloth doll. She is wearing a calico skirt under a work apron, with a blouse and a shoulder scarf. On her feet are hand sewn fabric boots. She is jointed, stuffed firmly with cotton, is holding a baby wearing a bonnet and a bow...

This is a very nice African American cloth man doll in suit and tie and homemade antique hat, (I added). This doll was in the collection of Lenon Holder Hoyte and was exhibited at Aunt Len's museum. This collection was sold a Sotheby's in December 16, 1994 and this doll was one of them. He is made with brown cotton and has astrakhan hair. His face is embroidered very nicely with silk floss...

This nice early little rag stuffed doll has an ink/pencil drawn face with a faint wavy hairline across the top of her forehead. Her body is all original and she is firmly stuffed with rags. Her outfit is age appropriate and I have lost her tag so I don't know about her clothes but they are age appropriate, I did add her hat. She is fully jointed and sits nicely. With a petite little body this wonderful little doll can fit almost anywhere. She is C.1880 and is 14" tall.

A very nice antique black cloth doll with a wonderful embroidered face. She has knotted wool hair pulled through heavy foundation fabric. Her head is round and very hard, her chest is very firm also. Her hips are wide but cotton stuffed as well as her legs. She is very interesting and I can't exactly tell how she was made but I think she is all original and has stockinette and fabric combined in her making. Her dress doesn't come off...

This late 19th C. stockinette doll has a lollipop head with an embroidered face that is more an suggestion of a face than a hard drawn face. Her face is open and kindly, her body is some what soft and comforting to the touch. Her clothes fit really nicely and her pantaloons and petticoat match. She is as found and her clothes feel and look like they have been on her a long time. The back of her head looks like she might have had more stitches to look like hair but only has a few now. This doll i...

This is a very special black doll. She is 16" tall, is rag stuffed and heavy. She has woeful stitched face with small pearl button eyes. Her arms are jointed but her legs are not but she sits really easily. She is wearing an old red wool dress with lace at the bodice and trim around the neck and hem. She is sewn in but you can see she is wearing a fine knit onesie underneath. She has little recovered hands, someone cared enough to cover them. She has holes, the dress has holes, she is amazing. ...

Baby is a big heavy plump doll, all original body and painted face. She has on a dress that fits perfectly but probably isn't original. Her face is worn a little but no damage, maybe it has darkened with age? I think she is the best baby. Nice defined fingers and separate thumbs. She has lost a lot of stuffing in her arms, I don't know how, and her legs have black stockings sewn on but everything feels right and original She is 20" tall and circa 1880

This doll is has a very nice painted face with contrast that is white, but I think the color might have been pink and faded. She has it on her cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. She has a pretty red mouth and dark blue eyes. She has real hair sewn to her head. She has on a full length camisole and a dress with bonnet to match. Her body is very heavy and stuffed or packed with sand. I have only had dolls with sand a few times. She has leather hands and long narrow feet. She probably has another fac...

This is one big heavy girl with a long face and slightly drooping cheeks. She is no spring chicken so I call her Mother Hen, in a loving way. She is 26" tall, big chunky all original body and big practical shoes. Her head is floppy but stays upright leaning against a wall or chair back. Circa 1900-1910

I don't see many pairs of dolls and boys dolls I don't think I have had another pair. The older Daryl looks like he is in control and rather sweet, younger Daryl has apparently gotten the short end of the stick. He is sad. They make a very nice pair and are all original with a few missing pieces. I think they both had belts. They have bold embroidered faces and have gray yarn hair. They are firmly stuffed with cotton, are jointed shoulders and hips, have stitched defined fingers with separate th...

This doll was made with things at hand and with a simple hand drawn pencil face. She has short folky arms with stitched defined fingers. She is stuffed with rag and straw and cotton. She crinkles a bit when squeezed here and there. She is as found in her mustard colored make-do old calico dress. It is sewn closed so I am not going to take it off. Her head may have been recovered at some point but this covering is old, She is jointed at the shoulders and hips so she sits nicely. Her head stays up...

This lovely antique black cloth doll with a simple pencil face is stuffed with rags. I can't remember ever having another black doll with a pencil face. Usually the material is too dark for a pencil face to show. Her body is all original and hand sewn. Her clothes are as found when I bought her. Her top is a knit long john shirt made for a very young child and her skirt is a wonderful antique skirt in soft shades of brown and blue and yellow and green. She is in very good condition with just we...