Catalog (359)

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

This is a really nice straight forward hand sewn flannel doll, with a very nice embroidered face. Her body is stuffed and I mean stuffed with rags and she is really solid. She bends at her ankles and that is it. I tend to think that she is from Pennsylvania because of the type of flannel she is made with. It makes me think of the Amish flannel toy dogs. She is all original, the dress if it is not original once it got put in it stayed on. It fits her like a glove and I would hate to try to get it...

The is a very nice all original milliner's doll. She has a fine detailed face and hair, the paint has some rubs but no flaking. She had a leather body with attached arms and legs. She dress has some age related staining but is all intact. She is a wonderful little milliners doll. Circa 1860

Such a sweet heart with a very dainty stitched face in red and yellow thread. For such an early face it is a surprise to see that there is another one under this face. I would never remove it but it for some reason got recovered. Reminds me of a Christmas morning when I got just what I wanted, a Little LULU doll and was so thrilled. I was 8 years old, put her in my bicycle basket and rode my bike to show my best friend up the street. It was a warm NE Christmas, I hit a bump and Little Lulu ended...

This doll has an oil painted face on fine linen cloth. Her face is lovely but her eyes are just looking over my head. I think she is lost in thought. Her body is shapely and she is stuffed firmly. Her arms and legs and jointed and she is all handsewn. She has mitten hands with lots of wear and black stockings with leather shoes that look original to her. She has on a petticoat and a brown checked dress that is early but not original. The sleeves are a little short. She is 15" tall, has long yel...

This sweet little black doll has the look of a 24" doll. She is old, her clothes are early, soft and hang nicely. Her leather shoes are original and it is always a mystery of how they get so worn. She has raised eyes and mouth done with layers of yarn. She has a cotton stuffed curvy little body that sits easily. Her yellow dress is a little fragile and the kerchief around her shoulders is old but not as old as she is. She is 13" tall and C. 1890

Not all black dolls have black bodies. Some of the best dolls I have had were dolls that the maker took an old rag doll and gave the doll a black head. In the Jim Crow era, it became common in the north for mothers to teach their children about the plight of African Americans, by making a black doll for them. So mothers even ones that were not really skilled at sewing were making black dolls. Putting a black covering over a rag doll was one of the easiest ways. This is one of those dolls black h...

This Sisters' bonnet is black bonnet was probably for special occasions. Over the black silk is a fine black mesh even over the neck ruffle. The bonnet is lined with purple silk that was meant not to show as it is inside the bonnet and the underside of the neck ruffle. It does have some wear around the front edge of the bonnet where the material has pulled away a bit. The netting has some area on the neck ruffle that are rough but in general is displays well. The foundation of the bonnet is a ...

This early Shaker sieve has a design in the horsehair woven mesh. The sieve has wooden pegs all around the edge and the lap is nailed. The rims on top and bottom are a little rough from use and the strainer has two areas at the edges that have weakened, see pictures. This is early and very nice and displays easily hanging on a peg or nail. It is 13 1/2" 4" high. C. 1830

This is a very nice Shaker wheel walker with nice surface wear on the working end. 7 1/2" and is circa 1840 (. The finger is used to begin or lengthen the turn of the spinning wheel. A person holds the rounded end, and the lip on the other end rests on a spoke in the great wheel. Apply pressure upward or downward to begin the wheel to spin - or to accelerate an already spinning wheel - then slip it back into your apron and get spinning.) Courtesy Clyde M.

SALE The scarf is probably NH and is dated and also has an initial, Al. It is handwoven and is 38" on two sides and then 47" across the back. It is 1/2 of a square, triangle. It is in perfect condition. The colors are beige, brown, and tan. This is a museum-quality Shaker scarf.

Cloth dolls come in all sizes and all kinds of bodies and faces and they can be so unique. This one doesn't really stand out in a crowd but she does hold her own in a spot light setting. She is all hand sewn, has great braided hair framing her face and is wearing a lovely old brown calico dress and velvet bonnet. Her body is stuffed with cotton and she sits easily. She has big feet pointing east and west. She is a charmer. 16" and Circa 1880 Her dress has some shredding on the front above the w...

A sweet little rag stuffed doll with a suggestion of a face. She has on aearly blue and white dress, not original but my guess it has been on her a long time. She is C. 1880-90 and 11" tall with the dress adding another inch or two.

Painted cloth face that has the look of leather. She has a pinched nose and pinched mouth and embroidered with red floss. She has boton eyes and great twisted brown string hair. She is an early doll and night have two other faces under this one. Her body is very firmly stuffed with cotton. She is all hand sewn, sits nicely, and sewn on two layers of socks and great early hand sewn leather boots. The dress is age appropriate but not original. She came from Maine and is circa 1880 and is 20" tall

This antique cloth doll has look that she came from Pennsylvania. She has the one continuous swooping line for her nose. She has on a flannel dress that is also hand sewn. She is rag stuffed and quite heavy. She is plump with big arms and legs and feels and looks like she is all original. Her head moves back and forth a little but is not floppy. Just out of some play box over 199 years ago. 18" tall and circa 1880-90

Here are two very small Civil War dresses measuring just 20". They are all hand sewn, the fabric is wool and silk I think, and as fine and thin as tissue paper. It is amazing that even though the have been worn and have a couple little mends, they look almost new. The fabric is strong with no shredding or signs of wear. They look wonderful hanging. C. 1860's.

A very folky early rag doll with pencil face and a touch of blue in her eyes. Every thing is sewn on her and I do believe it has been that way a long time if not original. She has a little square head and no neck and straight across shoulders and short little arms, just the cutest! She has wide hips and hinged arms and legs. Her head is a little floppy front to back but a ribbon tied around her neck I think would remedy that. She is stuffed with cotton and rags and is quite heavy. Her blue ca...

This charming character painted face cloth doll looks so proper. She has a great face that has many coats of white paint. She has blue eyes, applied nose and a tiny black line for her mouth. From her elbow down her arms and painted white and her legs from the knees down are painted black. Her body is very nicely constructed and is stuffed just right for holding. I didn't try very hard to get off her pantaloons, someone worked very getting them over her painted legs but her body is all original. ...