Parian Dolls

My collection of parian dolls.

I love parian dolls.  This is a picture of my parian doll collection.  While none of mine are antique, they are commercial reproductions from the 1940's and 1950's.  They were imported as a head, hands and feet with a pattern for the bodies.  I bought most of them already put together with no clothes.  They were bought one at a time as I found them. Over time I have dressed them.  I love them and wish I had more of them.  Does a doll lover and collector ever have enough dolls.  There are two or three more I have that are not dressed yet.  Maybe I will get them finished in the future.

More pictures of my collection of parian dolls.

As the price of antique dolls continue to rise I am happy to have my reproductions.
I am seeing collectors buy reproductions.  A few years a reproduction was
frowned on, but most collectors can't spend thousands on a real antique.



This is an antique parian and worth thousands of dollars.  They are  unique beautiful dolls.

 Meissen parian doll

Some History of Parian Dolls

it was not definite who in Europe the first to manufacture porcelain doll heads was. The Royal Porcelain Manufacture (KPM) Meissen was one of the earliest producers. Initially the first dolls were produced as byproducts and only test models. At that time, Meissen made porcelain dishware and extravagant artistic porcelain. 
In eighteen forty, the first porcelain doll heads were produced commercially. Meissen produced head with elegant lady faces which differed from the later little girl doll faces. 


Often frills and flowers were added to the dolls. Yet they weren’t called proper toy dolls and not suitable for children. They were still ornamental porcelain that pleased the eye. Some small children were given these dolls as presents. The precious doll was kept safe until the child had attained the right age and necessary maturity to appreciate the doll. As a result, many of these dolls remain today. 


By 1850 manufactures began to realize that porcelain heads with all of their beauty and strong glossiness seemed unnatural and were thus not perfect. They directed their attention towards an especially fine, white, dull, and transparent type of porcelain: which was called Parian.


The English developed the first parian-ware in the 1840s, and exhibited parian-ware figures at the London International Exhibition in 1851. These figures proved to be very popular, inspiring the Germans to develop their own version of parian porcelain. Soon the many competing German Thuringian companies began making doll heads and limbs in the unglazed white porcelain bisque. They found that they could achieve a higher degree of detail in the modeling than had been possible with the glazed china pieces. Therefore parian dolls can be found with more elaborate hairstyles and in greater variety than the glazed china dolls. There were so many porcelain factories in Thuringia, that it is often very difficult to tell which company made a specific doll. They copied each other's popular models, and employees drifted back and forth between factories. 


The period of the exquisite Parian dolls was quite short because they were still not suitable for child’s play. In addition, their white marble skin color was unnatural so the porcelain was painted flesh-like tone and then was not called Parian but bisque. 
Many Parian dolls are around today because owners knew of their fragility and kept them safe. Children could only play with them as they matured. That is a good thing. I believe these dolls were some of the most beautiful dolls produced.

Another antique Meissen parian doll.

DOLL DAY LOGO

World Doll Day Logo

WORLD DOLL DAY 2018

WORLD DOLL DAY.  CELEBRATE

 World Doll Day is today.  It is always the second Saturday in June.  I am posting Mildred Seeley's proclamation announcing World Doll Day.  So what are you going to do to celebrate the day.

Below is a copy as written by Mildred Seeley.  Please tell all your doll friends.

So, you haven't heard of World Doll Day? This is not surprising. As of an hour ago, I hadn't conceived the idea. Bob Isbell, who does my printing, says when I ask for something to be done by tomorrow, "I'll make it hap­pen," This is what l would like to do with World Doll Day - make it hap­pen. I need only one thing - COOPERATION! I need cooperation of every doll collector, every magazine editor, doll newsletter, doll shop, library, dollmaker, mother, grand­mother, father, grandfather, and all the stray aunts and uncles. The first World Doll Day is the Second Saturday of June 1986. I am getting a doll ready to give. If you don't have a child to give a doll to - find one. There are many children with no dolls. Give a doll to a grownup child in the family or just a friend. 

Think of it this way, and ship a doll to another country. I have always felt that the common doll could be an instrument of world understanding. From the time I first started writing books on dollmaking, I had the hope that dolls would help make friends all over the world and develop a little love among all.
World Doll Day will also be a day for doll exhibits. It is my hope that all libraries will have a special doll exhibit; museums will publicize their doll exhibits and have special exhibits at this time. Magazines will put out special editions. Doll stores will put on selling campaigns weeks ahead. Dollmakers will make special dolls for World Doll Day. There will be doll competitions with World Doll Day awards, plaques and trophies.
The logo is made from artist Boots Tyner's doll representing a child. The child carries a German bisque doll to represent this doll col­lector's gift. Feel free to copy the logo or have more made.
Everyone can join the fun, as there are no fees, no permission needed, no obligations, nobody owns the day, no club, no company. It's a free-for-all. Take up the day, its ideas and fly with it. Let's do it now - World Doll Day.
If you think World Doll Day is a good idea, then appoint yourself a committee of one to do something about it - only then can it become a reality. Would you tell five people, ask them to tell five people and each of them tell five more and so on. World Doll Day's birthday is June 14, 1986.
Sincerely, Mil and Vernon Seeley

P.S. This letter may be copied, and copied, again and again, until the world knows about World Doll Day.

Rainbow Brite

I have always loved the Rainbow Brite dolls.  They are so happy, colorful and cheerful.  I had a beautiful collection of them several years ago, but in having to downsize my doll collection, I sold them.  Am I the only one that misses the dolls from my collection that have been sold.

Original 1980's Story: In a faraway place, right at the end of the rainbow, there is a magical kingdom where all the colors of the earth are created. The kingdom is called Rainbow Land, and living in this wonderful place is a lovable, creative little girl named Rainbow Brite. She uses the colors of the rainbow to make our world brighter and our hearts lighter. Rainbow Brite's best friend is a magical flying horse named Starlite. He serves as Rainbow's protector and guardian, and as her swiftest means of transportation. Rainbow's partners are the Color Kids - seven little people with personalities as varied as the colors of the rainbow. They are responsible for their assigned colors, and for organizing and leading the groups of sprites that match their hues. The sprites are colorful, happy little workers who mine and manufacture "star sprinkles", the magic crystals which form the colors. The favorite sprite of Rainbow Brite is Twink, a white and furry little bundle of energy who was once a sprite of a different color! The villians' of Rainbow Land are Murky Dismal and Lurky - two nasty creatures who live in a place called The Pits. They hate everything colorful and are always plotting ways to capture Rainbow Brite. They want to use color for trickery and evil doings so that the world will be just as murky and dismal as they are. Join Rainbow Brite and her forces of color as they challenge the forces of gloom, in a struggle to keep the world bright and colorful, and to keep our hearts hopeful and happy. From "The Rainbow Brite Story" Pamphlet I think the Sprites were my favorites

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

I found the following article on the origins of the holiday.  Not romantic at all.

Any way

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.

A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. The Romans executed two men by that name on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them.

Those Wild And Crazy Romans

From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain.

The Roman romantics "were drunk. They were naked," says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.

The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right.

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day.

Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lenski adds, "It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. That didn't stop it from being a day of fertility and love."

Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin's Day. Galatin meant "lover of women." That was likely confused with St. Valentine's Day at some point, in part because they sound alike.

William Shakespeare helped romanticize Valentine's Day in his work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe.

Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas

Shakespeare In Love

As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages.

Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. February has not been the same since.

Today, the holiday is big business: According to market research firm IBIS World, Valentine's Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year's sales are expected to total $18.6 billion.

But that commercialization has spoiled the day for many. Helen Fisher, a sociologist at Rutgers University, says we have only ourselves to blame.

"This isn't a command performance," she says. "If people didn't want to buy Hallmark cards, they would not be bought, and Hallmark would go out of business."

And so the celebration of Valentine's Day goes on, in varied ways. Many will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their beloveds. Others will celebrate in a SAD (that's Single Awareness Day) way, dining alone and binging on self-gifted chocolates. A few may even be spending this day the same way the early Romans did. 

Clothespin Dolls

One day recently I read in a newspaper about a lady that made clothespin dolls.  She made storybook, holiday, and all kinds of  scenes using clothespin dolls she custom made for the scenes she was creating.  I was unable to go see her exhibit, but being a doll maker I was curious.  Soooo...... I went to the idea spot:  Pinterest.  I put clothespin dolls in the search window and WOW was I ever surprised at the talent and sophistication of these dolls.  Now I will probably never make one, but I am fascinated and I think you will be also.  I found instructions to make a simple clothes pin doll and I am pining it so you can see how its done.

Fairy Castle Renovation

While researching Astolat Castle, (see previous articles on Astolat  Castle) I ran across some new information on Fairy castle.  You will recall that being the fabulous doll house owned by  silent screen movie star Colleen Moore.

There has been a two hundred thousand dollar renovation of Fairy Castle. Fairy Castle was designed by Coleen Moore, a silent screen star.  It was built in the 1930's and cost millions to construct and furnish. Below is a video detailing the work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwrOw-b81X8

You will have to type in the YouTube link above into your address bar at the top of your screen.  There are several videos on the fairy Castle and Colleen Moore.
Make sure you have 15 to 20 minutes to watch them.  There is also Colleen Moore's granddaughter telling about playing with it with her grandmother.
Fairy Castle is so beautiful and detailed it is breathtaking.


The following article was written by Eloise Valadez.

Colleen Moore's iconic fairy tale castle at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is in the midst of a makeover.

While the castle and all its fixtures, furniture and other trinkets housed within are being refurbished, visitors to the museum can enjoy a special exhibit revolving around this conservation project and actually watch while it's being given a face lift.

"Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle Conservation Project" continues through Feb. 17 at the Museum of Science and Industry.

"It's a good opportunity to take something very familiar to guests and let them see it in a whole new way," said Kathleen McCarthy, director of collections for the Museum of Science and Industry. McCarthy said the castle was closed in late October so conservationists could give it a facelift.

"It took about a week to take the castle apart and then we opened it (the conservation exhibit) to the public," she said. Active conservation work on the structure began in mid-November.

The castle, featuring fascinating miniature items and artifacts, dates to 1935 and was the brainchild of silent film star Colleen Moore.

"The fairy castle was actually designed to travel," McCarthy said. "When Colleen Moore built it, she toured it across the country."

Viewers of the castle paid a small fee - 20 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids - and proceeds went to children's medical charities. The castle, which is close to 9-feet tall, was permanently housed at the museum in 1949.

McCarthy said the majority of the work being done on the structure is due to damage done by its electrical and plumbing systems. Water actually ran through the castle's fountains.

"We're switching out (much of) the electronics and updating with fiber optics. It'll be modern behind the scenes but will be restored to its former glory," she said.

The plumbing system will remain in the castle to keep the historical integrity of the structure, she said. But they're replacing the water with cast acrylics.

Museum guests exploring the conservation exhibit can get an up close view of the miniature artifacts which are now displayed in separate cases. From tiny books to small paintings, vases, tapestries and other items, there's much to explore.

"We're happy to provide guests the opportunity to see this in a whole new way, to see how it was created and see the rooms come together like a puzzle," she said.