French artist Raymond Peynet made simple line drawings of young Parisian lovers in post-war France. His art work was very popular and this fashion doll was based on it. Technigom in Paris made the 8 in. bendable latex foam doll from 1962 to 1968, following Pegnet’s designs. The subjects ranged from Romeo and Juliet to Brigitte. Bardot. Here is Bonne Nuit with booklet and two small dishes with his drawings.
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1940s Georgine Averill Dolls
These 13 in. cloth dolls by Georgine Averill have been in my collections since the 1940’s. They carry little silk flags of their countries, China and Romania. Georgine dolls have kept their bright colorful faces and outfits for decades.
Georgine Averill Dutch Dolls
By the look of their molded mask faces and cloth body construction, I suspect this 13 in. Dutch couple is the work of Georgine Averill. Her dolls were very popular in the 1940’s when they were given to me, along with the Hawaiian doll of similar construction in back.
Stroodle
There was year when our family of six got involved with a certain “character.” The word “doll” is not quite appropriate. He was a 15 in. white-bearded elf named Stroodle that I made from a pattern by Rainie Crawford.
When our oldest son left home and the USA as an exchange student, his brothers wanted to keep in touch. They created tape cassettes of a make believe morning radio show, “Breakfast with Stroodle.” Our middle son had the role of the obnoxious announcer while our youngest son created the inimitable voice of Stroodle himself. A funny and improbable solution to everyday problems was the premise of the show. Stroodle would describe one of these complaints with the words, “don’t you just hate it when ….” followed by “well, have I got a surprise for you ‘’ followed by a long-winded ridiculous solution. Occasionally I played the part of the excitable, disoriented Mrs. Mudge. Daughter Elaine would break into the show with insulting remarks like, “He’s not a radio host, he’s a stuffed animal!” The character played by their Dad was always looking for a reason why he might “in a minute” remove his belt and administer a sound spanking. There were no more shows recorded after our oldest son returned home but we never forgot the fun we had.
Some of the items surrounding Stroodle are his St. Pat’s hat, gold coins, assorted tools, and photos of fans and relatives. His collection of eight Heinz pickle pins is impressive, even for a Pittsburgher!
Daruma Dolls
The 3.5 in. dolls with roly-poly bodies and plastic faces are Daruma dolls from Japan. Rather than wooden bodies, theirs are lightweight plastic balls covered with brocade fabric. The large 7.5 in. wooden doll from Japan does not have a nodding head but one that turns on an inserted dowel.
Kokeshi Dolls
This is a collection of Kokeshi dolls made in Japan from lathe turned wood. The head is on a dowel inserted loosely into the body such that it nods when moved. They are brilliantly painted and more of an ornament than a toy. Sizes vary from 3.5 to 9 in. Some date from the 1950’s.
Cooking On An Cast Iron Stove
The 7 in. peg-wooden doll is cooking on a cast iron stove while the 4 in. children look on. This little family would feel right at home in a doll house.
Artist Manikin Dolls
The two 13 in. artist’s manikins posed here were precision made of hardwood for adjusting in many positions. I made both outfits from a pattern specifically drafted for them. The similar manikin holding a spool doll shows its construction.
Tyrolean Couple Dolls
A 2.25 in. wooden Tyrolean couple can be seen inside this house plaque. They were originally made to be a lapel pin and hung together on a chain attached to a safety pin. Their arms and legs are peg jointed. The house (circa 1950) is marked, “This Plaque is a Genuine Hand Carved Item made in the Italian Alps.”
The Dolls I Made For Christmas
These 8 in. twins with wooden heads on felt bodies were easy to make and fun to dress. I made them for Christmas many years ago when all the kids were still at home.
