These 8 in. plastic artist’s manikins are the same size as the wooden peg dolls and can wear the calico dresses or something more modern.
Category Archives: Wooden
Hand Made Wooden Peg Dolls
Shown here are two 8 in. peg-woodens made by my son Allan. I dressed one and the other shows how the parts were put together.
Peg-Wooden Dolls
Here are three very basic peg-woodens, constructed by simply attaching arms and legs to a torso. The one in yellow (8 in.) was made by my son Allan after I suggested that he try out my miniature lathe. Using the lathe, he turned wood dowels into the five parts of the doll. I made the clothes.
Felicity: Peg-Wooden Doll
In 1991 the Pleasant Co. made 18 in. American Girl dolls representing different eras, such as Felicity from the 18th century. They came with various accessories, some even with their own doll. Shown here is Felicity’s 5.5 in. doll, a peg-wooden with a blue silk gown just like Felicity’s. She is seated at a Petite Princess piano, part of Ideal’s Fantasy Furniture, 1964-65.
Shackman Early American Doll
In the 1990’s Shackman made this 5.5 in. reproduction, five-part wooden doll, called Early American Doll. This is her original dress. Black felt was glued on the feet for shoes. The box is stamped “made in Japan.”
Shackman Dolls
Shown here are a couple of 5.5 in. peg-wooden dolls, 1980’s reproductions by Shackman of dolls that were popular in America in the 1850’s. They have the hinged joints of the originals. Even Princess Victoria of England was interested in such dolls. At the age of 14, she and her sewing teacher were dressing these carved wooden dolls. Thirty-two of them were dressed in hand sewn outfits by Victoria herself; some of which are now in the London Museum. The dolls were 3 to 9 in. tall, jointed at knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders. Their painted faces had the addition of a little pointed nose. They were dressed like popular celebrities of the day – dancers, singers, actresses, and members of the Court.
Trying To Make A Wooden-Peg Doll
Once while experimenting with polymer clay, I tried making a 6 in. peg-wooden lookalike. The clay was used to make the head, shoulders, arms, and legs, which were attached to a cotton stuffed body. I only made this one, much preferring the wooden reproductions.
