Some of the first dolls to reach America were wooden English Queen Anne dolls. Any that still exist are extremely valuable. I tried making my own using a plastic egg for the head, on a fully jointed Barbie type body. Before painting the face I glued a small pointed nose. An 1830’s style pattern provided her dress and bonnet.
Colonial Man Doll
In the 1980’s Fred Laughton carved reproductions of Queen Anne type dolls to be sold in the Williamsburg historical district. This colonial man is 12 in. with painted face and flax wig. His legs are peg-jointed but his arms hang from a string around his neck. He is dressed in a Ken Prince outfit from Mattel. The little tricorne felt hat also came from Williamsburg.
1900 Hand-Carved Peg-Wooden Doll
I was happy to find this 12 in. early 1900’s hand-carved peg-wooden doll. These affordable wooden dolls were also called “penny-woodens” or “Dutch dolls” and were popular in America from early days till the 1920’s. Many were imported from Germany. This one was found in an antique shop. I recognized it from in a 1968 Hobbies magazine advertising an entire lot of old stock peg-woodens at bargain prices. Her crudely carved body is covered with undergarments I made for her.
Artist Manikin Dolls
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.
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.
