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Nelling, Inc.
E a r l y D o l l s
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Early French China as "Wartime Water Girl" $995. |
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Depicting a young lady in her wartime costume in the 1840's, we have a 10” French china shoulder head with full leather body. She is wearing the costume of a water girl who would carry hydration to the troups on the battle field, hence the wooden water barrel that she earnestly carries with her. |
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Her molded black hair is in a early, short style and the painting on her face is refined. The uniform she wears is of a light-weight wool skirt and short jacket, with a red and white striped apron, and a dark wool regimental cap. Undergarments and black shoes are all antique. Based on her era of manufacture, she may have served in the Franco Moroccan war of the 1840's. |
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Dollhouse "Alien Head" 5 1/4" |
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Wooden and Paper Mache $895. |
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With this petite German paper mache head having a jointed Grodnertal-like wooden body, it is known as an “Alien Head”. She is more rare as she is an earlier paper mache, introduced during the transition from the age of German wooden dolls. The original finish of her head and shoulders has typical surface cracks that with the naked eye are not as noticeable as with the camera close-ups. Her silk costume with metallic paper trim is all original and is of the 1840's period, as is her centerparted hairdo with pulled back bun. |
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Joel Ellis Wooden Doll 12" |
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Missing Face Paint $825. ON HOLD |
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If you are an early wooden doll or even an early American doll collector, a nice addition to your collection is an American made, Joel Ellis wooden doll, made in 1873-74 by the Co-operative Manufacturing Co. in Springfield Vermont. The doll is know for it's carved and sculpted wooden head, intricately jointed wood body and metal hands and feet. One of the hands on this doll is closed as it to hold an object and she is the version with black painted hair. What happens to most of these dolls is that the paint on the face wears off, depending on where it was kept or how it was played with which explains why most of the facial finish is gone. |
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This is reflected in the price. The paint on her hands and feet, which are molded black boots, also has some wear, however the body is in very good condition and has a rich, aged tint. The cotton dress is sewn on to her bodice, however the skirt was lifted for viewing of the legs. She also has a cotton apron and both of these pieces of clothing are as old as she is. |
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English Wax Lady $695. |
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What an elegant wax lady (16") in her original costume and wig, with pierced ears! Her blue glass eyes and a hint of a smile look to the side with her slightly turned shoulder head as she shows off her original earrings. A strawberry blond head of inserted mohair is swept up into an elaborate do, encircled by a long braid at the crown. |
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Her rich, burgundy silk costume is in excellent condition with its black silk trim and intricate lace collar/shawl that matches the lace trim on the sleeves. She has a sturdy cloth body with wax lower arms and hands that has stitched jointing, and as her costume is originally secured, there is a shot of her starched undergarments and black leather shoes to show a bit of what is underneath. Her only flaw is a bit of flatness to the tip of her nose. |
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Early Continental Doll 27" |
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Composite over Wood $6,950. |
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As with many early dolls from the European continent, this intriguing wooden female most probably started out as a creche or religious figure and with some style and grooming changes over the centuries, now stands as a refined lady. She looks to be French from the late 18th century with a very expressive face having enamel eyes, character features, and detailed molding of facial structure and ears. Her antique long, mohair wig is an addition and not original, covered by an antique lace mob cap.. |
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| Head and shoulder are stationary and the material is a wood/paper/gesso composite over a layer of carved wood underneath. The cloth upper arms are jointed at the shoulder and are composite from the elbow to the hands. The rest of the body is wood with a painted gesso surface jointed at the hips and knees, painted white stockings and cared footwear. The doll cannot reach a full sitting position as the jointing is stiff. Her undergarments are antique with the pantaloons actually looking as old as she is, however the dress is made in the 21st century with old fabrics. Her face has had professional, conservative touch up to retain her stately and regal presence. |
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English Wooden Girl in Her Early Box SOLD |
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While dolls of the late 1700's are fairly difficult to find, including clothing and items from her era, have rarely survived with the doll. Total originality cannot be promised, however many belongings of this important English wooden doll (24") from the late Georgian lineage can be attributed to her own early existence. Her rounded, carved head and torso are one piece and she has her original paint surface. |
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Blue enamel eyes that are sometimes found on dolls of this period give her a striking presence, and she has painted dot eyebrows and lashes with a healthy splash of rouge on ther cheeks. Her original lip color has rubbed off and could be carefully and meticulously added, if prefered. To her head is nailed her tiny ringlets of platinum and what is left of her original bonnet. A crocheted, antique replacement bonnet covers the remnants of the original which is a pale, pale peachy polished cotton. |
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It is pleasing that this ancient bonnet matches the color of her original, polished cotton slip. She also has an organdy, original looking slip that matches her tucked camisole. What is interesting about her body is that the wood torso is slightly stuffed and covered with a fine burlap type material and her arms and legs are of white kid leather with the legs having white cotton faux pantaloons worn on the legs. |
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Her early floral print dress is from the turn of the 18th century and is of a fine cotton, having a few small holes that are insignificant and her special slippers are endearing, palest pink leather with a faint, repeated pattern of spots. Last but not least is her paisley fabric pocket that hangs from her waist. All of this history and pleasantry is snugly contained in a crude, wooden box that is from her time and has been with her through the ages. |
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Early Tuck Comb 12 1/2" |
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Grodnertal Wooden in Box LOST BY USPS - GONE |
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Reclining in her bent wood container, this endearing Grodnertal wooden doll looks quite comfortable and very well preserved. She has a yellow painted tuck comb, black hair trimmed with spiraled wisps of bangs around the forehead, an egg shaped head with all her little painted features placed on the bottom half of her face, typical of these early girls. Only her nose has some restoration and there are only spots of wear to her fair complexion, while she retains her blushed cheeks and pierced earrings. Her expression is unusually sweet! |
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Her body is completely of wood, jointed at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, for full articulation, both her lower arms and legs have finished surfaces, and she has the signature cadmium red painted slippers. Her clothing is completely original to her 1820's time of production, and consists of a sheer, light lavender on white cotton print dress, with highly puffed upper sleeves that made fashion news around this time. In addition, her delicate muslin cotton slip and pantaloons are original and all clothing is in very nice condition. |
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