home ] [ about us ] [ accessories ] [ all bisques ] [cloth dolls] [ early ]  [ fashion dolls ] [ french dolls ] [ furniture ] [ german dolls ] [ misc. dolls ] [ policies ] [clothing]

Earl     

Nelling, Inc.

G e r m a n   D o l l s

page  1, 2

(Click on photos to enlarge)  

Early Round Face Kestner $1650.

One thing that was never compromised at the Kestner factory was the quality of their product.  With so many types and molds to choose from, you can always be sure of beautiful bisque, sharp molding, appealing faces and lively or endearing characters.  In the early child doll category, we have a series of facial shapes, this one being the round early face with that creamy bisque, brown glass sleep eyes, closed mouth, slightly pouty, softly shaded cheeks and and antique, blond mohair wig.

Also, never disappointing are the Kestner bodies, this one being a fine quality, fully jointed. composition child body with straight wrists and realistically curved limbs.  Her crisp, white cotton clothing makes her shine from the undergarments to the low-waisted summer frock.  In her hair she wears a wreath of antique flowers, and she wears antique brown leather shoes that are worn.  She stands 12 3/4" tall.

s s s    

Kestner "Gibson Girl" $1650.

The Edwardian era of fashion was a brief one, making the hunt for dolls and clothing of that period an enticing challenge for many collectors. (Me for sure!) Based on the drawings of Charles Dana Gibson, this 19" lady's attitude with an upturned chin and confident pose makes her the poster child for a time when women were breaking boundaries and learning to find their place and be themselves.

Along with her clean, smooth bisque, she makes her statement with brown glass sleep eyes, a finely molded nose, tight closed lips and an auburn mohair wig in an easy but neat up-do.  Her bisque shoulder head is mounted on a Kestner, rivet-jointed leather body that has hinged, bisque lower arms.  As fashion began its extreme move into more ease for the women of the day, we see a much leaner silhouette, without the extra baggage of a bustle and frontal waist padding.  Under her dusty rose long skirt of antique silk and her lace blouse with puffed sleeves are her antique under garments that include an actual miniature brassiere.

s s s    

Handwerck 79 Child $365.

The Heinrich Handwerck dolls are highly respected and because their product line was on the more affordable side, many young collections included one of these lovely children.  The bisque is smooth on this 17" girl, the bright blue eyes sleep, and the mouth is open with little teeth.  The original, blond mohair wig must have been cut only on one side by an enthusiastic owner, so the unevenness can be hidden by pinning up the longer side.  She is incised with a "79" on the back of the head, one of their harder to find mold numbers.

The fully jointed body is in very nice condition and very endearing is her country cotton original white and blue striped cotton dress with removable apron.  There is some damage and discoloration to the dress hidden under the apron.  The undergarments also look original as all three pieces, the camisole, slip and pantaloons strategically button to each other!  Straw bonnet is antique, however socks and turquoise shoes are vintage.

s s s      

Kestner VIII  SOLD

From the same, highly sought after series of the Kestner IX, X, XI and XII, comes this very rarely seen mold VIII, incised on the upper back of the head. She stands 16" tall and has a familiar, but then different face from her sisters, with her blue orbs of glass eyes, slim nose, peachy rose closed lips with a darker separation line, feathered eyebrows and meticulously spaced eyelashes.  Her bisque is creamy with faint rouge colored cheeks, she has beautifully molded ears and wears a replaced, but high quality, wheat blond mohair wig.

Her fully jointed composition body with straight wrists is of the classic, French Schmitt type, with well toned limbs, detailed molding of torso and original finish. Her French-style dress is of antique fabrics and she wears a matching straw bonnet with coordinating trims.  Her pale sea foam shoes are antique and of painted oil cloth.

s s s      

Kestner "Hilda" 21"

Mold 237 $1975.   ON HOLD

Here we have a Kestner Hilda baby that impresses with both size and beauty!  At 21" long, she is bigger than life with blue glass sleep eyes that are also full of life, beautiful, baby soft bisque and shading, an open mouth with teeth and well molded ears.  She has her original Kestner plaster pate, never removed and on top of that is her original, sandy brown mohair wig that is abundant and wavy.

Her five-piece composition Kestner baby body that must  have its left hand in and right hand out,  is in excellent condition and almost a shame to cover up!  But if it must be covered, she wears what may very well be her original, long baby gown that not only has a full length cotton slip, but also a full length, light wool warming slip in butter yellow.  Her antique bonnet is a softly vivid light blue silk, she has antique knitted booties and around her neck hangs her very own glass baby bottle.  All set as she begins her new life!

s s s       

K*R Flapper Child and Extras 7" Doll

in Original Store Box $695

Still attached in her original store presentation box is this darling little Kammer and Reinhardt girl with some extra clothing and accessories.  She has blue sleep eyes, an open mouth with teeth, reddish brown mohair wig and a five-piece composition, flapper type body with molded shoes and socks,  Her right leg has a crack on the lower shin.

Along with the original yellow organdy dress and matching bonnet she is wearing, there are a couple of outfits for changing attached on either side of her, plus a celluloid mirror, a hankerchief and an extra bonnet.  The original store box has a colorful lid motif of two children and says "Dolly and Her Playtime" and all sides of the lid are present, however three of them have come loose.  The bottom is covered in the original pink paper and the condition of the overall cardboard is strong so someone skilled could probably rebuild the box.

s s s     

Rare German Bru Jne. Mold 132  $3200.

The Sonneberg 132 mold (16") is the closest German made example to replicate the Bru Jne face, as the features so closely resemble those of its inspiration, without the added character aspects seen in dolls from the various makers.  She has the gentle expression with a bit of attitude like a Bru Jne with her sky blue spiral sleep eyes, full lips on a closed mouth that is slightly parted, lush, soft lashes and brows and pale bisque with a gentle rose blush on the cheeks and pierced ears.  She has an open dome, just like a French doll!

Even her fully jointed French type body has the aspects and molding of a Bru composition body, with slightly sloped shoulders, chunky limbs and jointed wrists (some patches of paint loss on left leg).   Her artistic antique frock has a narrow, dark vertical stripe, with panels of climbing floral designs in between, and flack velvet accents on the collar and faux pockets.  The dramatic black velvet mood continues with the high-brim bonnet adorned with some colorful fabric flowers.

s s s      

Grace Putnam 1369 Baby 11 1/2"

Rare Bye Lo with Composition Body SOLD

Every doll collector has seen or owned one of Grace Putnam's Bye Lo babies on the cloth, frog type body, as standard member of so many collections.  Once in a while, one of these rarities comes around, the 1369 mold baby that is slightly refashioned to have a more vivacious character face, with blue glass sleep eyes, closed mouth, molded, light brown hair on solid dome and a socket head on fine quality, five-piece composition baby body.

On the back of the torso, there is a red stamp that says "Made in Germany" in a circle around the initials of K.W. for Koenig and Wernicke, the makers of the doll body.  The flowing, antique white cotton baby gown and slip are trimmed with layers of lace, the baby wears a white lace bonnet and a bone teething ring with silver metal bell. Included is a cozy, antique pillow for display and for nap time!

s s s       

Bru-like Sonneberg Child 18"

Circle Dot Bru Look ON LAYAWAY

With such a close resemblance to a Circle Dot Bru, this German doll from the Sonneberg region is proof yet again that the artistry of the French doll firms like Bru and Jumeau was so respected and well imitated by other companies.  This is one of the best examples and the quality of her bisque and body are remarkably French in every way.  This is not the Kestner Bru, but most probably made by the factory of Gebruder Kuhnlenz.

The glass eyes are luminescent blue, the brows and lashes painted beautifully, the bisque very pale with peachy rouged cheeks and the mouth closed by with a tongue space in between to accentuate the Bru features.  She has pierced ears and a vintage, rusty red mohair wig with long locks.  Her fully jointed composition body is so French in nature with its chunky silhouette, flat elbow and knee joints and the posing of the jointed hands, and it has normal wear throughout with a small flattened circular area at the left chest.  Her matching, fancy frock and bonnet are expertly make in the French style with older fabrics.

s s s     

Simon Halbig "Santa" $595.

Having that lovable, cheerful face of the Santa, we have here the mold 1249 (18") of the series, however she steers from the expected once you notice her body.  Instead of a fully jointed composition body we are accustomed to, she has a rare, original body that has a pink, yes pink, high quality kid leather torso and rivet-jointed legs with fully jointed composition arms.  Her bisque socket head swivels on her bisque shoulder plate, mounted to the body.

Her translucent, pale bisque is a fresh palate for her blue glass sleep eyes, soft shading, open mouth with teeth, pierced ears and Anta signature, rose colored dot painted at the center of her bottom lip.  Her light auburn wig is antique and adds to her colorful, pink and ecru striped, low waist dress with black velvet trim and starched lace maxi-collar.  Undergarments are antique, and shoes are vintage.

s s s      

Franz Schmidt Flapper on Pedestal $295.

s s s       

Kestner 162 Lady 22"

Superb Clothing ON LAYAWAY

Can't get enough of these "turn of the 20th century" German ladies, that represent a time when women were sprouting new wings in society and fashion too.  While Simon Halbig offered several to choose from, this fashionable lady is the Kestner 162, not seen as often and every bit as inspiring.  She has blue sleep eyes, an open mouth with teeth and gorgeous Kestner bisque.  Her upswept, blond mohair wig is original.

Her curvy, tall wood and composition lady body is of very high quality, jointed at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, with straight wrists.  It really is a shame to hide it, however her brown wool suit must be modeled.  It has all the tailoring of a suit made for humans, with sharp collar, waist hugging silhouette, covered buttons and voluminous matching skirt with intermittent pleats.  Her antique, finely woven  straw hat has trim that coordinates both with her suit and parasol (parasol just a prop due to well used condition).

more German Dolls go to page 2

nellingdolls@gmail.com

Post Office Box 4327  n   Burbank, CA 91503

    Cell (818) 738-4591   n Home Phone (818) 562-7839 

Don't forget to look at the Miscellaneous page!

 [home ] [ about us ] [ accessories ] [ all bisques ]  [ early ]  [ fashion dolls ] [ french dolls ] [ furniture ] [ german dolls ] [ misc. dolls ] [ policies ]  [ early ]