doll dresses

[TerryCoriell]

have any of you seen these dolls?
http://www.carmeldollshop.com/category/doll/early6.htm

this is page 6 on this site and the dolls I am looking at are no. 1 and no. 6 on the page. The dress on no. 6 is gorgeous. is it authentic??

[Gillian]

They are both lovely! I have a little 7 1/2" Huret reproduction that a friend made for me, and she's currently getting some clothes like the first one on the page.

The second doll you are looking at was made as early as the 1840s, and she's probably by Kister because of the way her mouth is painted.

The dress looks 1840s to me but the guys at Carmel Doll shop are very knowledgeable, so either they are erring on the side of caution or they are right. 

[Jessamyn]

The sixth one, are you talking about the one in Tartan? Given what they say about patching to the body vs the pristine condition of the dress I would be very surprised if it were the one she was "born" with, but It could certainly be contemporaneous with the early life of the doll - I would have placed the dress right around 1860.

But I would also identify it as a one of that vast family, Dolls of Many Nations (Scotland, in this case), rather than a representation of real clothing. Note the use of small such dolls to decorate Christmas trees in this text:

http://books.google.com/books?id=y0ECAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA97&dq=housewife+needle+thimble&hl=en&ei=XtkaTuu_JqXg0QH9itGXBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=housewife%20needle%20thimble&f=false

[mmescher]

When I checked the manufacturer for the first one on page 6, the hair style seemed similar to a "Dolly Madison" that was indicated was made in the 1860's to 1870's.  The dress is definitely past civil war period but the dress could be new and does look rather new to have survived for 100+ years.  The sixth on that page looks like some late 1840's to early 1850's judging from the hairstyle.  The dress also looks pretty fresh to be an original. 

The dolls on this site are really gorgeous.  Time to go get a lottery ticket!

Michael Mescher

[LenaMae]

I love the first doll on page six.  My grandmother made me a doll very similar to this one when I was a child.  I would love to make a dress similar to one on the original.  I was wondering where do I get the buttons at, or do you use beads?  Also is there place for patterns.

Thanks Lena Mae.

[TerryCoriell]

LenaMae,
I love her dress also. I am not sure where you would get buttons like those but I am sure someone else in the forum will have  lots of resources. There are also many books out there for costuming dolls that might have patterns but right n ow all my books are packed because of my recent move. I wish I could help you with that.
Hopefully  other forum members will have some suggestions.
T

[LenaMae]

Thanks for the info. 

I found a book right here on the SA for doll dress making. (slaps forehead)

I think that I might make the dress this winter so I have a while to find buttons for her.  Thank you bunches.

Lena Mae