1860s-1890s Chinas and Fashions, American,
Common, Fancy, Named Ladies and Children
Common, Fancy, Named Ladies and Children
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The Child
The Politics
The Traditions
The Architecture
The Literature
The Music
The Visual Arts
Morisot's Daughter Julie with Doll
Cloth Dolls
Cloth dolls, or rag dolls, in this context refer to those dolls that include the head and body made of cloth. Dolls with cloth bodies
but heads of other materials are discussed in the section pertaining to the material of which the head was made.
Cloth dolls have existed since the existence of cloth. Examples of extremely early dolls are few as the cloth was destroyed by
so many variables including: wear from use of the doll, water, heat, light, political and environmental disruptions (war and
pestilence) as well as the reality that children’s toys were only carefully maintained for the wealthy such as items found in
tombs.
Cloth dolls, similar to wood dolls, were available to both the wealthy and the common child. It was the skill and artistic
sensibility of the maker that determined the charm of these pieces of folk art.
Construction of cloth dolls could range from a simple piece of cloth wrapped over a stick or potato to form an imaginary friend to
two-dimensional representations to elaborate three-dimensional portraits. As with other materials, availability of materials and
skills combined with changes in technology and artistic sensibility produced the dolls associated with given times in history.
Coleman’s Vol II has examples of a simple rolled cloth doll from the 18th Century (fig 583) and a doll made of cloth formed over
a stick in fig 601. This simple construction technique was used again when Kathe Kruse tied a piece of cloth over a potato for
her children to play with. The addition of her artistic expression resulted in the evolution of that doll in 1910 to produce a
company that is still in existence today.
The simple rolled cloth doll referred to above had features drawn on the cloth face. Often features were painted using
materials such as watercolors or oil paints. This simple construction technique utilizing available resources was used by many
cloth doll artists of the late 19th and 20th century including Emma Adams, Moravian, Maggie and Bessie, Horsman and Johnny
Gruelle.
By needle sculpting the cloth face, a more realistic set of features could be painted. This technique would have been a
common skill for the homemaker prior to the end of World War II. Its expression is found in dolls of the mid 1880s (Coleman’s
Vol II fig 605), later 1800s with the Julia Beecher baby, Martha Wellington, the early to mid 1990s with the dolls from Liberty of
London to the 1970s with Xavier Roberts Appalachian Artworks dolls.
As printing processes improved, printers added new products to their lines including printed cloth. Lithographed cloth dolls
were common in the early 20th century. Mother’s Congress, Art Fabric Mills, Bruckner, Maud Tousey Fangle, Volland, Molly-
es, Georgenne and Averill used this technique to produce dolls with printed features. Current Raggedy Ann dolls have printed
faces.
Needle sculpting was replaced by molding cloth doll heads and drawn features evolved to painted faces as the industrial
revolution combined with creative expression to produce luxury dolls by Izannah Walker, Ella Smith, J. B. Shepherd, Bruckner,
Martha Chase, Rollinson, WPA, Kathe Kruse, Steiff, Lenci, Raynal, Nicette, Gre-Poir, Venus, Chad Valley, Farnell, Norah
Wellings, Madame Alexander, Kamkins and even modern cloth dolls by Maggie Iacono and R. John Wright.
Unlike other materials, cloth is the material from which anyone, small child to fine artist, has made a figure to represent the
human as they see it, be it as an imaginary friend or historical figure. Scrap cloth over a stick, potato or even hand can provide
friendship, solace, imaginary expression, or educational opportunities to the smallest child (think sock on the hand) to the finest
artist or to the creative teacher. Cloth dolls have been used to explore the child’s world, instruct young adults on basic
childcare and console the elderly and forgetful in nursing homes. Cloth dolls represent man in a way no other media has ever
been able to do.
Cloth dolls, or rag dolls, in this context refer to those dolls that include the head and body made of cloth. Dolls with cloth bodies
but heads of other materials are discussed in the section pertaining to the material of which the head was made.
Cloth dolls have existed since the existence of cloth. Examples of extremely early dolls are few as the cloth was destroyed by
so many variables including: wear from use of the doll, water, heat, light, political and environmental disruptions (war and
pestilence) as well as the reality that children’s toys were only carefully maintained for the wealthy such as items found in
tombs.
Cloth dolls, similar to wood dolls, were available to both the wealthy and the common child. It was the skill and artistic
sensibility of the maker that determined the charm of these pieces of folk art.
Construction of cloth dolls could range from a simple piece of cloth wrapped over a stick or potato to form an imaginary friend to
two-dimensional representations to elaborate three-dimensional portraits. As with other materials, availability of materials and
skills combined with changes in technology and artistic sensibility produced the dolls associated with given times in history.
Coleman’s Vol II has examples of a simple rolled cloth doll from the 18th Century (fig 583) and a doll made of cloth formed over
a stick in fig 601. This simple construction technique was used again when Kathe Kruse tied a piece of cloth over a potato for
her children to play with. The addition of her artistic expression resulted in the evolution of that doll in 1910 to produce a
company that is still in existence today.
The simple rolled cloth doll referred to above had features drawn on the cloth face. Often features were painted using
materials such as watercolors or oil paints. This simple construction technique utilizing available resources was used by many
cloth doll artists of the late 19th and 20th century including Emma Adams, Moravian, Maggie and Bessie, Horsman and Johnny
Gruelle.
By needle sculpting the cloth face, a more realistic set of features could be painted. This technique would have been a
common skill for the homemaker prior to the end of World War II. Its expression is found in dolls of the mid 1880s (Coleman’s
Vol II fig 605), later 1800s with the Julia Beecher baby, Martha Wellington, the early to mid 1990s with the dolls from Liberty of
London to the 1970s with Xavier Roberts Appalachian Artworks dolls.
As printing processes improved, printers added new products to their lines including printed cloth. Lithographed cloth dolls
were common in the early 20th century. Mother’s Congress, Art Fabric Mills, Bruckner, Maud Tousey Fangle, Volland, Molly-
es, Georgenne and Averill used this technique to produce dolls with printed features. Current Raggedy Ann dolls have printed
faces.
Needle sculpting was replaced by molding cloth doll heads and drawn features evolved to painted faces as the industrial
revolution combined with creative expression to produce luxury dolls by Izannah Walker, Ella Smith, J. B. Shepherd, Bruckner,
Martha Chase, Rollinson, WPA, Kathe Kruse, Steiff, Lenci, Raynal, Nicette, Gre-Poir, Venus, Chad Valley, Farnell, Norah
Wellings, Madame Alexander, Kamkins and even modern cloth dolls by Maggie Iacono and R. John Wright.
Unlike other materials, cloth is the material from which anyone, small child to fine artist, has made a figure to represent the
human as they see it, be it as an imaginary friend or historical figure. Scrap cloth over a stick, potato or even hand can provide
friendship, solace, imaginary expression, or educational opportunities to the smallest child (think sock on the hand) to the finest
artist or to the creative teacher. Cloth dolls have been used to explore the child’s world, instruct young adults on basic
childcare and console the elderly and forgetful in nursing homes. Cloth dolls represent man in a way no other media has ever
been able to do.
China dolls were still popular though losing market to the new bisque dolls.
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Fashion
Mirroring the social and educational trends distinguishing children as unique individuals as opposed to miniature adults, this
period in fashion displayed a distinction between lady’s attire and children’s clothes. Ladies wore longer skirts and hoops while
children wore shorter skirts over pantalettes clearing demarcating the ages. More
Mirroring the social and educational trends distinguishing children as unique individuals as opposed to miniature adults, this
period in fashion displayed a distinction between lady’s attire and children’s clothes. Ladies wore longer skirts and hoops while
children wore shorter skirts over pantalettes clearing demarcating the ages. More