American image, circa 1880. Girl with French Fashion dolls.
I love this picture, it reminds me of me when I first used to sew my dolls clothes, I've had a love of sewing ever since! The artist is Linda Edgerton.
Three wooden dolls depicting characters from the play School for Scandal made in England about 1930
photo by Mark Cartwright While digging at a construction site in the Grottarossa district of Rome in 1964, workers found a sarcophagus with artifacts and
The 'before' shot. Three pieces of netting made into some kind of dress. Could be fabulous, but it's hard to tell on the hanger. Scroll all the way down for the after shot. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a three-piece dress on an antiquing jaunt in Pennsylvania. At first glance on the hanger it looked like an early 20th-century gown because sheer gauzy white dresses were so big then, and the bodice lacked the fitted darts I would expect of a 19th-century garment. That was deceiving though, because it seemed to have a bustle skirt, which could make it at least 20 years older than I thought it was. But bustle dresses are usually tightly fitted with crazy boning and a tiny waist to go over an hour-glass corset; this had no seams to contour the bodice whatsoever. Fortunately, my shopping companion was a fellow costume enthusiast, so we held out all of the pieces, talked it through, and decided it was probably a bustle dress for a girl who had yet to develop the curves that would necessitate darts in the bodice. Had. To. Have. Obviously. I don't have much experience with true bustle dresses though, so even after putting this find on a dress form, I am longing for an owner's manual. The three pieces are an underskirt, a bodice with attached bustle overskirt, and a sash. At first I thought I "got" everything except for what to do with the sash. I was so wrong. I had several questions, and in some cases, I still don't know the answer. Here are the questions I've been considering: 1) Exactly how old is this dress? My theory that it was bustle-era for a young girl was trumped when I discovered that it fit my adult dress form just fine- lady curves included. The netting material is stretchy, so the lack of fitted seams and darts wasn't helpful for dating at all. At first I thought the bustle was just a hint of volume as the popularity of the huge backside-shelf petered out, but once I realized how much I had to stuff up under there to make it look right, I knew I was wrong. The bustle is is the variety with a fairly flat draped front and ties to keep the 'fluffy' back over the bum. It had to be from the height (pun intended) of the bustle-era (1870s or 1880s). So I started looking for comparable garments. Alas, that was easier said than done, even with the availability of online collections and Pinterest pages. The vast majority of three-piece dresses from this period consist of an underskirt, overskirt, and separate bodice that buttons up the front. My dress buttons up the back and doesn't have a separate bodice. The best comparable I could find was a plaid ca. 1880 dress from the Museum at FIT. The only other dress I thought had the right look was a sea-side ensemble with bodice, skirt, and belt from Augusta Auctions. It also dates to 1880. So 1880-ish it is! The best matches for my net dress are a sea side ensemble from Augusta Auctions (left) an a plaid bustle dress that buttons up the back from The Museum at FIT (above). Both date to c. 1880. 2A) What would you wear under the sheer bodice? The material is practically transparent, so with visibility of undergarments at roughly 90% they have to be just right. I tried a period-appropriate corset cover, but it buttons up the front and looked wrong to have those buttons under the netting. I didn't even bother to try a chemise pulled on over the head because that would get all bunched up at the waist and the wrinkles would show through. I suspect this had a specialized corset cover that either had a flap to conceal the closures, or it attached under the arm instead of down the front. I don't have anything like that for the 1880s, but the look improved when I tried an early 20th-century camisole with concealed hooks & eyes. It looks better even with lace showing through the netted pattern. I wonder if the woman who wore this would have a similar lace trim on her corset cover as a little peek-a-boo at her fancy underthings? Here you see the dress over a button up corset cover ca. 1865-1890 (left), and an early 20th-century corset cover with concealed hooks & eyes (right). This ca. 1868 corset cover has a concealed closure that wouldn't show under a dress made of netting. 2B) Same problem, different location: What would you wear under the skirt? I tried using a bustled petticoat but it you can see every wrinkle and pleat through the netting and you can see the bustle ties. It just seems kind of tacky. I am wondering if it had a lobster-tail style bustle of some kind that was designed specifically to look clean under the netting while concealing all ties and attachments. If only I could find one of those at a reasonable price... You can see every gather in the petticoat through the skirt, as well as the ties that keep the overskirt in place. In short, it isn't the cleanest overall look. 3) What's the deal with the sash? My first thought was that it was some kind of belt, but the waist of the over-dress is finished and doesn't really need a belt to cover it. The neck band, by contrast, is made of the same plain linen as the waist of the underskirt (below), so I suspect it is meant to be covered up. Using the sash for that had the most ridiculous results though. Giant bow tie anyone? Dubious. No, based on a closer look at seam placement I think my initial thought of a belt was a better guess. On every part of this garment, the location of seams is significant. The underskirt, for example, has an off-center closure, but the waistband has a seam at the center back anyway. There's no structural reason for the seam, so it's probably there to help you orient the skirt properly. Like many bustle-era petticoats, the underskirt has multiple horizontal seams on the back and vertical seams at each side. The seams aren't meant to show though, so they have to be oriented just right. The sash as a giant bowtie is way gaudy even by Victorian standards. The neck band (right) is a bit too boring to go uncovered. It needs a little something. Emphasis on "little" though... Ultimately, this helps with the issue of the sash because that also has a random extra off-center seam that needs to be hidden by the final look. There is also an area of decoration that is off-center and begs to be seen. When I put the seam at the center back of the waist, ran it around the waist and made a loop just long enough to display the middle decoration, whaddya know? Everything looked wonderfully placed and bustle-y. Also, it covers up the bustle ties that show through the overskirt. I pinned the sash in place instead of tying a fancy knot. Yes, that could be a shortcut, but the bustle era was big on bar pins of various sizes to get everything draped just so, and there is no reason to think this sash didn't attach with one or two. Seam montage! At left you can see how the underskirt has an off-center closure, but there is an extra seam on the waistband to help you orient the skirt so the bustle seams are where they need to be. The sash (center) has an unsightly seam that shouldn't show, and an area of extra decoration that should show. When draped over the bustle with one loop (right), things seem to match up juuuuust right. 4) If the sash wasn't for the neck, was there something else to go there? I don't really know, but my guess is that there was. Maybe a lacy necktie, a ribbon, a fake flower on a band. Accessories happened; it's just hard to know what form they would take. John Lavery's A Game of Tennis shows how to pull off a backhand shot in a full bustle. 6) Where would one wear this little number? Maybe if I could figure that out, it would be easier to envision the proper accessories to go with it. In my search for comparables, I made some progress on this. The outfit was no doubt for summer and has the whimsy and airiness for the beach or even for a game of tennis. It's hard to imagine playing tennis in a bustle, but this dress is nice and stretchy to allow range of motion. It would be way too presumptuous to assume this was a tennis dress though, so by way of accessories, I'm thinking general summer things like a flowy scarf at the neck, a parasol, and a straw hat a la Claude Monet. In conclusion, whether I know everything there is to know about this dress or not, at the very least I know that its awesomeness is unquestionable. Now if anyone out there wants to offer their thoughts on underthings, accessories, etc., I am more than happy to hear from you! The 'after' shot. All it needs is the accessories! I once tried to recreate this painting in a Jr. High art class, so of course I thought of it as the epitome of the look that my new summer dress represents. I am no Claude Monet, but I'm awfully excited to be the owner of the kind of dress that inspired him. Love it so much!
Were there ever two pieces of garbage more ideally suited to each other? Join an old doll's head with a damaged duck decoy and voila! Baby ...
Try to look at these photos of doll factories without screaming
This thread is huge! Ya'll need to start a new thread (I'll be needing it next year). And I love the Kiss of Death booth idea.
No copyright infringements intended.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN Sally’s Lundby Gothenburg dollhouse was a Christmas gift from her parents in the early 1970s. She fondly remembers man...
~ TALLOWBERRY PRIMITIVES ~Primitive & Folk Art Style Dolls ~ Diane Apperson ~
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I simply adore harlequin floors. I have one in my kitchen that I have loved for years. I want one in the foyer of my next house! The harlequin pattern originated 400 years ago on Italy's theatrical stages, where performers who had honed their acts on the street would engage in improvisational comedy. Harlequin was a "servant" who wore brightly colored diamond-patterned tights and a mask. The pattern has been associated with clowns ever since.There is something altogether comical about this design, though it can also be quite classic. Thanks to the history that is mentioned above, these diamonds are now something of a sophisticated design. The overall design looks particularly spectacular when it is used as flooring. Furniture painted in a harlequin pattern is also popular. Enjoy these pictures and be inspired to try a bit of this pattern in you home. pinterest.com pinterst.com Harliquin floors are associated with the elegance and classical refinement of past ages. However today they can be brought into many different styles of interiors. pinterest.com Kitchens are perfect rooms to bring in some harlequin to your interior design. liakeyes.tumblr.com google.com google.com Entryways are my favorite spaces for harlequin flooring.. bhg.com This is a beautiful outdoor entertainment area. Not everybody has a stone floor But if you have smooth concrete porch, why not paint it in a harlequin pattern and seal it with polyurathane. sherimartininteriors.wordpress.com thezhush.blogspot.com stylecompass.1stdibs.com Remember it is not written in stone that the pattern has to be black and white!! georgianadesign.tumblr.com google.com contentinacottage.blogspot.com oldhouseweb.com The picture on the right shows how a painted floor can cover a multitude of sins. This floor doesn't match up and has different lengths and widths. The harlequin pattern evens things out. google.com tubler.com Gorgeous! hviturlakkris.blogspot.com Grey and white harlequin is lovely in this shabby chic kitchen. google.com This and the following picture shows the elegance a harlequin patterned floor brings to a room. williamreubanks.com http://thecolorfulbee.com/venetian-plaster-fact-fiction/ Harlequin painted walls are trendy in today's homes. heystudios.com You can find a number of furnishings and accessories in home decor stores today. erasofelegance.com liakeyes.tumblr.com You can choose variations on the pattern. This still gives you the impression of harlequin. google.com This kitchen floor has a larger pattern. Something for every taste. torontodesigners.com A fabulous contemporary twist on the harlequin pattern. pacificheightsplace.com Baths are great spaces to try out a bit of harlequin. desiretoinspire.net This patterns works well with certain other patterns. Just select carefully.
Coleção rara e divertida.
Baby Girl names that start with the letter I including origin, meaning, and popularity, with top I names for girls Isabella and Iris and unique trending girl names starting with the letter I.
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I hope everyone who joined me for my series on Vintage French "Pantin" Paper Dolls made by d'Epinal, enjoyed the fun images and the updated versions I've created. For this post, I wanted to show some other vintage paper dolls of a similar fashion as well as some more modern versions so you can get a sampling of what other treasures are out there for you crafting pleasure. I actually started my blog due to my fascination with articulated paper dolls and my new found love of collecting vintage ones. I had a driving passion to share some of my great finds and to find a creative outlet for creativity and thus EKDuncan - My Fanciful Muse was born. My very fist post "New Quest" showed a few of my vintage jointed dolls and then a few I created. So I begin today's post with the vintage paper doll that inspired me to start a blog. Late 1800's Articulated Embossed Paper Doll from Germany - L&B (Littauer & Boysen) I've been told she represents Alexandra of Denmark who became Queen-Consort of England by marriage to King Edward VII. Alexandra was known for her trademark tall collar of pearls she always wore, presumed to conceal a scar she had on her neck due to a childhood operation. *** Some also list this doll as actress Lillie Langtry*** Ironically Lillie Langtry was King Edward VII's Mistress So is this doll the King wife or his Mistress???? I believe her to be Alexandra since I have another doll in the series who I believe is Lillie; either way she is a very pretty paper doll. L&B (Littauer & Boysen) was a German company who produce high quality embossed, lithography dolls and "paper scraps". They sold products under their L&B logo as well producing items for sale for distributors such as the Dennison Co here in the USA. These dolls are beautiful in person due to their glossy and slightly embossed surface. Sadly the material they are made of is a heavy pressed paper that possibly contains a clay like product in it; and over time these pieces become very fragile, brittle and crumbly so you have to handle them with care and be careful as to how they are stored to reduce the chance of damage. I'm going to do a new series on my L&B collection in the near future since I've purchased some new dolls recently and I've gotten a bit creative with my existing collection. There are lots of Victorian articulated paper dolls out there and from time to time you can find them on web auctions or posted in places like flickr or Pinterest. Several of my older posts show other L&B or similar articulated dolls. To re-visit those posts click - HERE ************ Pantins were the French "Jumping-Jack" puppet dolls that were the rave in Europe during the 1700-1800's and they are probably the base design for all articulated paper dolls that followed. You could purchase very nice quality versions of many of the dolls from print shops however the images that seem to have survived in greatest quantity were the ones of lesser quality that were mass produced on a newsprint type paper and looked like the image below. French Pantin paper dolls from the late 1800's You can see a variety of other Pantins by re-visiting my French Paper Doll "Pantin" series showing vintage and reworked versions of d'Epinal jointed dolls - HERE d'Epinal may have been one of the major producers of French "Pantins" but not the only ones. Here is an example of a beautiful doll produced by Poupee Modele in the 1800's Late 1800's Paper Doll from the Doll Magazine Poupee Modele Poupee Modele was a well known 1800's French Publication dedicated to dolls. They had all kinds of clothing patterns for real dolls and then there were lots of paper doll related items as well. This corset doll is such a sweet lady and I currently only have the web version of the image you see here. If I'm a luck girl I'll one day own an original or a very good resolution version of her; but for now I at least know how pretty she is and that I want one. ******* A Fun Variety of Vintage Dolls Below are a selection of interesting Vintage jointed paper dolls that I've spotted over the years while doing web searches. Sadly in most cases I do not know where they were originally found and the resolution on them is low. I used these images only as reference while searching out vintage articulated dolls to purchase. These will help give you some idea of the variety of vintage paper doll sheets that were made and may still be available to collectors. C1880 Germany - from http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/nmop/2/3/77.4168 1896 The Boston Sunday Globe from http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/nmop/2/3/78.42 Two assembled from the above sheet - http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/nmop/2/3/78.6799 ***** The Assembled American Acrobat below was added to this post on 01/02/2013 American Acrobat - I just won it on eBay!!!! update 01/02/2013 - I just won this doll on eBay and I'm thrilled!!!! I still hope to one day get the full uncut sheet but for now I'll have this great original doll in my collection. Just in case you are wondering why this acrobat looks a bit odd??? The person that originally assembled him a long time ago, has his thighs upside down. When I get him in I'll post about him. I'll probably disassemble him, scan his parts and then re-assemble him correctly. I'll also post the parts for you so you guys can create one of your very own. If I'm lucky, I'll one day have a full set of assembled acrobats and an original uncut sheet but so far I've had a very nice start to 2013!!! ***** 1950 Denmark from - http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/nmop/2/3/77.6968 ******************** The Modern Approach Jointed Paper Dolls still being made today; however for the most part they are part of the "Art Doll" world being made by artists and given/sold directly by them on the Internet. You can even find free templates and ideas on how to make jointed dolls of your own. I also own several rubber stamp versions of jointed dolls for some added interest in my collection. You can create your own jointed doll by using a variety of templates, stamps and images. This is an "Art Doll" I created using a jointed doll plastic template I had in my stash of stuff and various rubber stamp images from 100 Proof Press Rubber Stamps. I love to make skirts from odd items and her skirt is made from 7 images of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I've done the same with all sorts of images from buildings to fans to even butterfly wings Jointed Art Doll created using a digital copy of vintage L&B doll parts and butterfly wings For a while I was creating a nice collection of folding ATC cards using jointed paper dolls and other items to dress them up. The above folding doll was made with digitally printed items and the doll assembled with brads so that she could be easily stored in the ATC background she was attached to. This ATC folding Art Doll was created using the doll template I posted a few images up and then multiple rubber stamps from Blockhead Rubber Stamps. Mad Rat Rubber has great doll part rubber stamp images and accessories. They have converted several vintage Pantins into rubber stamp form so you can stamp and color them any way you want. below is a link to one of the rubber stamps they make that I own. The Enchanted Gallery has several free doll templates available for download and a variety of rubber stamp images to help give your new creation character. These can be found on their site at www.theenchantedgallery.com/paperdolls.html Now if stamping is not your thing there are thousands of images you can find on the Internet. It does require a bit of effort to find them and size them correctly for your project; however, you can be assured of a truly one of a kind creation when you are finished. It is also very nice to have some ready to go supplies to augment you collection of doll parts for variety and ease of use. Some of my favorite finds have come off Etsy and the great artists and crafters who post there creations for reasonable prices. The best part is that many of the items are available for instant download to your computer. I love a well put together set of doll parts - grins I purchased this set from Cemerony a while back and loved it so much that I went back and purchased several other of her sheets. These types of doll sheets allow you a bit of variety in how you build your doll like the two different examples seen on the right. *************** Then there are other jointed doll download sheets that can be purchased so that you get a very exact looking doll. AlteredArtifacts has some fun dolls like the Marie Antoinette and Louis dolls on the left or the Witchy version of Marie Antoinette on the right - She can be found on Etsy by clicking HERE should you decide you just have to have her. YourPaperEphemera offers the doll on the left and RhondasOriginals the one on the right I have way to many favorites to post here but if you want to see more... go to my Pinterest boards at the following links to see them all. Interesting Projects (includes many jointed paper dolls) Cool Image Downloads (paper doll and fun paper projects from downloads) Victorian Paper Scraps (vintage paper dolls and other vintage paper downloads) **** And if you are just not the crafty type or want a doll that has a high end quality look... Then there are other jointed dolls that can be purchased assembled, many of which are so amazingly wonderful that you don't mind paying a bit more to own one of your very own. In many cases they are limited editions and or signed by the artist. FreakyLittleThings offers a Vamp line or dolls while CrankBunny has a set of Tattoo dolls JDavidMcKenny offers his fantastical mermaids and CathyandtheCat her Grand Ladies There are just so many great artist offering spectacular Art Dolls that are quite affordable, you just have to browse around a bit to discover all the treasures that are available. I never tire of looking for articulated paper dolls and look forward to adding some of the above shown beauties to my growing collection in the near future. I hope you have enjoyed seeing just a sampling of articulated doll styles; and if you have a favorite leave a comment. I'd love to know which is your favorite pick. Till Next Time...
