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| 2 Mad Alice dolls c.1820 |
Many collectors
have run into similar situations regarding original clothing. Antique dolls
that retain their original clothing are very sought after by collectors..not
only for the value monetarily, but for the historical aspect. Antique dolls
from the 18th century in original clothing are usually found in museums or
private collections, they are almost entirely unattainable for the average
collector, however many dolls from the 19th century may still be found with
their original outfits...if one finds a doll with original clothing in decent shape,
they are very fortunate, but many examples are getting harder to find. Many
doll enthusiasts like to make their own clothing for antique dolls, that’s terrific,
but a lot of things must be taken in to account. It’s always best to find
contemporary clothing, but if that's not possible, a garment made from antique
fabric is the best option. First look at photos of what dolls wore for the period,
NEVER go by fashion plates of the time, these are misleading because they were
primarily used as guides, and did not represent what dolls or people wore at
that particular time. Fashions of the 19th century for the "common" folk,
were generally quite simple in form, dolls followed suit, many garments for
dolls were made at home from scraps of fabric left over from family dressmaking,
quite often, if a seamstress was hired, she would dress the family dolls from
left-overs. It's very common to find dolls in home-made garb, with stitching
obviously done by a child learning to sew. There are many dolls still available
in original Commercially made clothing, however these garments were very often
cheaply constructed and relied on lots of trimming and are most often sewn onto
the doll. Quality was not a factor in clothing dolls, assembly lines in
factories and cottage industry allowed for many dolls to be dressed very
quickly for sale to the public. Although these are historically valuable, many
have lost their original lace and trimmings, sometimes these things can replaced,
very often these trims can be found very cheaply. To begin, find a book such as
"The Collector's book of Doll Clothes” by Elizabeth, Evelyn and Dorothy
Coleman...this book is the best ever written on the subject, and has photos of
dolls in original clothing, it also has patterns and a glossary of different
styles typically worn. It also gives suggestions for fabric, trims, etc. There
are also many patterns available, especially on EBay, Victorian women’s' skirts
are very good for turning into doll clothing as well as feed sacks and baby
dresses can always be re-worked to fit a doll...If the doll has an original
outfit or dress that is in very bad shape, use it as a guide for making another,
and save it in a plastic bag...write out a card to keep with it, for the
historical aspect, never dispose of original clothing, even if it's tattered! Also
visit yard sales, thrift stores and estate sales, sometimes old doll clothing
can be found for pennies on the dollar! Always carry your doll's measurements
on a card when you go shopping, you never know what you'll find! Many thrift
stores have used fabric sections, always look for natural fiber fabrics, wool, cotton
and silks are best for making clothing, never use fabrics made from polyester
or nylon, they don't look right and historically don't do anything but decrease
the doll's value. In the next posting, I’ll be showing how to use a pattern to
make an outfit for an antique doll out of old fabric.
