About Anne Hoffmann Expertise As a modest collector of appropriately vintage age, I'm good at identifying American vintage dolls (largely late 1940's-1970's) and have the interest and resources to research particularly challenging identifications. I would hesitate to make specific value estimates, however, as markets fluctuate and I am not a professional appraiser. I can recommend at-home repair methods and resources for particular repair instructions and supplies. I can differentiate repairs that will enhance or devalue the historical significance of your doll.
Experience For one, I am 58 and a life-long doll lover. I played with many of these dolls! I am an adult collector, hampered only by my inability to afford the high-end and rare collectibles. I do some doll identification for sellers on eBay and am in demand for local yard sale and church pricing of doll "finds". I like folks to be able to realize a good return for their offerings by correctly identifying their dolls for collectors. I am highly literate and like people as well as dolls! I was briefy a customer service associate for JC Penney (one of those "filler" jobs) and enjoyed resolving issues to customer satisfaction. I am retired and spend a lot of time studying dolls. On the down side, while having an excellent command of the English language, I am a poor typist.
Education/Credentials None for doll collecting. I was a draftsman and machine programmer for an architectural metal firm.
Doll Collecting - Identifying a vintage Madame Alexdria doll
Expert: Anne Hoffmann - 12/4/2007
Question QUESTION: Greetings,
We are trying to identify this felt doll. We were told that it is a early Madame Alexandria with no markings. I have enclosed a photo of three shots of the doll. Her eye, lips and other facial features are hand painted. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you IMAGE: Unidentified Madame Doll
ANSWER: Oh, dear! Another poor untagged, unstamped cloth doll! There are so very many moulded felt faced dolls that without a tag or stamp it is impossible to say what their original make might be with any degree of certainty. (Please see my answer of 11/19/2007 on the subject of "unidentified doll" for a list of some well-known cloth doll makers.) The original (1923) Madame Alexander dolls were cloth and some a little later had moulded felt faces, but they were unmarked, the "Madame Alexander" label being attached to the clothes. The bodies were cotton cloth, not felt.
You don't describe your doll, but it looks like she might have an applied felt face. An applied felt face is a moulded felt face sewn or glued over a stuffed cloth base. The hair should be a mohair wig on a cloth cap sewn or glued to the head. The hair might be mohair. A way to test it is to pluck or cut a hair or two and burn it. If the hair turns to ash, it is a natural fibre like real hair (which also has a distinctive smell!)or mohair. These conditions would be right for a late 1920's, early '30's Madame Alexander, but the construction of the doll is troubling. She has mitten hands with fingers suggested by seams on the hand, which I do not see on any early Madame Alexander cloth dolls. Their mitten hands all seem to have no indicated fingers. It also appears that she has swivel joints, especially at the shoulders, also something I cannot find on a cloth MA.
The doll has obviously been redressed if she is over 70 years old, so the clothing is no guide to identification.
But first and last, her condition looks far too clean and unfrayed to be so old. I would say you have a beautiful doll of much later manufacture, but which one I really couldn't tell you. Madame Alexander Company did issue a 12" felt ballerina doll in 2004, but this is not the doll.
I will keep your photo on file in case I come across an exact identifiable match and will let you know should I have a more reliable identification than a mere estimation.
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QUESTION: Hi and thank you for your fast response. You get 5-stars from us!!!. F.Y.I. Her hair is Mohair and sewn to the scalp. She is approximately 18" in length and her slip with attach bloomers appears to be of high quality and original to the doll. My significant other said that the dress was not original to the doll as did you. We also tested her hand painted eyes and other facial features and they "floreced" when placed under a black light. So for now we are still baffled but a more knowlegable thanks to you. Have a great day!!!!!
Answer Thank you for your kind feedback. I am always as disappointed as the enquirer when a doll eludes identification and I do keep in mind those dolls when my research leads to similar makes.
A couple of additional identifiers for you: have you removed the shoes? I think you may have a more modern Lenci doll (production of Ars Lenci ran from 1940, ended in 1965 and was resumed from 1970 to 2002). If so, the doll should be stamped on the bottom of one foot.
Are the ears constructed of two pieces and sewn on separately from the head? Not a firm identifier, but a must for a possible Lenci.
The fluorescence is the reaction of oil paint or varnish and is not a definite indicator of age.
Since the discontinued Lenci dolls are desirable, especially in the larger sizes, you might want to have the doll professionally appraised by a doll expert. Photos are often difficult to work from, especially if not sufficiently detailed and described. Check the Theriaults website for their appraisal services or www.nadda.org for an expert in your area.
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