Newsletter

Researching the Museum’s collection of china head dolls, in preparation for our current exhibit, True Survivors: Early Dolls Made of China, was really a pleasure, and quite enlightening. This was thanks to the wonderful recent studies of china head dolls, by Mary Krombholz, Christiane Gräfnitz, Mona Borger, and others. Mary’s latest book, Identifying German Chinas – 1840s-1930s, is a must-have for anyone interested in studying these beautiful dolls.

Thus we are so pleased to announce that Mary has agreed to present a program for us at the Museum, on August 27th. (More information about this program can be found on page four.) Mary has advised us that she will be bringing her porcelain shards, collected during her many trips to German porcelain factory sites. These shards have been key identification tools for her, along with pictures from original sample books, other original documentation and porcelain preserved in German museums.

Mary invites you to bring your own china head dolls that you would like to have identified. If you do bring a doll, please be sure to wrap the head, and china hands and feet in bubble wrap, a diaper or other padded material to ensure a safe transit to and from the Museum.
Mary’s books will also be available for purchase, and for signing by the author. We hope to see you, and your dolls, on August 27th (if not sooner). Have a wonderful summer.

Though now it seems like just a dream, as promised, here is a brief diary of our amazing EUROPEAN ANTIQUE DOLL AND TOY TOUR which began on April 14. With Ellie Kringer as our travel guide and 29 of us on board it was a large group to keep track of. But what a great group they were – from 7 states and Australia, each brought something special and delightful to the tour. There is no way I could relate on paper the sheer fun we had, nor the beauty we encountered along the way. Dear friendships made, amazing dolls and toys we felt so privileged to see, and for me the sweetness of sharing it with my family and especially little Alec, the traveling man.

April in Paris is still everything the song says and more. Samy and Guido Odin greeted us at the door of their Musee de la Poupee to set the stage for a fun-filled day of Bleuette and Beccasine and much more. A sewing class with Mathilde saw courtourier results among our group. A dealers’ day arranged by Francois Theimer and a fascinating presentation by him had us all enthralled. The Musee de Jouet in Poissy on the outskirts of Paris was a jewel of a museum, with running trains set in towns and countrysides. Mary Krombholz kept us current with the true identities of the beautiful German chinas and we drooled respectfully over the rare French fashions of bisque and china.

The Flea Market, the Louvre, Monet’s Gardens, shopping and a city tour were topped off by our farewell dinner at my favorite place, Au Train Bleu, and a presentation by Barbara Spadacini Day, past curator of the Museum of Decorative Arts of the Louvre. We hated leaving our wonderful hotel, but Lyon awaited us.
I will never wear silk again without thinking of the Maison des Canuts –the silk making museum and house of silk in Lyon. I could spend the entire newsletter talking about this alone. Just go there. If you love textiles, go there. Then, of course, that was followed by the Musee du Chapeau (Museum of Hats) in Chazelles-Sur-Lyon. Where they’re still making felt hats as they were made hundreds of years ago on the same equipment – start with rabbit hair, a metal form four feet tall, work it by hand for a week and you will have a cloche to fit a young woman. Then, add a museum of hats thru the ages and a shop to buy hats for you and your dolls, oh yes.

In between it all we squeezed the Chateau de la Poupee in Marcy L’Etoille. This fine museum closed earlier this year, but fortunately for the doll world it has re-opened. So many exceptional examples of French and German dolls have their homes here and in such charming settings, it would be a shame if this museum were to close to the public. Several of us converged on a rare china lady none of us had seen before and pondered her possible maker.

During bus rides between museums and sights we were entertained and educated by members of our talented group. While in France Janne Wilson of Australia spoke on French dolls from her collection and Harriet Wolford recited original poetry right after our own doll-collecting hearts as we celebrated three birthdays along the way!

Too soon it’s time to savor our last French meal before the ride to Beaune tomorrow, April 22. A visit to the Hospital Dieu with a chance to explore this quaint little town and have lunch in the sun on the sidewalk are welcome experiences. The Hospital was unique in its conservation, history, age, and rarity, but its beauty I did not expect. Rich woodwork, silver utensils, stained glass windows, red velvet bed drapes are not what I envisioned when Ellie said “hospital”, especially an ancient one. It is engrained in my memory as few things are now days.

And so we leave France and I run out of room for this newsletter, but our tour is not even halfway through. As we head into Switzerland, I ask you to join us in next Falls’ Diary. And thank you to all who have emailed about Ellie’s and my next possible European Tour. We are discussing it for the future, maybe in two years. Meanwhile Bon Voyage wherever the dolls take YOU.

We would like to thank the following people for their generous
donations during the last quarter:

Call or stop by for more details or call the Museum Store:
(425) 455-1116 or toll free at 1-800-440-DOLL.

Lucky Us! We’re 13! Lucky You! You’re Invited to Our Party!!
The Museum’s 13th Birthday!

Bring something lucky with you like a four leaf clover or a horse shoe or a lucky star & get in free on Saturday, September 17th! And, as luck would have it, we have your favorite birthday cake, too! So, come & help us celebrate becoming a teen!
What luck! Both our stores will be selling at huge savings from 10% to 70% off all week long!
Try your luck at our door prize drawings every hour all day long!

Saturday September 17th*
Your Favorite Birthday Cake
Door Prizes on the Hour
Party Room Fun, Dress Up Area

Saturday September 17th thru Sunday September 25th
Museum Store Sale
Rosie’s Too Sale

Free Doll $Money$!!!
Only while supplies last, we’ll be again giving out $5 to $100 “Museum Money” to be spent anytime during our Birthday Week. Good towards the purchase of anything, in either Store!
We feel lucky to have such wonderful items in the Store from Corolle, Tonner, Madame Alexander, Only Hearts, Groovy Girls, Ginny, and so many more. Fancy hairstyles, dressing dolls, and coloring paper dolls - all in our Party Room. And - LET’S PLAY DRESS-UP, TOO! New this year, our dress up station! Boys and girls, what character would you be, or what doll? Bring your cameras, Mom and Dad, lots of photo ops.

Saturday* admission is free when you bring in your favorite lucky charm!!
Come Join the Fun -Bring Your Friends and Family
For a Day to Remember!

Seating is Limited. Reserved seats required.
Call the Museum at (425)455-1116.

Identifying German Chinas Lecture

Please join us in welcoming doll researcher and author Mary Krombholz. Explore chinas made from the 1840s through 1930s in Thuringia, Germany by well-known, but seldom identified, companies like Alt, Beck & Gottschalck, Conta & Boehme, Hertwig, Kestner, A.W. Fr. Kister, Kloster Veisdorf and C.F. Kling. Mary has been researching dolls since 1974 and has authored 3 books on German dolls. Enjoy an up-close look at the distinguishing painting of these beautiful dolls and original shards uncovered by Mary herself.
Feel free to bring some of your unknown chinas for this rare opportunity to be identified by Mary.

Saturday, August 27, 2005
1 p.m. or 3 p.m. Rose Room

Seating is Limited. Reserved seats required.
Museum Members Free, Non-Members $3
Call the Museum at (425)455-1116.

Focus in the Gallery

We thought you might like to know one of our own has made it big. Yes, our little Kammer and Reinhardt 131 toddler from our permanent exhibit is off in Rhode Island making her debut on the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW! She will be on a spot on Antiques Roadshow FYI called “Missing Masterpieces” with Richard Wright. So be watching for her some time this Fall on PBS Television. She is redressed in antique clothing, finally, ( that only took 13 years) thanks to Richard, so you might not recognize her from the red and white gingham outfit she has been wearing in our gallery. I’ll let Richard fill you in on her history. Stay tuned!

Docent Spotlight

Many of you have probably never even met Rae Ann Ferree even though she is one of our most loyal and devoted docents. Like so many of our volunteers, Rae Ann shows up at Rosie’s Too nearly every week, when she isn’t traveling, goes quietly to work with what Nancy and Eleonora have prepared for her, and quietly leaves. What you do see is the difference that volunteers like Rae Ann make to the museum. We just couldn’t do it without them. As an example, since 1997 when Rae Ann first began volunteering with the museum until our docent appreciation event of last fall she has served over 800 hours. And the time is not the only important aspect of her dedication. Knowing that we can always count on her to be there when help is needed is equally important to our organization.
Rae Ann is a Nancy Ann Storybook collector and enjoys traveling with her husband. Thank you, Rae Ann, for all that you do for the museum.

In Memory of Joyce Coughlin

One never would have known how ill Joyce was. She loved every minute of April in Paris. She brought her Bleuette to celebrate her 100th birthday there and enjoyed Samy Odin’s seminar and the hundreds of dolls and costumes on exhibit even though she knew them all by heart. And she took Mathilde’s sewing class though she didn’t need sewing lessons, far from it. She walked through museums with us every day and shopped but didn’t feel the need to buy and laughed at the thought of it, and every night we sat and joked and had one cocktail and told great doll stories. Her daughter, Candace, walked arm in arm with her and Joyce looked so young and vibrant it was hard to tell mother from daughter. We always got our good-night kisses all around and hated to rub off the bright red lipstick she always left.
Joyce went home from Paris and we said we’ll see you there. She waited for us and passed away on May 2 of cancer. The dearest friend, talent beyond measure, devoted Christian.
She’ll be missed always.

Region 1 Annual Picnic
“Our Roaring 20s”
Thursday, August 18th 10am
Lewisville Park
Battle Ground WA
Come celebrate the 20th annual picnic of UFDC Region 1
360-687-4321 for more information

IN OUR LASTING MEMORIES
After a long courageous battle against cancer, Linda Southwick of the Towne and Country Doll and Bear Club passed away in May of this year. Linda will be remembered for a life of service, generosity, and many interests, one of which was doll collecting. She will be dearly missed by her many doll friends and club members and her loving family.

Anne Cain & Carla Thomas 1950s cut paper doll collection	Dorothy Fossum, in memory of Jean Anne Antique baby cradle
Sue Jensen Ideal baby doll	Susan Krebs Doll furniture
Robert & Betty Ann Leigh Effanbee “Rosemary” doll	Doris Long “Book of memories” for Tasha Tudor “Effie” doll
Donna Miner “Dolly at Home” ABC book	Patty Stambaugh Pair of china head dolls with provenance
David Stojanovich Six vinyl dolls and clothing	Towne & Country Doll and Bear Club Members Individually In Memory of club member Linda Southwick $230

Exclusive U.S. Supplier! Wonderful, historical information, each with English translation booklet! (Except Christmas Catalog.)		“Encyclopedia Polichinelle” 7 volumes with French dollmakers biographies & documents from French archives $150		“Mademoiselle Mignonnette” Book & Booklet with cut-outs from “La Poupee Modele”. $65
	The “Ultimate book on Bleuette” Historical overview & complete listing of dolls. $65		“French Christmas Catalogues” Vol 2 Featuring dolls & toys of department stores from 1877 -1893. $49

THE ANTIQUE DOLL & TOY MARKET* Bellevue Inn Red Lion Bellevue WA Sunday August 28, 2005 11am - 4pm	CLASSIC DOLL, BEAR & TOY SHOW & SALE Lake City Elks Seattle WA Saturday September 24, 2005 10am - 3pm
MUSEUM ANNIVERSARY SALE* Museum of Doll Art & Rosie’s Too Bellevue WA September 17 - 25, 2005 During Regular Hours	NADDA* (Natl’ Antique Doll Dealers Assoc.) SeaTac Embassy Suites Seattle WA Saturday April 29, 2006 10am - 5pm Sunday April 30, 2006 11am - 4pm

MAY 21 - OCTOBER 30 2005 “True Survivors: Early Dolls Made of China” Changing Gallery Exhibit	AUGUST 27 2005 “Identifying German Chinas” Lecture by Mary Krombholz Rose Room (see Museum Tidbits)
JULY 30 2005 Doll Appraisal Clinic at Rosie’s Too During Regular Hours	SEPTEMBER 17 - 25 2005 Museum Anniversary Sale Museum of Doll Art & Rosie’s Too (see Museum Tidbits)
AUGUST 18 - 20 2005 Rosie’s Too Sidewalk Sale Rosie’s Too (see Museum Tidbits)	NOVEMBER 5 2005 - JANUARY 15 2006 “A Tasha Tudor Christmas” Changing Gallery Exhibit

	Summer Program : China Head Dolls