Featured Vintage German / Dutch Doll

Good Day, I didn't see a "toy" forum on the site, so I tried to post it here... I recently bought a large doll at a local yard sale in Virginia. The seller didn't have any info about it outside that they thought it came from Europe in mid-1950s. The blond pig-tailed / blue eyed doll is approx 25 inches tall (h) and 7 inches wide (w) and made of plastic. She appears to be wearing a traditional German black velvet dress with a floral apron or sash. Interestingly, she is wearing Dutch wooden shoes. I searched online for a similar doll, I didn't find anything exact, so was hoping some of you smart people might tell me what she us (besides a doll) / where she's from / time period she was made. So far, I have only awoken once in the night with her holding a knife to my throat, but after I child-proofed the drawers, she hasn't been able to get to them since. Any info would be MUCH APPRECIATED!! Thank You!

 

I'll add a couple folks to this thread that may be of some help:

@judy
@BoudiccaJones

 

Thank You, Sabre!!!

 

I'll add another one.

@judy

 

Is that the alter-ego of the same Judy I tagged?

 

She is wearing what remains of a costume from Volendam, the Netherlands:


https://volendammerklederdracht.info/vrouwenkleding/

Doll's costumes are rarely correct, for instance the clogs should be black and were usually worn with the work dress, shoes were worn with this more formal dress.
And the braids are not part of any Dutch tradition. Those braids could lead you to think she is German.

Volendam is a small fishing village near Amsterdam. Volendammers have a specific identity, and many are descendants of the Spanish who occupied the Netherlands in the 16th-17th century.
This costume is only worn in that village, not in other parts of the Netherlands.

Datewise I think she is early-mid 20th century, but Judy and Bou can probably tell you more.

 

Judy can't be here all the time, so she has an alter ego to help out.

 

Are there any marks or stamps on her back, or on the back of her head just below the wig? Her face looks a bit like a Madame Alexander doll, but a bit different so probably isn't. Anyway, Alexander dolls are almost always marked.

 

Thank you for the tags..........I think AJ's help is more than I can offer.

Perhaps under the wig there might be some initials or name. It's OK to carefully peel back the wig to check.

I'll check a few of my books.............

 

It might help to see the body of the doll. Also check for any labels on the clothing.

As Fig suggested, she could be MA. Or even Ideal.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=era...U0NzBqMWoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Never mind!!

 

Wow! That's amazing info! Thanks!!!

 

Thank You for the suggestion as to where to look for any info / marks on the doll! Will check it out and report back! THANKS!!!

 

Cool, will check it out. Thanks Judy!!

 

A photo of the doll undressed could help...........

 

My mother, a longtime doll collector, said that this doll looks like the American Character company's Sweet Sue doll, made in 1950s. And we checked one of her reference books for info. The face is strongly similar. Sweet Sue dolls of taller heights (similar sizes to your doll) were often "walker" dolls. The legs have walking action. Not all were, though.

My mother is also an expert seamstress. She thinks this costume is probably homemade, not the doll's original clothing. She also noticed that the wooden shoes look too big for the doll, proportionately to the body. Another reason she thought the costume would not be original to the doll.

So, more paths to research!

 

I forgot to sign in with my reply......duh!

I will check AC too. I think of them and baby dolls for some reason.

Again, a photo of the doll undressed could tell lots.

Clothing looks home sewn to me too, but checking for a label is easy. Clothes got passed from one doll to another, so it wouldn't be a positive id even if one was found.

 

She does resemble Sweet Sue by AC. Also in leafing through my books, Arranbee (R & B) also produced similar. Probably many other makers produced that look also.

 

Wow!!! I can only say, Wow!!! Thanks!! LOL!