Cloth dolls, aka rag dolls, have always been popular with both parents and children of all social backgrounds. They are safe, soft and can be among the least expensive of dolls to construct.
From the earliest of times, poor children would play with bundles of rags tied with string to form a crude head and body. Wealthy children would have played with more elaborate cloth dolls made of superior fabrics.
A Southern Plains beaded doll
The body and head stuffed with cloth, wearing partial-beaded shirt and leggings, a tradecloth breechclout and moccasins, buffalo hair used on the head with painted and beaded facial features.
height 13in. Sold for US$1,500 at Bonhams
Many early cloth dolls have not survived due to their short life spans. Once dirty or damaged many would have been discarded. Most surviving rag dolls date from after the last quarter of the 19th century.
Commercially-made fabric dolls began to be produced in larger numbers during the 19th century. Madam Montanari, a notable wax doll maker, is recorded as winning a prize for a cloth doll at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.
An embroidered cloth dolls’ house doll
with stitched features and fingers, mohair wig, original pantalettes, cream brocade frock, embroidered in blue with cap, necklace and black slippers, circa 1840 –3½in. (9cm.) high. Sold for GBP 478 at Christie’s
TWO CLOTH SALON DOLLS. Each doll has cloth head with pressed and painted facial details, dramatic eye decoration with applied long upper eyelashes, slender cloth body with long limbs, original silk taffeta and cotton costume. (1) 22” with blonde wavy mohair wig, pink taffeta gown and hat, stiffened petticoat, long blue taffeta boots. (2) 18 ½” doll with brown silk floss hair in looped curls, composition lower arms and legs, gilt-painted high heel shoes, taffeta dress, lace shawl, organza apron. Commentary: All-original 1920’s dolls, hair in original set, clothing has some fading and light stains, organza apron is fraying, otherwise very good condition. Sold For: $125 at
Frasher’s Doll Auction
In the first half of the 20th century, cloth dolls became very popular, sometimes with papier mâché heads, but more often with faces made from pressed felt or stiffened buckram. Companies including Chad Valley, Dean’s Rag Book Co and Norah Wellings produced thousands of fabric dolls. Although they were lovely dolls, the drawbacks were that they couldn’t be washed and moths liked them so they slowly disintegrated.
Chad Valley “Bambina” Doll. All cloth doll by the English firm Chad Valley Co. Dark brown velvet character doll with swivel neck and jointed shoulders and hips, large side-glancing eyes with painted eyelashes, o-shaped mouth, black sewn-on wig, original orange felt pants and shoes. Label on foot and button under right arm “Chad Valley British Hygienic Toys.” This is very rare, the only known example of this doll. With two blue ribbons. 17” T. Sold For: $500 at Dan Morphy Auctions
1930’S DEAN’S RAG BOOK HENRY DOLL. Scarce 9″ doll with tag on foot. Wonderful condition. Excellent May have some possible restoration. Sold For: $750 at
Milestone Auctions
Great condition 19″ Nora Wellings (orig label) English cloth “Island Girl” doll ca 1920-30’s. Sold For: $125 at Stanton Auctions
ITALIAN FELT SALON DOLL AS FLAPPER LADY WITH WHITE POODLE BY LENCI. 24″ (61 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, slender elongated throat, brown side-glancing eyes in deeply set modeled sockets, long upper lashes, grey lower eye shadow, accented nostrils, feathered brows, bow-shaped closed lips, two accent dots on lower lips, blonde mohair bobbed wig, long slender torso and limbs, one-piece felt arms with modeled bent right elbow for holding dog, sateen legs with high-heel-posed feet. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Lenci, from the salon series, the facial model known as “Gish” in reference to early film star Lillian Gish which the doll resembles, circa 1927. Value Points: very fresh condition, the rare model wears original organdy dress with black and red felt floral applique, matching shawl, red felt hat, organdy petticoat and pants with tiered ruffles, black shoes, pearls, and carries creamy mohair poodle with original Steiff button. Sold for $1,100 at Theriault’s
In Italy, fabric was used to make expensive ornamental dolls primarily intended for adults. Lenci pioneered the art doll during the 1920’s These elaborately dressed dolls epitomize 1920’s elegance.
