Dollypalooza!

An autumn antique show turned up tables and tables full of miniature dollies, almost 100 years worth, from the 1880s-1960s. It was a veritable Dollypalooza! Here's the box full I took home:

Can you spot: a cast metal dollhouse crib by Kilgore; a 1930s painted-over-bisque dollhouse doll; two 1890s frozen Charlottes; three German all-bisques, circa the 1900s; a black rubber doll from the 1920s; a teeny tiny Kewpie; a 1940s Ethel Strong 'Twinky' dollhouse doll; and plastic and vinyl dolls from East and West Germany?

The tiny 1920s Kewpie was the smallest doll in the bunch, just 1 1/4 inches tall. Behind her is a jointed German all-bisque wearing child-made clothes, a naked 1930s German painted-over-bisque dollhouse doll, and a plastic West German doll from the 1950s-60s.

The larger frozen Charlotte, 6 1/4 inches tall, was the biggest doll in the box.













This 6 inch German bisque doll  wears her original clothes and human hair wig, circa the 1900s:

Her sister, of the same size and vintage, has unusual incised eyes, and came wearing a lovely lace over blue silk dress:

A Little Antique Teddy Bear

I know I've claimed to have found the cutest teddy bear ever a few times before, but a new claimant always seems to come along...

He has such a sweet little smile!

10 inches tall, American circa 1909, made by Ideal.

A Peek at Tracy's Place

I am often asked for pictures of my place, and I usually hesitate, because I don't want to be reported to the people that make the Hoarders television show. However, I just put up some new shelves in the dining room, right over my table. They are now happily holding some of my vintage 1950s-70s toys, and I thought they came out pretty well, so here's a peek:

See anything you like?

The Strato Bank

Can you believe banks in the 1950s used to give away things as cool as this, for free?  It's true! The Strato Bank was a promotional item given out to young customers, encouraging them to save their pennies, nickels, and dimes. The 8 1/4 inch long, cast metal mechanical bank originally had labels on the sides identifying its affiliated institution.

After loading a coin on top of the spaceship, a spring loaded mechanism blasts it into the moon with the press of a button. Super, super cool.

The coins go right in front of the little red plane on top of the spaceship, and the button just before the tail fin shoots them away.

I think we'd all like bankers a lot better today if they still gave us things like this.

Little Metal People

Meet my peeps: a bunch of vintage 1940s and '50s cast metal figures originally sold in the popular dime stores of the day. In the early '40s, these 3 1/4 inch toys sold for a nickel apiece...alas, such is no longer the case! Made by companies like Barclay and Manoil, whose lines were predominantly filled with toy soldiers, these 'average citizens' are a bit more scarce.

They remind me of characters from a film noir production...

For instance: this couple appears to be full of secrets. Where is the husband rushing to, his camel hair coat casually draped over his arm? Could it be a meeting with The Other Woman? And what is his wife carrying in that violin case? Is it really a violin, or, could it be...a gun?! Does she suspect something? She certainly looks suspicious: see how she's giving him the eye?

Could this shapely stewardess be The Other Woman? Probably.

And just what is this rather stout and fearsome nurse up to? Is she blackmailing one of the elderly twin bachelor millionaires in her care?

 

Yes, they look anxious and fretful, don't they? 

Perhaps the lady in blue can help...I'm sure she saw something.
She looks the curtain-twitcher type.

She's on her way to confide her worries to the Vicar. Such a sensible man, always knows what to do, and has such a calm manner, even after his unfortunate head injury:

But the Vicar can't really talk now: he has a wedding to attend! Hopefully this young couple's marriage will turn out better than that of our friends in the first picture.

Fortunately, grandma comes to the rescue, telling everyone to stop making such fusses, sit down, and have a slice of pie. Pie makes everything better, don't you know?