19th Century Paper Dolls

I'm a little disappointed with myself. I didn't have the courage to paint this doll after I'd inked it. But I have to send it by the 15th and so I had to finish it, and, well, here it is, finished. I colored it on the computer with Adobe PhotoShop and boy-o does it look slick, but it's really not what I was aiming for when I started it (as usual, click on the image for a slightly larger version so you can see some details).

I really had just meant to work on the lettering and whatnot (which I had intended all along to do on the computer, but once I started, I couldn't resist ~ and I knew it would just be simpler than fighting with traditional media and my horror of colors. And if I made a mistake I could just redo it with the click of my Wacom pen. It's very hard to resist that kind of flexibility.

I don't hate the final results. I think it came out just fine. I only wish I'd had the courage to do it as I wanted to instead of resorting to what's easy. The sad thing is, I'm sure it's all the more impressive for me having done it with the computer than I could have ever made it look in paint ~ at least posted online like this. Holding the real thing in my hands, paint is infinitely more wonderful. And now I worry that I have consigned Henry Fleming to a permanent state of black and white mere outline on the page because the chances of me going back to this project now that it's done are pretty much nil.  Sorry about that Henry.

Here's hoping I'll get work done on other dolls soon.

Despite a failing pen (that has been a favorite of mine for a very long time), I managed to at least transfer and ink Henry Fleming. There are details missing on the flag, etc. at the moment, but I'm doing all that with paint. For now, click on the image to see some better details. Don't mind the writing over it. I just wanted to make sure it's clear that this is a draft.

I didn't change very much from the original concept. The pose is more or less as I originally designed it. I shortened Henry's hair a little (it was too long for a Yankee), and decided against the gaiters (oh sigh). But it's not like I don't have a dozen other Civil War uniforms sketched out and lying around waiting to be made for other dolls. The hardest thing to draw was Henry's enfield rifle (getting the perspective right was not a picnic). But it came out pretty okay ~ I'm pleased.

As RLC noted in the last post I made with the original sketch, I'm doing this for the OPDAG newsletter. The due date is the 15th, but I've got a whole 'nuther weekend to paint and finish it, so I'm sure I'll have it in well before the deadline.

This month, Morphy Auctions is auctioning off a ton of vintage/antique paper dolls (thank God I have no money to bid!). I had never considered buying actual 19th century dolls until I saw some of these.

Throughout the month of May, I'll share some of the lots with you as fun examples. I have polished a few of these from the catalog so that you can print them if you like (the resolution isn't that good, but they might still be fun!). Many of the dolls are not identified very in depth. I'll provide whatever information the catalog contains and some comments of my own.

First up is Grace Lee (Lot 486). The site says: "'Grace Lee' has five outfits [only four are shown] and a hat with an envelope from the period indicating the set may have been a gift. " The actual doll is 5 inches, comes with a second doll with  more clothing (not shown), and the two are expected to fetch anywhere between $200 and $250 dollars. This is one of many sets of dolls printed by McLoughlin.

From the style of the clothing, Grace Lee looks like she was produced in the late 1850s or early 1860s.  I love the ermine-tail trim on the lavender coat and the Flemish-styled overskirt on the fourth dress. It looks like this is a very nice set and well-cared for.

Click on the doll and the clothes below for a larger image from which to print.

Finally, I am working on Henry Fleming this weekend, so I hope to update my progress by Sunday so you can see how he's coming along.

Wanted to update with the project I am currently working on (and which has a deadline of May 15th, so I guess I need to get cracking on it). I'm making a paper doll of Henry Fleming from The Red Badge of Courage. Nothing too complex: just Henry in his uniform in various states and, of course, carrying the standard for the triumphant finale.

I haven't quite decided on a lot of things for this doll including his pose. I want him to look both startled and heroic, which is sort of a hard mix, but I think I can get it there so that he can play both coward and courage as required.

My favorite piece of this, of course, is the bandage for his head. I like the shock of hair coming off the top.  I'm going to do this one in color. I feel safe enough about it since it's just a Yankee uniform, so I don't have to think too hard about how it ought to look. Not sure about all the pieces yet, though. I might make him some civilian clothes as well (and put regular brogans on his feet instead of the gaiters ~ I just happen to be fond of gaiters).

Today, though I am (and I promise) working on some dolls of my own, I wanted to share with you a lovely 1860s doll by artist Karen Reilly. She is a German bisque and originally appeared in the May 2008 issue of Doll Reader, but is now available as a free download from the Doll Reader web page.

I'm settling into the evening with my own work on my lap. It is entirely possible I might have something to share in the coming week.  I know, nobody hold their breath!

The great find of recent weeks has been Google Books digitized volumes of the Gazette of Fashion from Edward Minister and Son, who were tailors and habit makers for the queen (you can see a sample here). I don't know every magazine that was ever published in the 19th century in America, but I do know that I have no knowledge of any American counterpart that would be similar to this particular one that might have been running as early as the 1860s. The Gazette is wonderfully illustrated, but even though it's great that Google Books has digitized a handful of volumes, it's unfortunate that the digitization was done somewhat slipshod.

The Gazette contained lovely fold out pages (in full color!), but Google Books did not attempt to capture these at all, it appears (you can see the fold in the picture above from an 1866 issue). It's too bad since the color pictures look really wonderful and it would have been great to see more examples of the use of color in men's clothing since I have such a terror of color and don't do well mixing and matching.

The image at the right is an example of a typical black and white plate (from an 1869 issue). The detail on the clothing is excellent. Edward Minister and Son focused on suits and coats, including coats for women and clothing for boys. Throughout the magazine are some lovely examples of riding habits for women, winter coats, walking coats, sporting outfits, dusters, etc. The array of styles for men is pretty staggering and each issue contains patterns and articles on textiles, seasonal fads, etc.

I always tend to think of men's clothes as fairly limited then: a few styles of frocks and coats, but everything generally similar. In a full year of the Gazette there might be upwards of 75 different plates, all showing variations not only in the coats, but in the trousers as well (so many patterns!). There is an immense wealth of grist here. Now I just need to settle in and actually do the work! I'm looking forward to it, though, while most people couldn't afford the extravagance of so many different suits and coats, men of wealth and leisure ( and certainly royalty!) had more options than I ever imagined. It will be fun to see what sort of things I can use for my various characters.

* This post was reproduced from my Reconstruction website (where you will see why I have been too busy to post here, I hope).

Peterson's magazine was practically a staple for ladies in the American Victorian home. Next to Godey's Lady's Book, it was certainly the most popular.  Published monthly, it contained stories, fashion plates (both hand-colored and black & white engravings), advice on home management (furnishing, cooking, maintenance, and sewing), poetry, songs, embroidery patterns, and much more.

Many women saved the magazine for its tips and illustrations, and if it was economically feasible for them, had it bound. This edition in my collection is from 1867 and once belonged to Jennie L. Howard.

Peterson's Magazine hasn't been published in over a hundred years, but its popularity with collectors (particularly for its fold-out colored fashion plates), is rivaled only by that of Godey's. Both single loose issues and bound volumes can readily be found at antiquarian book stores and auctions, but prices can vary radically depending on the age, condition, and contents of the magazine. I got a bargain when I found this volume online for less than $20. I love it not only for its plates but because it's a window into the popular culture of the 19th century, its trends, attitudes, and amusements for women of a growing middle class.

I have some more plates to share from Peterson's from my personal collection, but they are not from this particular volume.

Wanted to just get kick-started with posting some clothing (the dolls are no longer wandering around undressed, though I admit the women still don't have proper skirts yet. I'll remedy that soon, but meanwhile here are all the tops I've been working on. For the women, they are all 60s-style (mid-to-late).  I did these without any particular plan in mind, so there's some mixed results, but I do like Emmaline's white lace blouse and Amy's blue ribbons.

I don't make clothing with the traditional fold-over paper doll tabs, but for your convenience, I added some here.

For the men, I am re-posting Morse's purple vest (in the proper size ~ and I will post the doll soon). I also made vests for James and Lewis. I wanted to put more detailing on James' red vest, but got a little skittish and didn't want to ruin in (I like the little gold leaves as a border).

Now that I have made a few clothing pieces, I think I have enough confidence to work on bigger and better stuff.

Next: some more dolls from my collection.

I'm always delighted to find paper dolls by artists other than Tom Tierney. Not that I don't appreciate Tierney's work (and especially since he's so prolific and has created so many cool 19th century-era dolls!). But I enjoy different styles and enjoy the distinctive qualities each artist brings to their own work.

I'm not very familiar with most of Stall's work, but I found this little gem (4 pages originally published in the May, June/July 1985 editions of Doll Reader) on eBay (where else?). I did not reproduce the whole set of costumes, but wanted to share the doll and my favorite dress at least.

This is Adrienne, a "fashionable lady of 1864" and her wardrobe is based on designs that originally appeared in The Lady's Friend, which was a journal for women produced in Philadelphia in the 19th century. The nice thing about Stall basing this on contemporary magazine fashions from the era is that she included some footnotes regarding the various pieces of clothing and where they originally appeared in the magazine. Very cool idea!

The Dress here at the left is my favorite of the lot and I am drawing something based on it for my own set of dolls (for Emmaline). You can see both the doll and the dress in much more detail if you click on the images.

Because this is printed on somewhat fragile magazine paper, I'm looking forward to making a photocopy on sturdy paper so that I can cut the pieces out. I love them so much in black and white, I don't think I'll even attempt to color them.