Old Worn Dolls

During Christmas I bought two dolls, actually, I bought the Philadelphia doll more recently . The Black Beecher Type Doll is one of my favorite dolls as is the Philadelphia  doll. Normally I couldn't afford them, but these dolls were reduced enough that I went ahead and got them for possible reproduction later on. The Beecher is alot more complicated in her head construction. I don't know how they made the head, but I know a method I could make the head and then work on the padding in the face. The body is not complicated and I did see the doll is stuffed with a type of grass, which is tightly rolled and packed into the legs. I know this because this doll I bought had a leg that was almost  torn in two, not from play, but with age and weak spot in the fabric I guess. I carefully pressed the leg back together and cut a piece of muslin, glued the fabric and then wrapped it around the bad leg. The wig cap is really neat being a piece of cloth with loose weaving that you can sew on the wool hair, weaving the wool in and out of the wig cap and then stitching it onto the head. I haven't looked at it yet to see what kind of hair you would need, but it is weaved, not a skin.  The Philadelphia doll  would be made like the Izannah dolls by making a plaster mold of the head, then making a cloth pressed head, sewn together and mounted onto the body. The body has three skins. I know this because the doll had a hole in her back and I had to repair this and could see the three layers of cloth, and that the doll is stuffed with saw dust. The inner layer of cloth is like a muslin and then it has a second layer of stretch type cloth,  as the third layer has.  I don't know what to use to make the body yet, but will have to research this, but it is a knit fabric.  The arms and legs are fairly simple. I have to say the Philadelphia doll is wonderful in its size and compact design. The large head and smaller body are so cute and I just love this doll. My dolls are both very worn, but it doesn't affect their charm or take away from how wonderful they both are. The Black Beecher doll's dress and and shoes were dry rotted and shredding, so a replacement will be needed. The Philadelphia doll has a dress, but I don't think it is her original dress, however the shoes on this doll are still in fair shape. Here are a few pictures. I hope you enjoy seeing these old beauties. I had to shine the flash light on the beecher to make her show up.