Rare Klumpe Napoleon Character Doll Surfaces on Ebay

A rare Klumpe Napoleon character doll showed up in my Ebay alerts this morning.  Klumpe dolls, made of molded felt and averaging 11" tall, were produced in Barcelona, Spain beginning in 1952 until the early 1970s.  
This particular doll appears to be in excellent condition (the vendor reports only two tiny holes in the clothing) and strikes a dynamic pose.  Most importantly, he sports the original tags on both front and back.  The tag on the back indicates Napoleon was numbered 16-BB.  It will be interesting to see how much he sells for as Klumpe dolls have gained quite a following in recent years and the character dolls in excellent condition have brought as much as $200.

Collectors of these dolls often collect similar dolls produced by Roldan, also manufactured in Barcelona. Roldan dolls are usually a little smaller, averaging 9" tall, but Roldan accessories are often more intricate than those produced for Klumpe dolls.  More V-shaped eyebrows distinguish the Klumpe dolls from those made by Roldan although collectors should also be aware that these two flagship manufacturers were imitated by a dozen other Spanish toy producers including Layna and Nistis so positively identifying a genuine Klumpe or Roldan without labels could be challenging.

     

Gene dolls reflect their glamorous Hollywood origins

When I first began collecting historical dolls and focused on dolls representing people from ancient history, I successfully bid on a Gene doll dressed as the "Daughter of the Nile". She remains one of my favorites but I really didn't know that much about the history behind this particular Gene incarnation until I read a vendor's description of another "Daughter of the Nile" offered for sale recently on Ebay:

Gene was the conception of fashion illustrator Mel Odom and produced by The Ashton-Drake Galleries.

Gene is 15-1/2" of poseable, collector-quality vinyl with a finish that mimics fine porcelain; hand painted features, hand-applied lashes, period coiffure rooted and styled by hand; wardrobe crafted of quality fabrics like those worn by real Hollywood stars of the era; Impeccable tailoring details - hand-sewn fastenings, fully lined dresses, seamed hose; fabulous accessories designed precisely to scale.

"Daughter of the Nile" is dressed in an exotic Egyptian gown, reminiscent of the alluring costumes creased for the historical epic movies so popular in their time, circa 1952.

The gown is hand-beaded with faux gold, turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli on a sheath dress of silk crepe, lined in pale silk. Finely pleated, the sheer turquoise chiffon robe ripples as fluidly as the Nile.

Includes gold metallic sandals, dangle earrings, and hand-beaded bracelets, headdress and arm bands.

Her raven hair spills in soft waves past her sholders. Two braids woven with gold cords cast an exotic allure - designed by renowned fashion artist Timothy Alberts.

The story of Gene is that of Hollywood star Katie Marshall, who, after she was discovered by a famous Hollywood producer, adopted her beloved grandfather's name, Gene - because he had always encouraged her to follow her dream to stardom.

In a bid to lure back audiences from television, Monolithic Studios poured millions of dollars and an all-star cast of thousands into a stupendous historical epic called, "The Daughter of the Nile". They cast Marshall as the female lead, the number one box office draw, and it became one of Monolithic's greatest successes."

I did a little more research and found a "Gene chronology" supposedly compiled by doll producer Mel Odom. Gene was "born" April 17, 1923. Her "career", as represented in her various costumes, spans from 1941 - 1962. The "Daughter of the Nile" doll is supposed to represent her costume from a film produced in 1952 in which she plays "a priestess torn between the Pharaoh’s will and her destiny of love." The doll, designed by Timothy Alberts, was released in 1998. It was officially retired 2/12/2000.

I bought another Gene doll dressed in a 194os-era army-style uniform at a local doll show. I looked through the list of Gene dolls on the chronology website and I think it must be the Gene USO doll representing the year 1944. I found this picture on an Ebay auction that looks like my doll except I don't have the USO arm band. The doll was not in a box when I purchased it so it could have been mislaid. It was designed by Doug James and released in 1999. I display her with my Effanbee General Douglas MacArthur.

I also bought a Gene as the Blue Goddess [right] in an Ebay auction. I especially liked it because it reminded me of the goddesses of Greek mythology. It was designed by Tim Kennedy in 1996 and represented Gene in one of her first color films, about the stolen Blue Goddess diamond. Audiences knew the real Blue Goddess was Gene. This doll was retired in June 1999.

Odom also produced a male companion for Gene named Trent. I bought a Trent styled in a costume of historical India from the 20th century Fox film "The Rains Came". I think he looks very dashing in his brocade frock coat and his rakish satin turban!

Vintage 1967 Williamsburg Paper Doll collection comes up for bid on Eby

I noticed this interesting box of Williamsburg Paper Dolls came up for bid on Ebay:

8 paper dolls and 8 sets of costumes that are die-cut with introduction to 18th century costumes. The figures are from the film, “Williamsburg—The Story of a Patriot,” a film they must have shown to visitors at Williamsburg. The names of the paper dolls are John Fry, a young planter and legislator; his mother; his wife, Anne; their children, Robert and Caroline; their Negro servants, Cato and Virginia; and a pre-Revolutionary officer, Captain Nicholas.

The box says: Trademark of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 1967, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, No. 8-171.

The "buy it now" price was listed at $19.99.

Historical Biblical Dolls

I was checking for an address for the Hamilton Collection today and noticed that their latest offerings include a "Little Drummer Boy" porcelain doll in 1st century dress. This 11 1/2" porcelain doll was created by award-winning artist and sculptor Titus Tomescu. I thought he looked very endearing.

I have several other dolls in my collection that include the Biblical characters Ruth (right), Judith and Mary Magdalene. They are each 22" tall and were produced by World Gallery. I also have the character dolls that were sold in conjunction with the release of the animated feature film "Prince of Egypt". That group includes a young Moses dressed as a prince of Egypt, Tzipporah, the shepherdess who became his wife, and an older Moses in desert robes. They were produced by Hasbro. I bought mine on Ebay and paid less than $20 each for them but I see they are now being offered on Amazon for $49.95. Apparently they were not produced in great numbers and have passed into the realm of "collectible".

Jenny Diver, 18th century thief, surfaces on Ebay

A dear English friend and fellow doll collector, Doris Howe, sent me a note about this interesting wax figurine of Jenny Diver that surfaced on Ebay. Apparently, Jenny Diver, whose real name was Mary Young, was an 18th century thief who made a lucrative living from stealing from the rich in London streets. She "became so expert in her profession as to acquire great consequence among her associates, who distinguished her by the appellation of "Jenny Diver" —- on account, as we conceive, of her remarkable dexterity." - The Newgate Calendar

She often posed as a pregnant woman to gain sympathy.

"Jenny, again assumed the appearance of a pregnant woman, and, attended by an accomplice, as a footman, went towards St James's Park on a day when the King was going to the House of Lords, and there being a great number of persons between the Park and Spring Gardens she purposely slipped down, and was instantly surrounded by many of both sexes, who were emulous to afford her assistance; but, affecting to be in violent pain, she intimated to them that she was desirous of remaining on the ground till she should be somewhat recovered. As she expected, the crowd in- creased, and her pretended footman and a female accomplice were so industrious as to obtain two diamond girdle-buckles, a gold watch, a gold snuff-box and two purses, containing together upwards of forty guineas.

Two of the gang being confined to their lodgings by illness, Jenny and the man with whom she cohabited generally went in company in search of adventures. They went together to Burr Street, Wapping, and, observing a genteel house, the man, who acted as Jenny's footman, knocked at the door, and saying that his mistress was on a sudden taken extremely ill, begged she might be admitted. This was readily complied with, and, while the mistress of the house and her maid-servant were gone upstairs for such things as they imagined would afford relief to the supposed sick woman, she opened a drawer and stole sixty guineas; and after this, while the mistress was holding a smelling-bottle to her nose, she picked her pocket of a purse, which, however, did not contain money to any considerable amount. In the meantime the pretended footman, who had been ordered into the kitchen, stole six silver tablespoons, a pepper-box and a salt-cellar. Jenny, pretending to be some- what recovered, expressed the most grateful acknowledgements to the lady, and, saying she was the wife of a capital merchant in Thames Street, invited her in the most pressing terms to dinner on an appointed day, and then went away in a hackney-coach, which by her order had been called to the door by her pretended servant." - The Newgate Calendar

She even practiced her art in America:

"She soon found that America was a country where she could expect but little emolument from the practices she had so successfully followed in England; and therefore she employed every art that she was mistress of to ingratiate herself in the esteem of a young gentleman who was preparing to embark on board a vessel bound for the Port of London. He became much enamoured of her, and brought her to England; but while the ship lay at Gravesend she robbed him of all the property she could get into her possession, and, pretending an indisposition, intimated a desire of going on shore, in which her admirer acquiesced: but she was no sooner on land than she made a precipitate retreat." The Newgate Calendar

Her life of crime was finally cut short when she was hanged in 1740.

"She now frequented the Royal Exchange, the theatres, London Bridge and other places of public resort, and committed innumerable depredations on the public. Being detected in picking a gentleman's pocket upon London Bridge, she was taken before a magistrate, to whom she declared that her name was Jane Webb, and by that appellation she was committed to Newgate. She was arraigned for privately stealing, and pronounced guilty. The property being valued at less than one shilling, she was sentenced to transportation.

A twelvemonth had not elapsed before she returned from transportation a second time, and on her arrival in London she renewed her former practices. A lady going from Sherborne Lane to Walbrooke was accosted by a man, who took her hand as if to assist her in crossing some planks that were placed over the channel for the convenience of passengers; but he squeezed her fingers with so much force as to give her great pain, and in the meantime Jenny picked her pocket of thirteen shillings and a penny. The gentlewoman, conscious of being robbed, seized the thief by the gown, and she was immediately conducted to the compter. She was examined the next day by the Lord Mayor, who committed her to Newgate in order for trial, and at the ensuing sessions at the Old Bailey she was tried on an indictment for privately stealing, and the jury brought in the verdict, "Guilty;" in consequence of which she received sentence of death.

After conviction she seemed sincerely to repent of the course of iniquity in which she had so long persisted, punctually attending prayers in the chapel, and employing great part of her time in private devotions. The day preceding that on which she was executed, she sent for the woman who nursed her thud, then about three years old, and after informing her that there was a person who would pay for the infant's maintenance, earnestly entreated that it might be carefully instructed in the duties of religion, and guarded from all temptations to wickedness, and then, after acknowledging that she had long been a daring offender against the laws, both of God and man, she entreated the woman to pray for the salvation of her soul; she then took her leave, apparently deeply impressed with the sentiments of contrition.

On the following morning she appeared to be in a serene state of mind: but being brought into the press-yard, the executioner approached to put the halter about her, when her fortitude abated: but in a short time her spirits were again tolerably composed.

She was conveyed to Tyburn in a mourning-coach, being attended by a clergyman, to whom she declared her firm belief in all the principles of the Protestant religion; and at the place of execution she employed a considerable time in fervent prayer. Her remains were, by her particular desire, interred in St. Pancras church-yard." The Newgate Calendar

In 1922, actress Angela Baddeley played the famous wench on the stage. Baddeley was invested as a Commander, Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) in 1975.

This piece must have been commissioned to commemorate her performance as it is engraved with her name and dated 1947(?) - it's a little hard to tell because the date seems to be combined with 1922. The Figurine stands 9 1/2" tall and is beautifully detailed with a plaintive expression on her face.