Monday, May 1, 2017

Doll-A-Day 2017 #121: Uneeda Miss Twist,Ballerina, or Mommy Dollikin

  Today we're figuring out who this doll is.


She was wearing this when I got her. It's pretty, and looks good on her, but it needs cleaning and pressing.
She's 19" tall. I know she's a Dollikin,but which one? She's either Miss Twist,or the Dollikin Ballerina, (Not the one with the widow's peak.), or Mommy from the Mommy and Baby set.



 I think her eye makeup is a little too heavy to be Mommy. She has short hair though, and it seems to be original,so...

All were made by Uneeda between 1958 and 1962.

These clothes were part of a box full of handmade clothes I got at a yard sale.


Dollikins were produced as 19" (Sometimes described as 20") dolls, as well as a rare 15" size. Later there was an 11 1/2" Dollikin, as well as a small 7" or 8" doll. At some point we'll see the 11 1/2" size doll.


 The great thing about Dollikin dolls is the articulation. She's jointed at the neck,shoulders, upper arms, elbows,wrists,waist,hips,knees,and ankles.


They can come close, but I couldn't get her hands to actually touch her mouth.
One of my iris's has bloomed so far.
And a second amaryllis has joined the first to bloom.
 
Dollikins were supposed to be 'A doll miracle of flexibility'.



They were ahead of their time in the idea of doll articulation, (except for Schoenhut wooden dolls,which were amazingly posable and long before Dollikins.) Why the idea didn't catch on and become a standard for dolls I'll never know. It's only in the last few years that highly articulated dolls have become so popular that Mattel was even forced to come up with the supremely posable Made to Move Barbie.

If I didn't try to pose her in 'anyway that I could not do myself' she wouldn't be doing very much. I'm pretty old and stiff these days. The Dollikin body is jointed, but the limbs are strung. When their stringing breaks, the limbs still stay together. I know this because I have one that needs her arms put back on. We'll see her at some point.
I have stockings for her, but no garters. Also, the feet weren't quite the right shape for hers. She actually has flat feet,which I couldn't get in the heels I had for her. Dollikins do wear heels though. The ankle flexes, which probably allows them to wear heels.



She can tilt her head up.


She has sleep eyes with 'real' lashes.


This stole was part of the same box of doll clothes as the red satin dress and the tulle cape. I think it might be lamb. I'm vegetarian, and I don't do leather or fur myself, but if this is lamb, it's been dead for nearly 70 years. In a way I feel like throwing things like this away now just means the lamb died in vain.
  


 Her hair needs redone. I'm sure is was supposed to have curl in it. I am not talented in that direction though. She does have the frizzies a bit.


Her nails are done in red, to match her lips.







The chaise lounge was a Goodwill find for $2. It was just what I was thinking I needed for her photo shoot. and there it was.



Tomorrow is just another doll. Come back to see which one.

1 comment:

Thanks in advance for your comments.