She's a BAPS doll. I wanted one for a while. I got this girl for about $2. She needs a lot of rehabilitation,but for $2 I could afford to try to rescue her. Her little felt arms and legs are so dirty and stained. I knew I couldn't wash her,but I thought there must be some way to improve her appearance. I thought maybe the felt could be powdered with make up to cover the staining.
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| It looks a little better I guess. |
She looks a little better, but I think I may try painting her arms and legs.If that fails, I may replace the felt on them. She's just too cute to give up on.
She'll need a face touch up too.
Baps dolls were the creation of a Bavarian lady named Edith Von Arps.
When Von Arps' husband and sons were all killed in WWII she found herself in the position of having to support herself. She had previously made dolls,so she naturally took up doll making again. She founded BAPS in 1946.
The dolls were originally sold on Army bases, near Von Arps home in Nuremberg,as souvenirs. By 1948 the dolls were being sold in department stores in the United States,and Von Arps had to hire local women to help make the dolls.
The dolls range in size from 4 inches tall,like this girl,to 5 and 1/4 inches for the adult dolls.
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| Her felt collar won't lay down. I may try to replace it too. |
The hair is made of thread.
The face is cloth,and the arms and legs are covered with felt.
The internal armature is wire. The heavy metal feet make the dolls able to stand on their own.
She has patterned undies.
There is a good page with a lot of detailed information about BAPS dolls HERE.
That's today's doll. See you tomorrow for another one.
She reminds me a little of the Grecon Little People. What a sweet face she has, too! Definitely a little diamond in the rough, worth saving and rehabbing.
ReplyDeleteOh I like her! You can tell she had a sweet face and her hair is in amazing shape! The hair would have been the hardest thing to re-do I think. I guess I will see as I go if you fixed her up yet.
ReplyDeleteI haven't. I keep saying I will, but I haven't.
DeleteAn American soldier stationed in Germany bought dolls from her and brought them back to the US with him and they then were the inspiration for him to open the “Storyland” theme park in Glen NH in 1955, and is still a thriving business. The Baps dolls that he purchased are on display in the gift shop at the park.
ReplyDeleteAn American soldier stationed in Germany bought dolls from her and brought them back to the US with him and they then were the inspiration for him to open the “Storyland” theme park in Glen NH in 1955, and is still a thriving business. The Baps dolls that he purchased are on display in the gift shop at the park.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information.
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