Friday, December 31, 2021

The Doll Book of the Month Club: The Noble Doll

  Happy new year! This month's Doll Book of the Month Club entry is "The Noble Doll", by Newbery Award winning author, Elizabeth Coatsworth, and illustrated in black and white and colour by Leo Politti.



  I found this book recently at an antique store. It had interesting, colourful pictures, and was not expensive, so I decided to buy it and share it with all of you.

  The story begins with Doña Amalia, an elderly lady, living alone in her formerly grand house that is now run down. Doña Amalia's family had once been well to do. now, Doña Amalia is the only one left. She is very old, and her only means of income is the mending she does. Her eyesight is failing, and Doña Amalia wonders how long she will be able to earn a living with her mending.

  One day a lady appears at Doña Amalia's door with a little girl. The lady explains that she is the daughter of  Doña Amalia's former cook, and  Doña Amalia immediately recognizes her as the little girl who used to live in her house years ago. The lady explains that she was very happy living in Doña Amalia's house, and that she has brought her daughter Luisa to live with Doña Amalia, and serve her, as her own mother and grandmother served Doña Amalia's family.  She asks for no wages for Luisa, merely room and board, saying it would be an honour for Luisa to serve Doña Amalia.

  I was kind of disturbed by this. For one thing, the woman is just giving her daughter to this woman. Later in the story we find that Luisa goes home for visits when she can, but STILL! Also, Doña Amalia can barely feed herself. How can she care for the little girl? Her house is in disrepair. It would have made way more sense for Luisa's mother to have taken Doña Amalia into her home and cared for her in her final years. Whether or not Doña Amalia would have accepted the offer is another thing, but if she wasn't too proud to take this woman's daughter even when she couldn't properly provide for her, maybe she would have accepted. Just a point, but this book was originally published in 1961, and from what we learn in the ending, I don't think it was set in olden times. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

  Doña Amalia and Luisa come to care a great deal for each other. Luisa does the marketing, cleaning, and helps Doña Amalia by threading her needles. She loves to listen to Doña Amalia tell stories of the past while she sews. 



 
Luisa, at the bottom of the picture, does the marketing.

 Doña Amalia tells Luisa how she would love to take Luisa to see the large ranch that she owns, out in the country. The buildings were burned down long ago, but when Doña Amalia was growing up, her father owned the ranch. Now it belongs to  Doña Amalia. She has  a lawyer who has been trying to sell it for years, but no one wants the land because it is so far from town, and there is not enough water there. 

  At one point Doña Amalia fondly mentions someone named Rosita. She speaks of Rosita with such affection, that Luisa wonders who Rosita is, (Does she live somewhere in the huge house?), and if Rosita is more loved by Doña Amalia than herself.

  Doña Amalia loves having Luisa with her, but she wonders how she is going to provide for Luisa, and what will become of her crumbling mansion.

  As the Christmas season and Posada arrive, Luisa helps Doña Amalia set up the creche Nativity.


  Doña Amalia has been working on a large stack of mending for a wealthy client. She tells Luisa that when she is paid for the mending she and Luisa will have money to pay for the food for the coming year, and maybe Christmas treats. But when the wealthy lady arrives in her big car, she makes little Luisa carry it out for her, where she examines the clothing, and decides that the mending will not be good enough for her to pay the full agreed upon price. She gives Doña Amalia only a few coins, and tells her that most of the mending will need to be redone by someone else. Before she speeds off in her big car, she gives Luisa a few pesos out of guilt, to buy Christmas sweets.

  Doña Amalia is devastated. How will she buy food? What will happen to her, and to Luisa?

  Finally, Luisa meets Rosita. Rosita is a doll, and she and two other dolls are brought out for the holiday. Doña Amalia explains that the two other dolls were bought new for her, but Rosita has been passed down from Doña Amalia's mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is the most beautiful doll, grandly dressed and well cared for.

   All the dolls are tied in their chairs so they don't fall out and break. This was a relief, because I thought Rosita was going to get broken! I thought that was the big thing that was going to happen. I'm a pessimist, I guess!



  Rosita is displayed in the front window of Doña Amalia's home. Luisa suggests that Rosita be dressed as St. Francis, so that maybe St. Francis, being the patron saint of the poor, will look kindly on her. So Doña Amalia sews a plain brown robe for Rosita. 

  One day a gentleman appears, admiring Rosita, and offers Doña Amalia a great deal of money for Rosita. Doña Amalia turns him down, but feels inside that when he returns she must accept his offer, as there is no other way to buy food and take care of Luisa. She is heartbroken.



  If you're interested in reading the book, and don't want any spoilers, skip to my final thoughts on the book, below the second set of spoiler warning starts below. But if you want to know what happens to Doña Amalia, Luisa, and Rosita, read on.

**********************************The rest of the story************************************************

  Just when all seems lost, and Doña Amalia will have to sell Rosita, at the point in the Posada song where the door opens, she and Luisa get a sudden visit from the lawyer, who brings a huge swan Pinata and some really good news.



  The lawyer tells Doña Amalia and Luisa that the new airline company has bought her property for a new international airstrip, and they have offered such a good price that Doña Amalia will be comfortable for the rest of her life, and be able to give Luisa a very nice dowry. So everything ends happily, and Doña Amalia will NOT have to sell Rosita.





***********************************************************************************
 
  Author Elizabeth Coatsworth attended Vassar College, graduating in 1915, and got her Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1916. She won the 1931 Newbery medal for her book, "The Cat Who Went to Heaven". She was a great traveler who took interest in the cultures of the places she visited. She wrote many books of poetry, and over 90 books for children, including "Runaway Home", one of the series of  school readers known as The Alice and Jerry Books, and the 'Sally' series of historical fiction books. (You can see all the titles in the Sally series and read their synopsis' HERE.)

   My kids always tease me that a lot of the books I loved as a kid were about somebody having to save a house. (Some of them you may have read about here on the blog, like Sea View Secret, The Ghost of Dibble Hollow, Magic Elizabeth, and Ginnie and the Mystery Doll. So this book would have fit right in with a lot of my favourites. It is a nice warm book, with a Christmas theme and a happy ending. If you don't think your child would be upset by Luisa's mother basically giving her away, I think it could be enjoyed by small children. It's a short book of only 47 pages, and an easy read.

Monday, December 20, 2021

Another Doll Show (From May!), Part 2 At Last!

   Remember way back in May, when I posted Part 1 of a doll show post, promising part 2 wouldn't be far behind? Then I lost the pictures? Yeah. That was nice. Well the weirdest thing happened about a week ago. I found the pictures! I was looking on the wrong memory card! So, although it's been a long time coming, please enjoy these pictures from May's doll show. Maybe they will help to fill the gap until Spring brings the doll shows back.

  I love the girl in pleated skirt. She looks like a Madame Alexander.

This one is a little blurry, but there are some great dolls here. 


That one on the left has been in another post, I know. The big doll is a Patsy, I think. I like the doll next to her, but I never liked the mumps look of the Terri Lee dolls, like the one on the right.


Beautiful dolls here.


Look at that little cute girl with her Easter basket! She looks like a modern reproduction, but she's still cute. And there are two Betsy McCalls.



These girls are looking un all different directions. I lie the tall dark haired girl, and of course, the Betsy McCall. One of these days I hope to get a red haired one. The smaller dolls on the left are Muffy's?


Again, they may be repros, but they're cute.


Looks like an unlicensed Shirley Temple. Look at the face on the girl middle right, (next to the girl in the plaid dress).


These are so cute, but why did I cut off that cute googly eyed girl at the bottom?!


This Gotz doll was really cute, and a good price. But I resisted.


More cuteness. Is that a Patsy on the left? More Muffy doll. I think my favourite in this group is teh Scottish doll.


An Ideal Patti Playpal, and some of the few Barbie family dolls at the show, Skipper, Skooter, and Ricky. The larger red head is Cinnamon. I think the guy in black is Jill's boyfriend Jeff. You can see my Jeff HERE.  



Those two on the right are having a fun conversation, and the girl on the left feels left out.

Possibly the Dionne Quintuplets. Even the baby in the back wonders who they are.



This one is on my list: Baby Secrets by Mattel. Her lips move as she whispers! I need her for my collection of those Mattel dolls with the moving mouths...and for her cuteness! This one was too expensive for me, and a bit washed out. Behind her is the Liddle Kiddles Klub house. I found one of those on the floor of a Goodwill once! Unfortunately, I sold it.


And there's another doll on my list! The Teachy Keen doll on the right is missing from my collection of  dolls with the Drowsy face. The Maggie faced Madame Alexander in red and white gingham is really cute, but out of my price range, I'm sure.  


The baby on the left, and the Ricky Jr. (from "I Love Lucy") are wonderful.


This bunny just grabbed me. He reminds me of the rabbit in one of my childhood Golden books, "When You Were a Baby".


This is before the dealer fixed his ears for his photo!


Quite a mixed crowd! Dolls, bears, buffalo, and moose!


If I hadn't already spent too much, I would have bought this little girl. I love her!


This bulldog cracks me up.


These were lovely.



These felted dolls were made by a pair of nice ladies, who have no doubt been waiting for this post!       


Here is their information, if anybody sees something they would like to have, or wants something specially made!


Did you see what caught my attention?

  
This cat is cute, but that's not it...

.
It was Alice, the White Rabbit, and the Cheshire Cat!


Alice was probably 2 feet tall!
  This screen was beautiful. And check out the circus guys!


He's got some personality.



He kind of reminds me of Bernard Fox, Doctor Bombay on "Bewitched".
The boy looks like a Kathe Kruse doll. Gotta love the sailor suit. 


Aww!


Oh I want that girl on the left! Is she a Lenci? And the blue dress on that other girl is so sweet.


Another Shirley, and a Patsy.



The tall girl withy the side glance eyes!


The wooden person is really interesting looking.


I like the one in the cape.



So many beautiful dolls, and a wonderful bear with a slouchy belly.


Look at the hair on the tall girl. That looks like my old hair. Or, should I say, my young hair!


"What did you say?"


This baby has a familiar face, but I cant thin of who she is. I like how the other doll is snuggling up to her.  


This was something you don't see every often. The Petite Princess Fantasy Room by Ideal.


They were completely furnished room boxes that could be stacked to form a whole dollhouse.


Some of that Petite Princess furniture is great, but it's so often found melted or broken.
More pretty antique dolls.


This lady was extra special. She was a multiple ribbon winner.


It looks like her hands are made of kid leather and are disintegrating.

The dealer told me all about her at the time, and it was very interesting. It has unfortunately been so long now, that I have forgotten it all, except that the dolls was a multiple award winner. I wrote some information on the back of the dealer's card.


But I can't find anything online about it. All I wrote was Grossbeitenlach and B&S.

Look at that tiny detail.


Her friend was nice too.


These little German dollhouse dolls are really cute. I have a weakness for these. You can see mine HERE, HERE,  HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Wow. I had forgotten I have so many.


These little bisque kids are cute, and the bench is nice too. I have one like it that I got cheaply at an antique store.


These kids are so fed up with this baby's dramatics. they are ignoring her.

 

Remember the Highway Dolls? One of them was a Molly E doll, and I'm pretty sure that what this doll is too. The dealer thought so too. 


By the way, there are still some Highway Dolls left, if anybody is interested in them for the price of shipping only.
  I can't help but be reminded of Mr. Rogers' King Friday when I look at this puppet.



More nice dolls.


Oh! This little girl AND her outfit! (I think the outfit is new though.)


This is a very strange lady in her underwear.


She looks quite shocked to see that she is being gawked at while in nothing but her drawers.

"We are not amused."

This child appears to be somewhat angry.


Aw! A Margie doll! I love these. They were made by Cameo around 1929. They have composition heads and torsos, and wooden limbs that are posable. And they're very cute!

A Margie is on my list too, but out of my range.

This child looks...strange.

But cute.

More nicely dressed little girls.


This monkey appealed to me.


I like these little guys.


This porcelain kid looks like maybe a newer repro, but the kid he's holding looks 60's or early 70's.

I prefer the smaller doll.

Antique dolls.


The three in the front are my favourites of the bunch.


I wonder if that's the same Animal puppet I bought at the August show?


Guess my favourite. Got it? If you guessed the girl in plaid, you're right.


A Thumbelina, (in the middle), just like my childhood one...except this one has hair.



A cute baby with a very shiny face.


A very stylish lady...


...and a fella in the military.


A Caco baby in very nice condition.


I circled back around especially to photograph this girl in a snowsuit.


I really liked this sweet looking girl with ringlets.                                                             




A little group of Steiff animals, including a pig and a rhino. I've never seen a Steiff rhino before.



This girl has attitude.


I was quite taken with this 1930's Uncle Wiggly by Georgene Averill.


Likewise this Porky Pig.



No doll show is complete without some Shirley Temple dolls. This one was in super nice condition.



  Well, that's it for that show.  There won't be another around here until Spring. But I have lots to show you. I'm debating doing Doll-A-Day again next year. What do you think? It's lots of work, and also, if I do that I don't have time to post on other things. However, I'm thinking about it, or maybe doing a twice a week doll. Then I could still do the Doll Book of the Month and all sorts of other things, like doll show posts. We'll see.