Today's doll, seen at the doll show the other day, is a Polish Victims Relief Fund doll.
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| I love her shoes! |
She is about 11 to 12 inches tall.
Some of the Polish Relief Fund dolls were much larger. She has a stuffed cloth body, center stitched face, embroidered features, and yarn hair. All these features are typical of the Polish Relief Fund dolls.
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| Sorry these are a bit out of focus. I still need to replace my lens...or my camera. |
The Polish Victims Relief Fund was set up after WWI to aid displaced Polish women and children after WWI. Dolls were designed and handmade by artists who were Polish refugees in Paris, and sold to benefit Polish widows and orphans. Famed pianist, composer, Polish Prime Minister, and one of the signers of the Treaty of Versailles. Ignacy Jan Paderewski helped to promote the sale of the dolls.
His wife Madame Helena Paderewski oversaw production and sales of the dolls. They are commonly referred to as Madame Paderewski's dolls, even though she didn't actually make any of them herself.
This doll would have originally had a medallion around her neck, identifying her as a Polish Relief Fund doll. This one appears to be without hers.
That's today's doll. I took my day off today and relaxed. I even took a nap! Tomorrow it's back to work. Part of the day will be spent trying to find Ken a suit for the wedding. We spent all day searching yesterday, and nothing fit properly except a suit Ken complained about seeing the padded shoulders of in his peripheral vision! See you tomorrow.
I did not know about this relief fund. It is amazing that dolls have been used for so many important causes. I am thinking about the dolls used in the Sanitary Fairs to raise funds to help soldiers during the Civil War here in this country. I hope Ken finds the perfect suit.
ReplyDeleteOkay Dorothy. You have one up on me this time. I never herd of the Sanitary Fairs. I'm going to have to research that now and learn something. Thanks Teach!
DeleteIf you do a Google search for Sanitary Fairs during the Civil War, you will find tons of information. I know one Fair was held in New York and I think one was held in Philadelphia. Dolls were auctioned off to raise funds. Some of the dolls still survive. I think they are only in museums though but there may be one or two in private collections.
DeleteI will look them up. I haven't had a chance yet. It sounds like it deserves it's own post.
DeleteNice! I love dolls for a cause!
ReplyDeleteThat doll is amazing and so is her price. Of course I understand why, but ouch. I love her shoes too
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