Miss Pym and a Friend
Friday, December 26, 2014
Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Cotillion; Come Dance with the Dolls
Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Cotillion; Come Dance with the Dolls: Happy Boxing Day, Merry Christmas (It's the 2nd day of Christmas!) and Happy New Year! When I was a little girl, I used my beautiful do...
Friday, December 19, 2014
Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Merry Christmas!!
Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Merry Christmas!!: VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not...
Sunday, December 14, 2014
The Moppet Children
We didn't call them "Big Eyes" when I was little, we called them
"Moppets." I still have the paintings, prints, greeting cards, and
dolls that featured the sad, big eyed children. Other artists made
them, too, I know, and some versions of these paintings featuring older
children hung at Ben's, our favorite restaurant.
They were wildly popular, and Pym would have known them. Some of her characters, the more waif-like women, resemble them.
Sunday Morning today feature the story of the Keane's, and the fact that Walter painted nothing; Margaret painted and let him take the credit. It was the early to mid sixties, and per "The Feminine Mystique" as Betty Friedan penned it, the credit for a woman's work went to her husband. We call it fraud today, but really, this is more common than we know.
The dolls of Bernard Ravca were allegedly made by his wife, Frances. She made a few smaller dolls on her own, but she is also supposed to be responsible for the realistic and fantastic needle sculpted and bread-crumb dough creations. Mme. Tolstoy heavily edited Count Leo's work, as told in Edward's "Sophia." I have to wonder how much she actually wrote. In the 80s, a California woman took the bar for her husband. He had threatened her and placed her under terrible duress. She dressed as a man, beat all the security, suffered because she was in the last stages of a difficult pregnancy, took the test, then had to go to the hospital. She passed.
I remember writing an article for a magazine I and my then "insignificant" other both wrote for. He hadn't finished his article, and pressured me into letting him take mine and put his name on it. That was the begininng of the end. No money was involved, and we weren't married, so I left.
Shortly after I came back home, before Walter Keane died, My aunt ran into him in hte Bay Area. She was buying some cards by Keane, and he told her he was the artist. He signed them for her, and she sent them to me, so I have Walter Keane's signature, and his provenance that a lie was perpetuated.
Many dolls like Lonely Lisa were created in the image of the Big Eye kids. I always thought they took after the Googleys, Kewpies, and Campbell Kids, but Margarate Keane didn't say this. Besides, her children are sad eyed as well, where most ofhte Googleys are happy.
Still, I love my moppets, and can't wait to see "Big Eyes," even if the artist took being an "excellent woman" to such an extreme, but we do what we must to survive.
They were wildly popular, and Pym would have known them. Some of her characters, the more waif-like women, resemble them.
Sunday Morning today feature the story of the Keane's, and the fact that Walter painted nothing; Margaret painted and let him take the credit. It was the early to mid sixties, and per "The Feminine Mystique" as Betty Friedan penned it, the credit for a woman's work went to her husband. We call it fraud today, but really, this is more common than we know.
The dolls of Bernard Ravca were allegedly made by his wife, Frances. She made a few smaller dolls on her own, but she is also supposed to be responsible for the realistic and fantastic needle sculpted and bread-crumb dough creations. Mme. Tolstoy heavily edited Count Leo's work, as told in Edward's "Sophia." I have to wonder how much she actually wrote. In the 80s, a California woman took the bar for her husband. He had threatened her and placed her under terrible duress. She dressed as a man, beat all the security, suffered because she was in the last stages of a difficult pregnancy, took the test, then had to go to the hospital. She passed.
I remember writing an article for a magazine I and my then "insignificant" other both wrote for. He hadn't finished his article, and pressured me into letting him take mine and put his name on it. That was the begininng of the end. No money was involved, and we weren't married, so I left.
Shortly after I came back home, before Walter Keane died, My aunt ran into him in hte Bay Area. She was buying some cards by Keane, and he told her he was the artist. He signed them for her, and she sent them to me, so I have Walter Keane's signature, and his provenance that a lie was perpetuated.
Many dolls like Lonely Lisa were created in the image of the Big Eye kids. I always thought they took after the Googleys, Kewpies, and Campbell Kids, but Margarate Keane didn't say this. Besides, her children are sad eyed as well, where most ofhte Googleys are happy.
Still, I love my moppets, and can't wait to see "Big Eyes," even if the artist took being an "excellent woman" to such an extreme, but we do what we must to survive.
Monday, December 8, 2014
An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: An Allusion to Erzebet in The Book of Lost Things ...
An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: An Allusion to Erzebet in The Book of Lost Things ...: In some versions of Erzebet's legends, she has a great white wolf for a pet. Wolves are linked to vampires, and Dracula, whom Stoker al...
Saturday, December 6, 2014
New Book on Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
A treasure trove of new details about the life and experiences of Little House on the Prairie creator Laura Ingalls Wilder and her pioneer family is offered in this book, edited by award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill and based on the author’s letters, manuscripts, and other documents from the time. Morris says, "Perhaps the biggest draw of Pioneer Girl is that it was written as more of a diary of memories, skipping back and forth as her mind saw fit, and it was not changed as the Little House ...more A treasure trove of new details about the life and experiences of Little House on the Prairie creator Laura Ingalls Wilder and her pioneer family is offered in this book, edited by award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill and based on the author’s letters, manuscripts, and other documents from the time. Morris says, "Perhaps the biggest draw of Pioneer Girl is that it was written as more of a diary of memories, skipping back and forth as her mind saw fit, and it was not changed as the Little House on the Prairie books were to add that little zing of which publishers are so fond. This is her story, stark, detailed, and wonderful, as she meant it to be."
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
A treasure trove of new details about the life and experiences of Little House on the Prairie creator Laura Ingalls Wilder and her pioneer family is offered in this book, edited by award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill and based on the author’s letters, manuscripts, and other documents from the time. Morris says, "Perhaps the biggest draw of Pioneer Girl is that it was written as more of a diary of memories, skipping back and forth as her mind saw fit, and it was not changed as the Little House ...more A treasure trove of new details about the life and experiences of Little House on the Prairie creator Laura Ingalls Wilder and her pioneer family is offered in this book, edited by award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill and based on the author’s letters, manuscripts, and other documents from the time. Morris says, "Perhaps the biggest draw of Pioneer Girl is that it was written as more of a diary of memories, skipping back and forth as her mind saw fit, and it was not changed as the Little House on the Prairie books were to add that little zing of which publishers are so fond. This is her story, stark, detailed, and wonderful, as she meant it to be."
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
"I am Excellent Woman, and I Pack Heat" Charlie's Angels
Over the last few months, I've caught up with Charlie's Angels on Cozi TV. I confess to never having seen many episodes when they were on prime time. I was always, always studying at night. To me, the concept seemed like "Bimbo with a gun," though I admired Jaclyn Smith, and I still like her clothing like at K-Mart (Yes, K-Mart!).
They just seemed silly, and I used to make fun of Farrah Fawcett Majors, calling her "Farrah Fawcett Drip." I changed my opinion of her long before she lost a very brave battle with cancer. I used to love watching "Good Sports" with Ryan O'Neal, and loved her with A. Martinez in "Criminal Behaviors.'
In hindsight, I probably wasn't paying that much attention. Now, I watch when I can. All the actresses who played in the series went on to do other things, and Kate Jackson has been a favorite of mine since "Dark Shadows" [one day, I have to post about "Excellent Monsters!"] They all six have proved to be versatile actresses, and Smith went on to a successful business career. In the show, they are beautiful, even conventionally so, but they are all different in their tastes, all smart, all brave, all good detectives. They did a lot for women, like me, who now work in criminal justice and legal professions. Their clothes are still tasteful, but not frilly or silly. They encouraged women to defend themselves, to seek nontraditional careers, to build teams, friendships, and professions.
Pym would have approved, somehow, I'm sure. These are witty, clever, beautiful women, the kind she liked to write about, the kind she was.
They prove intelligence can go a long way, but that an attractive woman isn't all about sex appeal and men. They took a lot of ribbing when the show was being filmed, and some bad press.That 30 years later or so, people of all genders and ages still want to watch them, well, it speaks tomes.
They just seemed silly, and I used to make fun of Farrah Fawcett Majors, calling her "Farrah Fawcett Drip." I changed my opinion of her long before she lost a very brave battle with cancer. I used to love watching "Good Sports" with Ryan O'Neal, and loved her with A. Martinez in "Criminal Behaviors.'
In hindsight, I probably wasn't paying that much attention. Now, I watch when I can. All the actresses who played in the series went on to do other things, and Kate Jackson has been a favorite of mine since "Dark Shadows" [one day, I have to post about "Excellent Monsters!"] They all six have proved to be versatile actresses, and Smith went on to a successful business career. In the show, they are beautiful, even conventionally so, but they are all different in their tastes, all smart, all brave, all good detectives. They did a lot for women, like me, who now work in criminal justice and legal professions. Their clothes are still tasteful, but not frilly or silly. They encouraged women to defend themselves, to seek nontraditional careers, to build teams, friendships, and professions.
Pym would have approved, somehow, I'm sure. These are witty, clever, beautiful women, the kind she liked to write about, the kind she was.
They prove intelligence can go a long way, but that an attractive woman isn't all about sex appeal and men. They took a lot of ribbing when the show was being filmed, and some bad press.That 30 years later or so, people of all genders and ages still want to watch them, well, it speaks tomes.
Record Broken for 19th C. Doll-this Just In!
This is my favorite Jumeau, words below by Theriault's, and we thank them for allowing me to use their press release and photos.
A rare model from the "Series Fantastique" of French dollmaker Emile Jumeau set a new world record for a 19th century doll when it realized $285,000 at Theriault's antique doll auction at the Waldorf Astoria in New York on November 22. The series, introduced in 1892, featured highly expressive children who were gleefullylaughing, scowling, or impi...shly "making faces", and was a far cry from the beautiful idealized child dolls, known as bebes, that had been the mainstay of the Jumeau firm for the past quarter century. Parents immediately rebuffed these "outlandish" character dolls, preferring the classic "pretty" bebe for their little girls, and afteronly a few years, the production, which was always small, ended. This particular model, of which only one other example in this size is known to exist, was incised "201". Depicting a child with wide-beaming smile accentuated by dramatic large eyes, it sold to a private Boston collector.
The 308 lot auction by Theriault's realized $1.3 million, with enthusiastic bidders from throughout the United States, and internationally from France, Germany, Spain, Philippines, Russia, Switzerland and South America. The Maryland-based firm, which conducts auctions throughout the United States, is entering its 45th year specializing in antique dolls and related childhood ephemera. Collectors may also call 800-638-0422 or email info@theriaults.com for any additional information on the event.
A rare model from the "Series Fantastique" of French dollmaker Emile Jumeau set a new world record for a 19th century doll when it realized $285,000 at Theriault's antique doll auction at the Waldorf Astoria in New York on November 22. The series, introduced in 1892, featured highly expressive children who were gleefullylaughing, scowling, or impi...shly "making faces", and was a far cry from the beautiful idealized child dolls, known as bebes, that had been the mainstay of the Jumeau firm for the past quarter century. Parents immediately rebuffed these "outlandish" character dolls, preferring the classic "pretty" bebe for their little girls, and afteronly a few years, the production, which was always small, ended. This particular model, of which only one other example in this size is known to exist, was incised "201". Depicting a child with wide-beaming smile accentuated by dramatic large eyes, it sold to a private Boston collector.
The 308 lot auction by Theriault's realized $1.3 million, with enthusiastic bidders from throughout the United States, and internationally from France, Germany, Spain, Philippines, Russia, Switzerland and South America. The Maryland-based firm, which conducts auctions throughout the United States, is entering its 45th year specializing in antique dolls and related childhood ephemera. Collectors may also call 800-638-0422 or email info@theriaults.com for any additional information on the event.
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