The donor was given this doll about 50 years ago by her grandfather (in the late 1960s). He used to be a handyman at a high rise building in St Kilda, Melbourne. He had been doing some work for one of the old ladies and she gave him the doll to give to his granddaughter, who collected dolls. The doll has spent a few years at the Nagambie museum until it closed down and returned to the donor The origins or age of the doll are unknown. Originally it was thought to be a Fashion Doll dating from around the 1880s but the painted face together with the bisque legs and gold painted shoes are similar to those found on Boudoir Dolls (also known as Bed Dolls, Sofa Dolls, Flapper Dolls and French Dolls) of the early 20th century. Fashion dolls were sent from fashion houses to advertise the latest styles, fabrics, trims, hairstyles and accessories. Dressmakers would show these dolls to their customers. Ladies would then place their order and the dressmakers would make the dress to their size. The dressmakers would learn the construction techniques from examining the dolls. Boudoir Dolls dolls usually had no maker's marks and were primarily used as bedroom decorations for ladies rather than as children's toys. This doll appears to date at about the early part of the 20th century, but the petticoats are much older - possibly from a child's christening gown. At the time that the donor received the doll, it had a coloured lace over-gown that was badly torn so her mother removed it to replace with more lace but this never eventuated. The pink silk dress also appears to have been remodelled into a 19th century style with gathered sleeves and a gathered skirt. This fashion or boudoir doll is significant for being a rare example of a doll made in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. The doll is wearing clothing representing the fashion for young girls in that era. The doll is also significant as an item possibly used by fashion houses and dressmakers to advertise the latest fashions in clothing, trims, accessories and hairstyles. A doll such as this may have been found in a Victorian dressmaker's premises for use as a pattern and technique template and for a display to customers. It may also have been used as a decorative item in a lady's bedroom.Female boudoir doll with silk face and body, and porcelain lower arms and legs. She has plaited blonde silk hair. Her painted face has brown eyes and her shoes are painted gold. The doll is dressed in a long pink puffed-sleeve dress with a gathered waist and a ruffle at the hem. A pink ribbon around her waist is tied at the back. There are small silver balls hand-stitched around the neckline. She has a white, hand-embroidered lace petticoat and bloomers.warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, doll, boudoir doll, female doll, dressmaker's doll, display doll, late 1800s doll, fashion doll, antique doll, 19th century doll, children's fashion, girl's fashion, late 1800s children's fashion, early 20th century doll, composite doll, french doll

One of three small decorative Asian, female dolls "PMA 0254"

one of set of three small decorative Asian, female dolls "PMA 0255"

painted wooden Asian female doll with red and white dress

one of set of three small decorative Asian, female dolls "PMA 0252"

A doll dressed in the costume of a woman from the province of Zeeland in the south west of The Netherlands.

Made from design by Norah WellingsFemale sailor doll in blue felt uniformAURELIA-FLAVIAdoll, norah wellings, sailor

Small painted wooden female Asian doll with pink floral traditional dress and green capwritten with white pen on bottom: "PMA 0256"

Small female doll with papier mache body, head and legs, plaster arms, moving eyelids and voice box in chest. Dressed in bloomers, blue petticoat and white frock with red & violet ribbon, lace around neck and sleeves, blue and white bonnet, white socks.Rococo on voice boxtoys, dolls, papier mache

This doll was reportedly won in a raffle in 1917, possibly in Orbost, Victoria.A female doll with its upper body including the arms made from porcelain and its lower body of fabric. It has genuine hair and also possibly eyelashes and its glass eyes are blue. It has painted eyebrows and mouth. The christening robe which it is wearing is not its original costume.doll child's-doll porcelain-and-cloth-doll

A celluloid female baby doll, wearing a pink babies knitted dress with buttons on the back and a pink ribbon around the waist. It has knitted underpants and white knitted booties. leisure object, toys, dolls

Unable to determine a specific company that manufactured this doll many Japanese companies manufactured dolls of this type for export and these were only marked "Nippon" to show country of manufacture. These dolls marked this way were in production from around 1920 until 1941 when Japanese toy factories began to manufacturing items for war.Unable to be determined provenance relating to specific Japanese manufacturer. The doll is an example of a children's toy from the 1920s-1940s.Porcelain Doll in white fabric dress Doll, female, has porcelain face, composite body with swivel head and limbs. Head has long brown curly mohair wig attached into a hole in the pate; several doll-sized hairpins hold hair in place. Face has open mouth showing two porcelain front teeth, brown eyes of hand blown glass and hand painted features. Back of neck has two pressed holes above maker’s mark. Doll has removable white silk socks and brown shoes with tied ankle strap and hard soles. Doll is wearing old fashioned cream coloured knitted woollen singlet, cream flannel vest with draw-string cotton bodice and scalloped edge. The doll also has a more modern style white cotton dress with pink smocking. Inscription pressed into back of neck, shaded with pencil, "Nippon"Maker’s Mark “NIPPON” (See media section this document for a list of possible manufactures of doll)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, doll, nippon, nippon novelty company, porcelain, japanese doll manufacturer, porcelain doll, vintage doll

produced circa 1960These dolls may have been made by Japanese sailors and gifted to the Mission. Making models is a hobbies for sailors during their long journey on board.Ornamental Japanese wooden [Kokeshi?] dolls mounted on a small wooden base; the female figure is made of one big cube, and one smaller dice, the head is round with a small headware. The male figure, a small boy, is made of one black dice and a round head wearing a pointy hat.On one face of the boy dice black ideogram is written in black ink.japanese dolls, dice dolls, japan, gift, seamen, sailors, models, hobbies

Female children played with tea sets such as this and learned the arts of hospitality. This one has been well-used. A 13 piece dolls tea set. Consists of a tea pot, sugar bowl, milk jug, 4 cups & saucers. General colours are yellow and blue with red, black and green flowers.childs-tea-set crockery

Helena Francis Warren (nee McKeown) was married to William John Warren and lived in Newmerella. She was a fine amateur photographer who supplied the photos for the Back-To-Orbost celebration book in 1937 and also designed the Back-To-Orbost badge. She was known for her soft toy making. (by Ivy Rodwell in from Personalities and Stories of the Early Orbost District by Mary Gilbert)This item is an example of a handcrafted item and reflects the needlework skills of women in the first half of the 20th century.Two dolls - one male and one female - made of maize husks. They are both painted colourfully and are in a plastic box. There is a certificate from the country Women's Association for First prize in Basket Weave Handcrafts and Home Industries.doll handcraft toys maize cwa

Two ladies hand brushes with porcelain 'doll' tops (handles). Figurines are different but both have lace (silk?) ribbon wound around 'hips' and 'dress' of fine brush material (hemp?). Both figurines are female in different poses with arms and head positions and varying coloured attire. Inscribed catalog number in ink - U2671 and U2672.domestic equipment, cleaning, brush

Wedding/bridal horse-shoe(s) and associated Kewpie doll and branch of buds/leaves. Doll - Probably celluloid with jointed (shoulder only) arms and attached satin supporting band with a single branch of buds/leaves; Horse-shoe #1 - (cardboard?) shaped horse-shoe covered with narrow ribbon; edges of shoe have imitation pearls (some missing); supportive ribbon attached to either side of shoe; Horse-shoe #2 - slightly padded and covered horseshoe with attached 'sprig' of buds and leaves; attached to one end of horse-shoe is a triangular material 'emblem' with black border, and gold 'bar' on a central white background; Buckle made of mother-of-pearl; small length of narrow ribbon; four separate pieces of 'twigs' with buds and pearls attached. This collection presented in a plastic (modern era) box with cotton wool padding - inscribed with previous catalog number of U2664)costume accessories, female, wedding

Wedding accessories when Bernice Prior married James Graydon on 11th April 1936 in the Methodist Church, Elsternwick.1. Wedding Photo Black and white. 2. Cream Silk Gloves. 3. Wedding decoration - Cream satin ribbon to which is attached seven silver wishbones and wax orange blossom . 4. Wedding decoration - cream satin ribbon to which is attached cream satin silpper inside which is a small doll and wax orange blossom. 5. Button hole boutonniere - orange blossom and silver leaves. 6. Buttonhole boutonniere-orange blossom with green leaves. 7. Returned to donor as it was acidic. 8. Photocopy of Marriage Certificate.costume, female ceremonial

This hand-made doll's apron was created using machine and hand stitching, by Phoebe Lowell, a 10-year-old schoolgirl in 1913. It was purchased in the late 1990s by the donor who later moved to Emerald but, at the time, had a 2nd hand decoration shop in Camberwell when she purchased this as part of a group of garments which included bloomers, lace collars and cuffs, camisoles etc - all of which have been donated to the Museum. The donor was advised at the time of her purchase that the garments were over 100 years old although this would not have been the case for this doll's apron.This doll's apron is a reminder of the tuition which schoolgirls routinely received in sewing and embroidery as these were considered essential skills for a future housewife.Very small cream-colored doll's apron with waistband and buttonhole but no button. Pleat running along the width of the apron above the hemline. Decorative herringbone stitching.On small label accompanying piece, handwritten: 'Phoebe Lowell / Age 10 / Form II'female, lynne findlay collection, phoebe lowell, doll's apron, 1913

This baby bodice was created using machine and hand stitching, by Phoebe Lowell, a 13-year-old schoolgirl at St Michael's, St Kilda in 1916. It was purchased in the late 1990s by the donor who later moved to Emerald but, at the time, had a 2nd hand decoration shop in Camberwell when she purchased this as part of a group of garments which included bloomers, lace collars and cuffs, camisoles etc - all of which have been donated to the Museum. The donor was advised at the time of her purchase that the garments were over 100 years old although this baby bodice was made in the early 20th century.This doll's apron is a reminder of the tuition which schoolgirls routinely received in sewing and embroidery as these were considered essential skills for a future housewife.White sleeveless cotton bodice with a one-button opening at the neck. Neckline and front opening are finished with double rows of top stitching. Arm openings finished with single lines of top stitching.On small label accompanying piece, handwritten: 'Phoebe Lowell / Form IV A / Age 13 years'female, lynne findlay collection, phoebe lowell, baby bodice, 1916