Historical Significance of China Head Dolls

Anna Marie was 7 years old in May of 1856. She arrived with her family at Independence, Missouri to start their journey on the Oregon Trail to a new home. Anna was frightened about leaving her home and journeying so far away. As she walked along the wooden sidewalks of Independence with her mother, she could hear the stories of how difficult the trip would be and that many people died along the way. Fear about the Indians was unfounded as most natives helped the emigrant’s cross some of the most difficult terrain, but Anna didn’t know that. In her heart, she had two very strong emotions, fear of the unknown, and excitement of the journey.

Anna’s mother needed to purchase some last minute supplies, as their journey would start tomorrow and she needed to get home soon because she had a surprise for Anna. Once back at the wagon, and after dinner, they sat around the campfire. Mother brought out a box and handed it to Anna. Carefully removing the top, she saw a beautiful doll. She was gorgeous with painted blue eyes, black hair with a part in the middle of the top of her head with curls around her head. She was wearing a travel outfit (already to go on her journey across the prairie). The long coat was dark velvet brown with lace trim and round brown buttons and lined in red silk. Anna thought that the fitted coat would keep her doll warm on the coldest of nights. On her head was a brown matching bonnet lined in red silk and tied with red silk ribbons. She had red leather boots. Her body was stuffed cotton and her lower arms were leather with separately stitched fingers and thumbs.

Anna kissed her mother and father and carefully put the doll back into her box for the long journey to a new home. She knew that china head dolls could break on the long journey and she didn’t want anything to happen to her. She carefully placed the long box in the trunk on the wagon nestled in between warm blankets and clothes.

China head dolls are often dated according to their hairstyle. These hairstyles reflected the hairstyles of the period and dolls were dressed accordingly. That does not mean that a covered wagon doll wouldn’t be made later, many doll manufactures made dolls with varying hairstyles later than they were considered popular. The covered wagon doll is considered and 1840’s doll however, they were still being made and purchased later than 1840.

In the 1850’s a Flat top or a.k.a. Civil War doll was produced. The doll had hair was styled similarly to the covered wagon but the hair was not flat on top. Dolls purchased in 1860 were dressed with hoops appropriate for that time. Some were dressed in fancy ball gowns; others had homemade dresses from wool or velvet that had been left over from dress fabric.

Many dolls had factory bodies made from cloth. They were produced at the cheapest price and therefore the most frequently found type today. Most cloth bodies are made of cotton (such as Muslin, Nanking, Shirting, calico) or linen and are stuffed with sawdust, hair, cotton wool, and wool wood. One can recognize professionally made bodies because they are made from one type of material, have slender waists and broad hips, and are perfectly made. Homemade bodies are distinct with their uneven proportions are often put together far more wrong than right. That is why we occasionally fine rather strange cloth bodies today. Either too broad or too narrow with rather short legs or with legs that are far too long. It is rare to find excellent homemade bodies.

As the 1800’s progressed, China heads were still made and still popular, however with the popularity of bisque dolls with leather bodies and composition bodies, China heads before 1900 were considered “old fashioned.” Around 1900 doll heads, arms, and legs were sold as kits for the homemaker to make a body. Again in the 1950’s, Japan exported replica china-head dolls as kits so the homemaker could make a doll. Collectors need to be aware that the 1950 finished kits are sold often as antique dolls. One can tell the difference by the quality of the firing, the painting, and the doll body. If not sure about the authenticity of a doll, asking a reputable dealer about the doll is important, as many early china head dolls were not marked.

barbara@endearingelegance.com
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