Quantcast
Channel: Alltop RSS feed for toys.alltop.com
Viewing all 90227 articles
Browse latest View live

Jumbo Plush Teddy By Bulk Bin

$
0
0
Jumbo Plush Teddy Merchandised by Bulk Bin Damn big Plush Teddy relaxes in the Bulk Bin, nearly fill

Frank Kozik's A Clockwork Carrot Dim Haunted edition by BlackBook Toy Drops April 16th

$
0
0
The latest edition of Frank Kozik's "A Clockwork Carrot Dim" to be released by Blackbook Toy, is the HAUNTED EDITION - featuring the 28.5cm tall sofubi in a mono-chromatic matte black finish (matching the Lil Alex Grayscale Edition), as well as the debut of his very own mask (sculpted by T9G). As well you have a choice between a metal chain from matte black or antique gold. In addition, this

Carved Nut Dolls - What? Unusual Indeed

$
0
0

 Slide #6 - Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art,Washington.

In perusing the collection of doll illustrations from the Dolls From The Index of American Design at National Gallery Of Art I also kept coming back to slide #6 which is shown in the picture above.

The description was: Carved nuts formed the heads of many early dolls. Different kinds of nuts were used: hazelnuts, walnuts, hickory nuts, and even cashews. These dolls were expendable and could be discarded when the children began to tire of them. This example represents a colonial gentlemen with elegant clothes and a wise expression. The doll is from Wisconsin and was made in the eighteenth century.

Credits: Jacob Gielens (artist), American, active c. 1935, Anonymous Craftsman (object maker), Milwaukee Public Museum (object owner), Nut Head Doll, c. 1938, watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard, Index of American Design, 1943.8.15550

So, I looked to see if The National Gallery of Art had any more examples of carved nut dolls. Here's what I found:

Nut Head Doll #2 - Image Courtesy National Gallery of Art,Washington.

Credits: Frank, William, American, active c. 1935, Nut Head Doll #2, 1935/1942, watercolor and graphite on paperboard, overall: 35.5 x 25 cm (14 x 9 13/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 7" high; 5 1/4" wide, Index of American Design, 1943.8.15549


Credits: Hickory Nut Doll c. 1938 Harry Grossen | National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, Medium:watercolor and graphite on paperboard, Artist Details: American, active c. 1935, Artist Nationality: American, Artist School: American, Classification: Index of American Design

I was well aware of apple head dolls, toothpick dolls, wishbone dolls and dolls from twigs, but dolls from hazelnuts, walnuts, hickory nuts, and even cashews? What? How do you make a doll from a cashew?

I just had to know more. Here's what I found:


According to Page 162 of the Encyclopedia of American Folk Art edited by Gerard C. Wertkin:  Unlike corn dolls, which have dual origins in European and North American cultures, nut and apple dolls were largely indigenous to American soil. Most nut head dolls were small, averaging 3 to 10 inches in height, with the character and personality determined by the type of nut used. They fit into the rich craft heritage of the southern United States highlands. In the deep south, nut-head dolls often portrayed African Americans in stereotypical roles.

According to "Anthropologists and Indians in the New South edited by Rachel Bonney & J. Anthony Paredes" Choctaw dolls with cloth bodies and heads carved from hickory nuts were among those in the collection of the Museum of the Five Civilized Tribes in Muskogee.

In a Colonial Williamsburg Article With Boughs of Holly by Mary Miley Theobald I learned: Alice West Allen, who was eleven when she attended a Christmas party in Richmond in 1864, wrote:

A dear friend of my mother’s found that we were to spend Christmas in the city, so she invited us to a Christmas tree given to President Davis’s children. The tree was a lovely holly laden with homemade candles and dolls made out of hickory nuts and Canton flannel. . . . I have never seen anything that looked so pretty to me.


According to Page 355-356 of  The Puritan Vol VIII - April to September 1900: For a jolly little "Brownie" doll, take for a body an English walnut, and for a head a hazelnut.  Add legs and arms of twisted wire covered with twisted tissue paper, and place on his head a tiny cap of red flannel. In his hand fasten (by bending the wire around it) a small flag.

Image Courtesy of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
Mammy Nut Doll, c.1840-1899
Hickory nut, leather, wire, textiles, horse hair, paint

In an article "A Month in Virginia: Examining Nineteenth Century Mammy Dolls" by Nicole Sheridan for the University of St. Thomas I found the picture shown above.

On two websites I found information about workshops and/or instructions for teaching you how to make Hickory Nut Dolls:

The American Civil War Museum was offering a Hickory Doll Workshop.  According to their description: Hickory Doll Workshop, Location: Museum of the Confederacy-Appomattox, Hickory Doll - This workshop taught by Juanita Reynolds is limited to ten participants. Attendees will follow the pattern of a doll made by a young girl during the Civil War as they make their own Hickory Nut Doll. Mrs. Reynolds will provide a complete kit from which each doll will be made.


On Page 152 of The Puritan, Volumes 7-8, October 1899 in the Little Housekeeper section they had instructions for making baby dolls out of the nuts from the harvest.

Here's what they said: Hickory nuts make the dearest long clothes babies.  Eyes and eyebrows, nose and mouth, must be drawn by some clever grown up, and then the little mother can make a frilled cap of lace to cover the bald head.  To the bottom of this cap may be sewed the neck of the petticoat slip and dress, and a soft flannel shawl must be pinned around the baby's shoulders so that outside people will not see that she hasn;t any arms.

They also provided the following for walnut head dolls:  A wrinkled walnut makes a beautiful head for a wrinkled old colored mammy, and her head must, of course, be tied up in a gay calico square like a bandana.  It is easy to make a soft little body of rags for these nut dolls, and they may be fastened on the heads by holes bored into the shells.

First edition 

It seems there was a 1946 children's book story written about a hickory head doll and her adventures. It's entitled "Miss Hickory" and was written by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey & illustrated by Ruth Gannett - published by Viking Press.

According to the Wikipedia.com page on this "Miss Hickory" book it is a novel that won the Newbery Medal of Excellence in American children's literature in 1947.

According to the Wikipedia.com page: The protagonist is Miss Hickory, a doll made from a forked twig from an apple tree and a hickory nut for her head (hence her name). She lives in a tiny doll house made of corncobs outside the home of her human owners. Her world is shaken when the family decides to spend the winter in Boston, Massachusetts, but leave her behind. Miss Hickory is aided during the long cold winter by several farm and forest animals. Prickly and a little stubborn, she slowly learns to accept help from others, and to offer some assistance herself.


Miss Hickory was republished in 1977 by Puffin Books with the cover shown above. The description on the Goodreads.com website is as follows:  Most dolls lead a comfortable but unadventurous life. This was true of Miss Hickory until the fateful day that her owner, Ann, moves from her New Hampshire home to attend school in Boston—leaving Miss Hickory behind. For a small doll whose body is an apple-wood twig and whose head is a hickory nut, the prospect of spending a New Hampshire winter alone is frightening indeed. In this classic modern day fairy tale, what’s a doll to do?

It seems "Miss Hickory" is a popular book amongst young children which has prompted an interest in making Miss Hickory dolls.

Image Courtesy of Illustrated Miscellany Emma Lulu

I found the most wonderful 4-part tutorial series on the "Illustrated Miscellany Emma Lulu" blog showing you how to make the 'Miss Hickory" doll shown in the picture above.

Here is what Thea said about her 4-part tutorial: It took me 35+ years, but at long last I have created a Miss Hickory Doll! I think she matches pretty well the charming book illustrations by Ruth Gannett and the spirit of the character portrayed by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey.

In the next several posts I will give instructions for making your own Miss Hickory doll. But, you must read the story first!! That will surely influence your characterization of the doll.....

Image Courtesy of Illustrated Miscellany Emma Lulu


I think the "Miss Hickory" doll shown above is totally adorable.  I may just have to make one of my own.  It is an unusual doll to say the least and something I don't have in my doll collection.

While I love the illustrations of the nut head dolls from The National Gallery of Art I wanted to see if I could find pictures of any existing  nut head dolls.  Here's what I found:

-
Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

On the Theriaults.com website I found the THREE EARLY HICKORY NUT FOLK DOLLS shown in the picture above.

Here's what their description said: Lot Number: 438 - 4 1/2"  Each has hickory nut head with painted facial features. cloth body,and wearing original costume. Included are organ grinder with monkey,and elderly woman with purse,both posed on original wooden bases with paper label "This is an authentic Little Hickory by Elaine Cannon",mid-20th century. And with an earlier old woman in a shoe with tiny porcelain frozen Charlotte dolls peeks out from holes in the shoe..... 

Image Courtesy of Theriaults.com

The Theriaults.com website also had the American Black Folk Doll shown in the picture above.

According to their description said: Lot Number: 226 -  9" Nut-head doll with carved definition of nose,painted facial features with wide beaming smile,row of teeth,black fleecy hair,firmly stuffed muslin body and slender limbs,carved feet with over-sized brown shoes..... Comments: American,early 20th century....

Image Courtesy of NOstalgic Images on Rubylane.com

The Southern Mammy nut head doll, shown in the picture above, was on Nostalgic Images on the  Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: Today we are offering this sweet little vintage nut head doll. It is artist made and is quite nice. She measures 4.5" tall. Her arms can be posed so items can be placed in her hands. She wears a blue and white gingham dress with a white apron and red shawl. Her facial features have been painted on giving her a "happy look". Her hair is made of white mohair. Item ID:2028 Nut Head Mammy.

Rubylane.com  also had the following:

Image Courtesy of  Grantiques on Rubylane.com


According to their description:  What a wonderful pair of early 20th Century folk art Dolls. These are two Loveleigh dolls The Preacher and his wife. The interesting Loveleigh Novelty dolls were made in Grantville, GA by Itura Rosalein Colley Leigh, better known as Miss Love (so came to be the name Love-Leigh). She started making dolls in 1924 and made them until the mid 50's This pair is older. I would date them 1930's. The fabrics have age and wear but still the dolls are authentic and wonderful!

The heads are English walnuts with great hand painted faces. The bodies have wire armatures wrapped with cloth and/or crepe paper. They have flat wire that has been covered with crepe paper and painted.She had a fascinating business. Fabrics and trims were gathered by friends and neighbors.....
Image Courtesy of Nostalgic Images on Rubylane.com


The Vintage Black Folk Art Walnut Head Doll, shown in the picture above, is from Nostalgic Images on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: Today we are offering this wonderful vintage Black Folk Art doll with a walnut head. The head is an English walnut with a hand painted face. The body is a wire armature wrapped with cloth. Her hands are made of black felt with separate cut fingers. She is a wonderful and whimsical doll. She measures approx. 11" from the bottom of her foot to the top of her cotton basket.

Image Courtesy of Nostalgic Images on Rubylane.com

The Unique Vintage Nut Head Doll, shown in the picture above, is from Nostalgic Images on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: Today we are offering this vintage doll made of all natural materials. Her head is made from a nut, her body is made straw, and her dress appears to be made from tobacco leaves. She is nicely detailed and measures approx. 10" high. She is very unique.

Image Courtesy of Joan & Lynette Antique Dolls and Accessories on Rubylane.com

The Early Folk Art Nut Head Lady Doll, shown in the picture above, is from Joan & Lynette Antique Dolls and Accessories  on the Rubylane.com website.

According to their description: This 12 inch tall folk art doll, circa the early 20th century, is made from all natural materials. She has a nut head with painted facial features. The doll is in good sturdy condition with some flaking of the reeds of her skirt. I love the way the maker created the clothing and cape. What a lovely piece of folk art with an elegance all her own!

The following two were from the Liveauctioneers.com website:

Image Courtesy of Live Auctioneer

According to their description: male and female figures including a man with bag of cotton, period costumes. Each on a modern display stand. First half 20th century. 7 1/2" to 10 1/2" H. Provenance: From a 35-year Augusta Co., VA collection. Purchased from Vince and Carol Deibler, Ridgefield, CT.

Image Courtesy of Love Auctioneer

According to their description: Vintage Folk Art doll of an Indian having a painted walnut head with beaded head wrap, necklace and braid ties, a chenille pipe cleaner wrapped body, painted vegetal feet, beaded hide loin cloth and holding a spear....

There's something quite charming and unique about all the nut head dolls - don't you think?. I'm sure there's a story to each doll - if only they could tell us. Unusual, but endearing dolls none the less.



Planet Of Junk Clash Platinum Edition Set Now Available At Target Website

$
0
0
Target's website has listed the Planet of Junk Clash Platinum Edition boxset! If you missed the decade-old Classics Rodimus or its Battle in Space reissue and both the Junkions, you can pick them up now with premium paintjobs for $75 from Target's website. Keep reading for the link!

ToysRUs Japan Promotional Mini-Con Giveaway Returns With 3,000 Yen Or More In Transformers Adventure Purchases

$
0
0
ToysRUs and TakaraTomy sure do love their giveaways. Courtesy of Autobase Aichi, we now know that the latest subject is a recolor of Prime Arms Micron AM-26 Smokescreen's crossbow Mini-Con, S.2. You'll be able to get the figure if you spend 3,000 Yen and up at a Japanese ToysRUs... well, we can't tell quite when, but it seems like it's timed to coincide with the release of the TAV-40 and TAV-41 Mini-Con Battle Packs, as shown in the ad. Keep reading to see!

Jumbo Plush Teddy Rides a Dolly

$
0
0
Jumbo Plush Teddy Rides A Dolly Here a Shopping Cart is not enough to wheel this Jumbo Plush Teddy t

Errants “Random Clear Glitter” Pre-Order

$
0
0
UHOH Toys has announced that the Errants "Random Clear Glitter" pre-order is now live (running through April 22nd 2016). Each set includes 3 Errants figures in random colors of either Clear Blue, Clear Pink, or Clear Purple. A sellout will unlock a random figure in a 4th Secret Colorway. There will be 3 heads - Roku the Turtle/Snake […] Read more

Fig-Lab Afternoon @ Rampage Studios on April 17th

$
0
0
A photo posted by Don @datadub Kratzer (@datadub) on Apr 16, 2016 at 7:15am PDT "Fig-lab Millennial Monster" colorway editions of The Tarantula's NIBBLERS, Guumon's "DAIGOMI", Rampage Toys' "REVENGE", and a whole looooooooot more to be unleashed at a "Fig-lab Afternoon" event at Rampage Studios, Tokyo, on Sunday April 17 from 2pm-6pm! No mention at all if the figures will be listed online for

Kobe Bryant, Panini America Team Up for Trading Card Set

$
0
0
Kobe Bryant has selected 21 favorite memories from his career, including one from each of his 20 seasons in the NBA and one honoring the day he was drafted, for a trading card set from Panini America. Bryant and Panini America teamed up to provide the ultimate retrospective recap from the HeroVillain perspective. The exclusive [...]

TheToySource SourceNews! Cerebral, Mazinkaizer SKL, Trunks, MP-14+ Anime & More

Splinter Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Movie Figure Video Review & Images

New Suicide Squad Movie Harley Quinn 12" Statue Images

Shadow Ninja Color Change Leo & Mikey Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figures Video Review & Images

set database: LEGO 42021 snowmobile

$
0
0
set database: LEGO 42021 snowmobile
image courtesy of brickmerge
image courtesy of amazon.co.uk
image courtesy of amazon





set number: 42021
set name: snowmobile
theme: technic
year: 2014
pieces: 186
price: us$20
minifig: none
small technic set.
main model is a snowmobile.
can be built into a building alternative.
building alternative included a snow motorcycle.
the snowmobile come with independent suspension front ski and a rear track.
overall design is good.
Bookmark and Share

Anna Mochizuki VIVID Imagination Figure by Kotobukiya

$
0
0
From the series ‘The IDOLM@STER Million Live!‘ comes the Anna Mochizuki VIVID Imagination Figure by Kotobukiya. The Anna Mochizuki VIVID Imagination figure is 1/8 scale and stands approximately 19.5 cm tall. She was […]

Shadow Wing Figure by Orchidseed

$
0
0
From the MMORPG ‘Aion: The Tower of Eternity‘ comes the Shadow Wing PVC Figure by Orchidseed. The Shadow Wing figure is 1/7 scale and stands approximately 27 cm tall. She was sculpted […]

lambo :P

$
0
0
toy lambo…. runs cool :P [photo by AkilAkd]

2016 Yoyo Buyer’s Guide – What is the Best Yoyo?

Sean Chao Two Together at Giant Robot 2 (4.16)

$
0
0
Sean Chao will open his Two Together solo this evening—Saturday, April 16th—at Giant Robot 2. The heartfelt new collection features signature dioramas set within the abstracted shape of his longtime canine companion’s face, Nunu. Each of these pieces features a whimsical dog ship—piloted by a curious crew—built out of and...

Win a Trio of XXray figures from Mindzai

$
0
0
Love the new DC XXRay figures from Jason Freeny and Mighty Jaxx but haven’t picked them up yet? You’re in luck! Mindzai has you covered with their XXRay contest for a chance to win the Batman, Superman and Wonderman XXRay toys ($60 value). To enter hit the jump for the...
Viewing all 90227 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images