Name: Babyland Topsy-Turvy Doll
Made by and When: Horsman, circa 1910
Material: Cloth
Marks: Unknown
Height: 12-1/2 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Realistic, lithographed faces and hair
Clothes: The Black doll wears a dark red blouse with white and red-trimmed sleeves, a matching headwrap, a red checkered skirt, a white apron, and a white scarf around the neck that tucks into the skirt. The White doll is dressed the same but has a bonnet that matches the fabric of the skirt.
Other: According to Black Dolls Book II an Identification and Value Guide by Myla Perkins (Collector Books 1995), “Gimbel Brothers, department stores in New York and Philadelphia, pictured a similar ‘Babyland’ topsy-turvy rag doll in their 1912 catalog” for $1. Perkins gave this doll a 1995 value of $1000. These dolls are also known as Babyland Rag Dolls.
Albert Bruckner produced Horsman’s Babyland Rag Doll line from 1901-1924.
Gallery (Images and description courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Alderfer Auction.)
See a Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll here. View various other Topsy Turvy dolls and more history about them here.
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