RARE 1920s Nelke / Rushtonthis / Mawaphil doll 8” ANTIQUE STOCKINET RAG DOLL #3

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RARE 1920s Nelke / Rushtonthis / Mawaphil doll 8” ANTIQUE STOCKINET RAG DOLL #3:
$14.99

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<img border=\"0\"><br><a target=\"_blank\"><img border=\"0\"></a>Stockinet Dolls of the 1920’s
Information provided by Jean Grout of \"Never Enough Dollers\"
When one hears the term “Art Doll” several dolls come to mind, such as those made by Lenci, Dora Petzold and Munich Art. Most likely what doesn’t come to mind are small stockinet crib toys. Yet, they loosely meet the criteria of an art doll; no two are exactly alike since they were hand-painted by skilled craftspeople. In the 1920’s these popular stockinet dolls were being made by at least two manufacturers. The primary producers of these dolls were the companies of Nelke and Rushton. They were retailing for 50 cents to one dollar which was approximately the price of an all-bisque doll with sleep eyes.
In 1917, the Elk Knitting Mills Co. of Philadelphia was already an established manufacturer of women’s and children’s knit underwear when they donated some of their material to make dolls for the benefit of a charity. The dolls were so successful that the company decided to make dolls commercially; they called this division Nelke Corp. In 1920, the flourishing market was extended beyond the United States and the dolls were being exported to England. They encountered various problems when painting the doll’s features; water colors would not last and oil paint was hard to work with and was sometimes poisonous. Finally, in 1920, they found a paint in bright colors that was nonpoisonous, waterproof, permanent, and could not be sucked off. The doll was stuffed with a light fabric from Java, that according to the company, would float in water and dry quickly. (I have not had much success washing these dolls.) There were no buttons or pins; the dolls bore a ribbon label. By 1923 Nelke was producing 400,000 dolls per year and using their trademark slogan “The World’s Happiest Family.
In 1921 the Rushton Co. of Atlanta, Georgia, introduced a line of soft stockinet dolls which they called Mawaphil, named for the designing artist Mary Waterman Phillips. They came with a paper hang tag. These dolls also had hand-painted features and hair; they seemed to have been made in direct response to the popularity of the Nelke dolls.
Over the years, both companies produced round-faced stockinet dolls in several sizes and in a large variety of styles and colors. The dolls came with clothes that made up parts of the body, including a hat; most animals were “undressed.” Many times when offered for sale, or even when referred to in doll books, these dolls are misidentified. Most frequently, any stockinet doll is referred to as a Nelke or a Nelke type. The following is an attempt to clarify this situation.
Details on Hair and features
The hair on the Mawaphil dolls is outlined with a darker paint; some outlines appear to be ink drawn. The Nelke hair is not outlined. The pupil shape on the Mawaphil dolls’ eyes are usually exaggerated backwards inverted commas, instead of the round or oval shape of the Nelke dolls’ pupils. The mouths on most Mawaphils are heart-shaped lips which appear puckered up to kiss.
Materials
Nelke only used stockinet for all their dolls; with the faces being made of a fine, silkier grade of material. Mawaphil used many types of fabrics besides stockinet materials, such as terry cloth, flannel, plush, and velveteen.
Construction
The neck shape on Nelke dolls is formed by the cutting and sewing of the fabric. The Mawaphil dolls, in contrast, create the neck by a thread wound between the head and body. This thread is then hidden under a fabric collar which often includes a bow tie. The arms of the Nelkes usually have a thumb shape while the Mawaphils’ arms have a rounded end. The attachment of the arms is also different; they are sewn vertically on the sides of the Nelkes, except on some animals which have arms sewn on the front. On the Mawaphil dolls, the arm seam is horizontal on the side, at the shoulder. Some Mawaphil dolls had a sound-producing mechanism and were advertised as having a voice.
Both companies made dolls in varying heights; the smallest mentioned are 8 inches with the most common heights between 10 and 16 inches. In 1926, Mawaphil advertisements state that the doll comes in heights of 10 to 20 inches. Nelke does not mention dolls of 20 inches. In 1927, four of the Nelke styles were made in a height of 30 inches; at that time there was an even larger clown which was made for exhibit in the Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia.
These adorable little dolls make a great collection on their own or an appropriate accessory for your larger dolls.
Jean Grout
Please view all photos since they are part of my description and please ask questions before offerding. Thank you for viewing my sale.
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ABOUT ME:

Welcome to my sale. I sell full time onand am committed to making sure you\'re happy with your item. I\'m retired andsellto supplement my income. I try to describe my items accurately. OccasionallyI have missed something but typically describe items to the best of my ability. Communication is important so please ask as many questions before offerding. I choose only items that I would proudly display in my home. I hope each one meets with your approval. Please take time to look at each photo carefully and if you have any question please ask before offerding. I want to make sure you\'resatisfiedwhen youreceiveyour item(s). Thank you!

CONDITION:

I acquire my items from sale houses and estate sales so the items that I sell are pre-owned, well taken care of, and are not in mint condition unless I have stated so.My items are sold\"AS IS\"since they are pre-owned.I can tell you with guarantee that I do not smoke and live in a pet free home. I am by no means am expert on any of the items that I sell. Antique items, Quilts, Collectible cloth dolls,doll clothes, vintage rubber dolls, hard plastic dolls, and Delicate vintage cloth items are sold in the same condition that I acquire them. I do not clean linens and especially Quilts. I purchase my quilts through estate sales, they may have aged stains that may or may not come out. Please remember I don\'t wash or pre-treat areas and your quilt will arrive in the same condition as Ireceivedit when I purchased it. The quilt may have been stored and protected in a vintage cedar chest, this may mean that they have normal aged staining (which may or may not wash out) or could be dusty from years of storage.