Hello Everyone,
Sorry I have taken so long to add anything to my Norah Wellings Journal. I have been away in Australia visiting my family having a wonderful time. I did not pick up any Norah Wellings on my travels I'm afraid but on my return had an email from a fellow collector Leeanne Simpson sharing some of her wonderful dolls. I have asked permission to add a few of them to my Norah Wellings Journal and Leeanne has kindly allowed me to use them.
The top picture shows a rare pair of Norah Wellings Native American Indians. They are hard to find in the larger sizes and these are both 16 inches tall in lovely condition. Wonderful realistic faces and bright felt costumes. They have painted eyes and I have never seen any with glass eyes. The male is model K23 called 'Hawk Eye'. The female squaw in this photo is rare to find and she is not shown in any of the catalogues I have. an early British Industry Fair photo in the 1930's shows both models on display and believe this was their debut. Norah Wellings made a few different Native American Indian models including a squaw in a different costume and I will write more about them at a later date.
The two black dolls in the next picture are both the earlier glass eyed Norah Wellings. They were made from 1927 to mid 1930's with glass eyes and the later ones had painted eyes. The female is called 'DuDu' model 119 and she is also found with a short curly wig as well as her longer hair pulled on top in a bun. The male is 'ZuZu' model 109. He was made with painted eyes right up until the catalogue in the last Norah Wellings 1959. Both dolls were made in various sizes from 9 inches to 36 inches.
Next we have a fabulous large 36 inch Norah Wellings Girl once again called 'DuDu' but this is model 122 with glass eyes, she was made from 1927. She does not appear in the Norah Wellings catalogues after 1940. Later dolls are seen with painted eyes. She waers a raffia skirt,raffia bra style top and beads around her arms and ankles. She came with variations to her raffia clothing and also sometimes with a short curly wig. Made in sizes 9 1/2 inches to 37 inches.
Another wonderful large Black doll called 'ZuZu', model 121 he is 36 inches tall with glass eyes, produced from 1927 until around 1940. Later dolls had painted eyes. he wears a raffia skirt with raffia tied around his legs, leg bracelets with raffia threaded just like the necklace he wears. Once again he can be found with variations to his raffia costume and in a range of sizes from 12 inches to 37 inches.
Norah Wellings made a variety of Black Dolls and I hope to show you more at a later date
Thank you once again Leeanne for sharing your photo's with us.
If anyone would like to share photo's please email me at norahwellingsjournal@gmail.com
Happy Norah Wellings Hunting
Gill
