Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Antique Q&A: Frozen Charlotte Dolls

cold charlotte dolls

And in order to understand how the doll was so dubbed, you have to know something about the doll and legend on which its name is based. Frozen Charlotte dolls were popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. Smaller versions of the dolls were also known as penny dolls because they were often sold for a cent. These dolls were called badekinder or “bathing dolls,” because they could be completely submerged in water and given a bath.

More Antiques

Dive into the captivating journey of Frozen Charlotte dolls, uncovering their intriguing past and how these tiny porcelain treasures bring a touch of vintage whimsy to modern decor. With an annual average temperature of 61.5 degrees and the annual average precipitation of 43 inches distributed evenly throughout the year, weather in the Queen City is fair and mild. Winter is welcoming, spring and fall are transformative, and summer is sunny and bright.

Red Velvet Cake's Journey to The Juneteenth Table

Plus, many of the dolls for sale today on sites like eBay and Etsy are not pre-owned dolls, but rather those excavated in Germany. That the name “Frozen Charlotte” was coined within the doll-collecting community sometime slightly before or around World War 2 is evident in doll collector/historian Eleanor St. George’s 1948 book, Dolls of Yesterday [see also Note 4]. He stripped the mantle off her brow, And the pale stars on her shone, And quickly into the lighted hall, Her helpless form was born.

American Girl Charlotte, NC Store

Many beachcombers dream of finding a tiny porcelain arm, leg, torso, or head. Though they are certainly not as sweet a beach find as a nice piece of sea glass or a beautiful seashell, they are fascinating and rich historical items. Was young and gay and her charms of youth and beauty were never lovelier than when dressed for that New Year’s Ball.

cold charlotte dolls

Victorian children loved to play with tiny, porcelain dolls that resembled corpses. Called Frozen Charlotte dolls, the porcelain figures reminded children of the morbid tale of a young woman who perished from the cold on a sleigh ride. Instead of focusing on vanity and fashion, like the original Charlotte, children who played with the dolls learned to listen to their parents. In fact, the so-far earliest mentions of a doll called Frozen Charlotte and couplings of the doll with the legend appear in American newspapers in the mid-1940s. And it was doll collectors and reporters writing about doll collectors who called penny dolls by this name, sometimes also referring to the legend.

Prince George & Princess Charlotte Are All About The Queen's Playhouse - Romper

Prince George & Princess Charlotte Are All About The Queen's Playhouse.

Posted: Thu, 19 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Frozen Charlotte: A Macabre Folktale and a Popular Doll

The name Frozen Charlotte came from an American folk ballad Fair Charlotte, which was attributed to William Lorenzo Carter. The song was inspired by the poem Young Charlotte written by Seba Smith after he read a true story in the New York Observer. “A young woman…was frozen to death while riding to a ball in a carriage on Jan 1, 1840.” She froze to death because she did not want to cover up her pretty dress. In addition to buying Frozen Charlotte dolls in tiny caskets, the "Frozen Charlotte" became a popular dessert. The confection offered a frozen take on the dessert called Charlotte Russe, which blends ladyfingers and Bavarian cream.

The Real Story Behind George Washington's Dentures

Chichester Mum Studies For Masters After Daughter Finds Toy On Beach - More Radio

Chichester Mum Studies For Masters After Daughter Finds Toy On Beach.

Posted: Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

It was likely coined by doll collectors as late as the mid-1940s, when mentions of “Frozen Charlotte dolls” in ads, newspapers, books, and magazines skyrocketed, and soon became the common way to refer to these Victorian playthings. Despite what we moderns believe, nor did the legend of frozen Charlotte serve as inspiration for the creation of Frozen Charlotte Russe, a favorite 19th-century dessert. The trifle-like treat, popular into the 20th century, is merely a cold (or icebox) version of Charlotte Russe, which is based on the still older and simpler charlotte, a type of molded cake known since the 18th century. The increasing prevalence of iceboxes in homes and restaurants in the United States in the last half of the 19th century drove the creation of many cold desserts, which could now be served all year long.

I cannot believe there is authentic proof in the mind of the manufacturers of old dolls or of the children playing with them for so dubbing them. Dolls with blue eyes became popular in Queen Victoria’s reign but we cannot call them ‘Queen Victoria’s’ nor can we call the wooden dolls she played with circa 1820, Victoria dolls. We all see dolls that remind us of some prominent or historical character but why should any one of us have the right to so describe the type.

Frozen Charlotte Dolls Warned Victorian Children To Bundle Up On Winter Nights

Other items decomposed, like wooden toys and stuffed animals, but items made with glass, metal, and now plastic still survive and are found on the beach. Waist is measured at natural point (ask girl to bend to one side to find natural crease of her waist; measure around this point). Join us to celebrate the return of this beloved American Girl tradition. You and your girl will enjoy a full teatime experience, including dainty tea sandwiches and assorted sweet treats with a pot of tea, plus each child will enjoy a craft activity at the table. The Kingman [Kansas] Citizen tells of a novel plan adopted by Judge Peters to keep from being bored by attorneys.

Like Frozen Charlottes, Frozen Charlies are naked and don't move. Charlies, however, are usually bigger than Charlottes and can measure up to 16 inches high. Many of the earlier Charlottes and Charlies are chubby-looking, molded in one solid piece, with arms extended as holding a steering wheel.

Their popularity soared in Britain and America, where they were baked into cake as a nice (or not so nice, depending on your tolerance for creepy little porcelain girls) surprise for kids. The song was itself based on a poem by American writer Seba Smith, who first published the poem in a Maine newspaper in 1843. His poem was in turn inspired by an account published in a New York newspaper in 1840 detailing just such an incident. The doll's coloration is sometimes believed to be a reflection of the young lady's frosty demise. All mentions of these dolls from the time period call them “penny dolls,” not “Frozen Charlottes.” So when did the name we use today actually become connected to these little porcelain dolls?

Moreover, no one writing today about Frozen Charlottes has provided contemporaneous evidence that 19th- and early 20th-century Americans ever considered these small dolls as corpses or the embodiments of a vain young woman who froze on her way to a ball. Newspaper advertisements and writings of the period demonstrate that Americans at least knew these small rigid dolls as “penny dolls,” but toy sellers never seem to have advertised these as “Charlotte” dolls. In fact, nothing in 19th- and early 20th-century publications supports the belief that Americans ever made a connection between these figures and Charlotte [see Note 3 for databases searched].

Adorn your Christmas tree with these miniature treasures or use them in your festive table settings to add a touch of nostalgic charm.

Such dolls were sold undressed (the clothes are almost always homemade) and were used in dollhouses since they wre jointed and were able to sit, unlike the Frozen Charlottes. This new doll was different, though, because whereas most of the china-head dolls represented ladies, the new doll was designed as a baby or small child. It was generally chubby in form, with molded stiff limbs and bare feet. The arms were bent at the elbows, but the legs were straight and separate. It usually had short black molded hair with brush marks framing the face.

Her father liked to see her dressed, Just like some city belle; She was the only child he had, He loved his daughter well. Her hair was black as raven’s wings, Her skin was lily fair, And her teeth were like the pearls of white, None with her could compare. Read how “Frozen Charlotte” dolls were not called by that name until the mid-20th century in The True Story of Frozen Charlotte Dolls. Frozen Charlotte dolls were an affordable luxury for 19th-century Americans. In 1886, Americans could buy a dozen of the larger, 4-inch dolls for just 39 cents. By ignoring her mother and prioritizing fashion over her health, Charlotte caused her own end.

Victorian women might have decorated their shelves with delicately painted Frozen Charlotte dolls. But Americans renamed the dolls Frozen Charlotte and gave them a creepy backstory. A documented history of ownership, or provenance, can significantly impact a doll’s value.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Intruder arrested after breaking in to Getty House, official residence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ABC7 Los Angeles

Table Of Content Father's Office Hunter Biden threatens to sue Fox News for airing 'revenge porn' Suspect arrested after breakin...