I love tiny dolls. I love dolls with wispy, painted hair. This one has it all.  She stands 3 1/4″ (8.5 cm) tall. I don’t know where or when she was made. The dealer said that she was definitely antique…

She is beautiful. She has blue, painted eyes with red lines highlighting her eyelid crease and single stroke brows. Her pale pink lips are accented with a red center line. Since her head, from chin to crown, is only 9/16″ (1.5 cm) high; I find the detail of her painting amazing.

Her head and shoulder plate are one piece bisque, not China. But her black hair and her molded arms and legs appear glazed. Her tan, glazed-cotton body is in good shape, but her arms and legs are worn and fragile.

Proportionally, her torso is long and her legs are short.  Her only mark is a 8 or curly E on the back of her shoulder plate.

I made her outfit, starting with pantaloons and a slip.

The inspiration for her dress was from this 20″, 1870’s China.  The China doll was the first antique doll I bought.

I chose these oversized, 1/4″ mother-of-pearl buttons because most antique dresses on tiny dolls had big buttons. I’ve never seen truly tiny buttons on an antique doll. She just had to have a BLUE ribbon.

The waists of her cotton slip and dress were gathered with minuscule, cartridge pleats. I finished the sleeves before sewing them into the arm holes.

This is day 2 of summer vacation and I’ve written this post with only minor interruptions and hug breaks from Supergirl. Whew! Better quit while I’m ahead.