The Dolls each nationality

England

Portugal

These charming little dolls from Portugal are 7" high and are beautifully handcrafted of all cloth with modeled and embroidered features. They are made by the Portuguese Firm "Maria Helena".






Farm-hand and peasant woman from Minho










Peasant woman and shepherd from Alentejo










Fance





PARIS LADY, FRANCE


Label on Doll reads "Membre Du Comite National - Qualite Francaise. France for Quality














NORMANDY, FRANCE


Normandie Bridal Costume, doll hand dressed in 1969 by Madame Francine Cantaloube












European,Sweden


BRIDE DOLL FROM OSTERLEN, SWEDEN

THE BRIDE FROM OSTERLEN
On the eve of the wedding, one of the bridesmaids came to the home of the bride to help her to dress, a procedure that lasted the whole night through. While she was being dressed, the bride was meant to stand in a kneading-trough with a coin in each shoe. This was supposed to bring her happiness and good fortune in her new home.

Slowly she was dressed in her complete bridal outfit: the lace embellished chemise, the pleated skirt, the pearl embroidered bodice, the silk edged jacket and the white linen apron. The apron-string was covered by a ribbon which had a beautiful pattern in red and white and went around the bride's waist as many times as the numbers of chests she had in her dowry.

BRIDAL RIBBONS: The bridal ribbons were affixed to the front of the apron. They were adorned with gold and silver lace and with the bride's name embroidered in silk. These ribbons were so wide that one could barely see the apron underneath. The richer the bride, the wider the ribbons.

The jacket had a low neck, so that the pearl embroidered bodice could be seen. Tucked into this bodice were two small silver spoons, to be used at the wedding feast. Handkerchief, knitted gloves and and a hymnbook, were also part of the wedding outfit.

BRIDAL JEWELLERY: The bride wore a great deal of jewellery, the most beautiful of all being the cross given to her by her bridegroom the day she consented to marry him. The red headdress was also adorned with gold and silver lace and had silk ribbons hanging at the back. The brides hair hung loose and last of all the headdress was placed upon her head. When the time came for the bride to thank her fiddler, she took one of the ribbons off her headdress and fastened it to his violin.

Then the mother-in-law had to cut the bride's lovely long hair and put a white coif on her head. Thus, her hair was completely covered, because as a married woman, she was no longer allowed to be attractive to other men.

Thailand

THAI CLASSIC DANCER DRAMA
THOSAGANTH vs. HAUMAN & LAKSH

Most Thai classical dance-dramas have a Prince as the hero, and a beautiful Princess as the heroine. The story usually includes many exciting adventures, misfortunes and fights against demons and rogues, but eventually the Prince emerges victorious and wins the love of one or several beautiful Princesses.

These dolls are exquisit in both colour and design. They are handmade by Mrs. Khunying Tongkorn Chandavimol of Bangkok Dolls. Their bodies are made of rayon and their faces are hand painted. These dolls are 16" high and dressed in Thai silk trimmed with gold brocade.







India




The men of Gujarat are distiguished by their many folded turban of flame red colour, fancy shoes with upturned toes, gold ear-rings and finely cut kediyas (shirts), all lending a distinguished elegance to their apearance.

The women wear ghagras (shirts) of a reddish brown or black with the most sophisticated stitches, they work long hours embroidering birds, flowers, figures and patterns that are either square or circular and with buttonhole sitiches fix mirrored glass on to their skirts, which dazzle as they move in the sun.