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Monday, June 24, 2019

Feer, eller vi er alle en smule Fey når det kommer til dukker! (Fairy Dolls, in Danish)

Feer, eller vi er alle en smule Fey når det kommer til dukker!
 ?
I dag er midsommer, eller Midsommer. Du kan se midsommer mordene på PBS. Det er den dag til ære for alle dem, der elsker eventyr haver, dukker og fe dukker.







Måske er den største Introduktion til en verden af feer William Shakespeares A Midsummer Night's Dream. (MSD). Titania, Oberon og deres fe retten dominere de almindelige dødelige, der fejlagtigt tror, at de kører Kongeriget. Så er der Puck, drilsk sprite, der har det sidste ord, "Hvis vi skygger har fornærmet, tror, men hans, og al er bødet."

Shakespeares samtidige troede ofte på Faere, eller Fey, men de var ikke lille væsner med vinger, der boet i forladte tekopper og under svampe. Nej, Shakespeares feer ville have været life-sized, skræmmende feer, mere som dem portrætteret i grafisk kunstner Neal Gaiman genfortælling af spille i hans bind Dream land.
Yet, despite their size, fairies in MSD are the ancestors of our Tinkerbells, Victoria Plum, and Blue Fairies, so often portrayed as dolls. Shakespeare is a master at making us sympathize with supernatural characters by giving them human traits, so that we believe Theseus and Hyppolita, King and Queen of Athens in MSD, are real sovereigns, though they are mythical figures. The greatest line of any play I’ve read is Theseus’ criticism of the hilarious spoof of Romeo and Juliet he is about to watch, Pyramus and Thisbe, when he says, “I don’t believe in these antique fables.” The irony is, of course, that he is an antique fable.



Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was known for his illustrations for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Andersen’s Fairy Tales, and other fairy stories. His ethereal pen and ink drawings washed in color created a style for doll makers to emulate, even today. Arthur Lang (1844-1912) created the Green Fairy Book and other multicolored books of fairy tales between 1889 and 1913. He was a Scottish novelist, poet, and critic, who wrote and collected fairy tales and fairy stories form all over the world. One of his sources was, perhaps, the only available collection contemporary to him, Dinah Maria Mulock Craik's The Fairy Book (1869).

Fairies have inspired doll makers for some time. Fairy gardens and fairy houses, often with vintage items, are hot collectibles right now, too. Antique and vintage dolls have clearly influenced current fairy doll art, like the dolls featured from our friends at The Toy Shoppe. The companies and dolls surveyed below are only a few examples of fairy doll and collectibles available.
One charming example of an antique fairy-inspired doll is the 1914 Our Fairy doll mold 222 by Hertel & Schwab. She is an all bisque Googly doll, and popular with those who love tiny dolls. Another antique example is the Good Fairy by Raleigh Doll Co 1916-1920.

Based on the Disney Pinocchio character, Uneeda created a fairy doll. The Uneeda or U. 1960s Blue Fairy doll uses their Suzette Tiny Teen doll, and is 21", circa 1961. The Uneeda Magic Fairy Princess doll uses the Uneeda Debteen doll and wears a white satin & tulle fairy costume with plastic wings.
Havencrest Castle

Valentine Dolls were known for their elegant, jointed ballerina dolls that could point their toes. They created a couple of fairy dolls as well, including the Ballerina doll 18” Good Fairy, with pointed toes and a fairy tutu costume, fairy wings, and crown. Some collectors claim they have seen ballerinas like this that came with other outfits. Valentine produced a 19” doll for Sears.

Barbie, mest berømte dukke ikon, har haft sin andel af fe påklædning, herunder den følgende 70s outfits som identificeret af Dollreference.com: Sugar Plum FE (1976), 9327 snefnug FE (1976), 9329 prinsesse Aurora Fairy (1976) 9422 Peach satin kjole hvide Hæklet sjal, fersken åben tå hæle (1976), ideel oprettet 1957 lyserøde fe, 18", og hvid fe, 15" i vinyl. Ideal, naturligvis lavet Shirley Temple dukke, og templet fortælles et TV-show for børn, der udvalgte eventyr. Lille vinyl eventyr dukker med wire armatures var hot legetøj under midten af 60s. To eksempler var Hasbros Storykins dukker og Mattels Liddle det Kiddle historiefantasi dukker. En var fe Gud-mor til Cinderiddle af Mattel.
Toy Shoppe tilbyder flere fe dukker inspireret af antikviteter. Sarah Niemelä Baby hvid fe African American Ornament er lille, kun 5 inches, men hun er lavet i samme stil som victorianske bomuld flagdug dukke ornamenter. Hendes udtryksfulde ansigt minder om en god Leo Moss dukke, og hendes gossamer vinger er som dem i en Edwardian Christmas fe.
I traditionen fra Lang multicolor fe bøger, Lucia Friedericy har produceret lavendel og blå fe spejl sæt. Friedericy dukker har alle kvalitet og opmærksomhed detaljeret af en fine antikke, og disse til feer er ingen undtagelse. Med deres lacy nederdele og delikat vinger, kunne de også have gjort Arthur Rackham illustrationer kommer til livet. Friedericy Fey er 15 inches høj og er lavet af ler, papir. De har håndmalede ansigter og mohair vinger med håndmalede Undertøjsoverdele. De sidder på en spejlet sconce, der kan hænges på væggen. Med spejle, de er 19 inches høj og 6 inches lang og er en 2015 udgave. Lucia og Judith Friedericy er en mor-datter dukke kunstner dynamo hvis dukker er indsamlet over hele verden. Deres lille pige læsning med feer er en one-of-a-kind skabelse, og pigens udseende er som drilske som at en pixie's ansigter. Trioen læse sammen, med de lille feer oppe på hver side af hendes åben bog.
Midsomer MiniMo af Charlie bjørne er klædt i blomst påklædning og er en hilsen til Shakespeare. Bjørnen er 6,5 inches høj, og er udført af Isabelle Lee. MiniMo har en krop, ende i fem steder og flad poter der hjælper hende stå godt. Hun har glasøjne, en hånd broderede næse og airbrush accenter. Denne lille bjørn er en del af samlingen 2017 Charlie bære MiniMo.
Tinkerbell af Xenis er 9 inches. Hun er hugget fra canadisk ahorntræ med 13 samlinger. Hendes stand giver hendes pause "midflight!" Tinkerbell virkelig gør Peter Pan kommer til live. Helen Kish også skaber små feer i form af dukke formede bokse, som boksen lyserøde fe. Dukken kommer off hendes base til at afsløre et skjulested for tand afventer The Tooth Fairy. Felix og Petunia er to nisser, der også er en del af Kishs serie, som kan også tjene som kage toppers. Boksene fe er omkring 5 til 7 inches høj og fremstillet af harpiks.
Endelig, mens der er mange beslutningstagere af fe dukker, ingen kolonne om dem ville være komplet uden at nævne filt skulpturelle Brownies og Cecilie Barker feer af R John Wright. Kunstneren har virkelig fanget essensen af begge disse elskede tegnere. Hver detalje er komplet, ned til de præcise skildringer af blomster, som Cecilie Barker feer repræsenterer.
Feer har mange slægtninge i folklore, herunder pixies, sprite, brownies, nisser og andre overnaturlige væsner. Shakespeares pucken er en af de mest berømte, drilagtig og klog af partiet, og som han gør i A Midsummer Night's Dream, han skal have det sidste ord her:

"Hvis vi skygger har fornærmet,
Tænk, men dette, og alle er bødet,
At du men har slumret her
Mens disse visioner vises.
Og dette svage og inaktiv tema,
Ikke mere giver men en drøm,
Gentles, ikke reprehend:
Hvis du undskyld, vil vi reparere:
Og som jeg er en ærlig Puck,
Hvis vi har ufortjent held
Nu at» scape slangens tunge,
Vi vil gøre afbigt ere lange;
Ellers kalder pucken en løgner;
Så, god aften til jer alle.
Giv mig dine hænder, hvis vi være venner,
Og Robin skal gendanne bod."

― Puck fra William Shakespeare, en skærsommernatsdrøm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Fairies, or, We’re all a bit Fey when it comes to Dolls!

            Today is Midsummer, or Midsommer.  You may be watching the Midsummer murders on PBS.  It is the day to honor all those who love fairy gardens, dolls, and fairy dolls.

Perhaps the greatest introduction to the world of fairies is William Shakespeare’s  A Midsummer Night’s Dream. (MSD). Titania, Oberon, and their Fairy court dominate the mere mortals who mistakenly think they run the kingdom.  Then there is Puck, the mischievous sprite who has the last word, “If we shadows have offended, think but his, and al is mended.”

Shakespeare’s contemporaries often believed in the Faere, or Fey, but they were not tiny creatures with wings that lived in abandoned teacups and under mushrooms.  No, Shakespeare’s Fairies would have been life-sized, scary fairies, more like those portrayed in graphic artist Neal Gaiman’s retelling of the play in his volume, Dream Country.
Yet, despite their size, fairies in MSD are the ancestors of our Tinkerbells, Victoria Plum, and Blue Fairies, so often portrayed as dolls.  Shakespeare is a master at making us sympathize with supernatural characters by giving them human traits, so that we believe Theseus and Hyppolita, King and Queen of Athens in MSD, are real sovereigns, though they are mythical figures.  The greatest line of any play I’ve read is Theseus’ criticism of the hilarious spoof of Romeo and Juliet he is about to watch, Pyramus and Thisbe, when he says, “I don’t believe in these antique fables.”  The irony is, of course, that he is an antique fable.

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was known for his illustrations for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Andersen’s Fairy Tales, and other fairy stories.  His ethereal pen and ink drawings washed in color created a style for doll makers to emulate, even today. Arthur Lang (1844-1912) created the Green Fairy Book and other multicolored books of fairy tales between 1889 and 1913. He was a Scottish novelist, poet, and critic, who wrote and collected fairy tales and fairy stories form all over the world.  One of his sources was, perhaps, the only available collection contemporary to him, Dinah Maria Mulock Craik's The Fairy Book (1869).

Fairies have inspired doll makers for some time.  Fairy gardens and fairy houses, often with vintage items, are hot collectibles right now, too.   Antique and vintage dolls have clearly influenced current fairy doll art, like the dolls featured from our friends at The Toy Shoppe. The companies and dolls surveyed below are only a few examples of fairy doll and collectibles available. 
One charming example of an antique fairy-inspired doll is the 1914 Our Fairy doll mold 222 by Hertel & Schwab.   She is an all bisque Googly doll, and popular with those who love tiny dolls.  Another antique example is the Good Fairy by Raleigh Doll Co 1916-1920.

Based on the Disney Pinocchio character, Uneeda created a fairy doll.  The Uneeda or U. 1960s Blue Fairy doll uses their Suzette Tiny Teen doll, and is 21", circa 1961.  The Uneeda Magic Fairy Princess doll uses the Uneeda Debteen doll and wears a white satin & tulle fairy costume with plastic wings.

             Valentine Dolls were known for their elegant, jointed ballerina dolls that could point their toes.  They created a couple of fairy dolls as well, including the Ballerina doll 18” Good Fairy, with pointed toes and a fairy tutu costume, fairy wings, and crown.  Some collectors claim they have seen ballerinas like this that came with other outfits.  Valentine produced a 19” doll for Sears.

Certainly Barbie, most famous doll icon of all, has had her share of fairy attire, including the following 70s outfits as identified by Dollreference.com: Sugar Plum Fairy (1976), 9327 Snowflake Fairy (1976), 9329 Princess Aurora Fairy (1976) 9422 Peach satin gown, white crochet shawl, peach open toe heels (1976) , Ideal created the 1957 Pink Fairy, 18”, and the White Fairy, 15” in vinyl.  Ideal, of course, created the Shirley Temple Doll, and Temple narrated a TV show for children that featured fairy tales. Small vinyl fairy tale dolls with wire armatures were hot toys during the mid 60s.  Two examples were Hasbro’s Storykins dolls and Mattel’s Liddle Kiddle Storybook Dolls.  One was the fairy god-mother to Cinderiddle by Mattel.
 The Toy Shoppe offers several fairy dolls inspired by antiques.  Sarah Niemela’s Baby White Fairy African American Ornament is tiny, only 5 inches, but she is made in the style of Victorian cotton bunting doll ornaments.  Her expressive face reminds one of a good Leo Moss doll, and her gossamer wings are like those of an Edwardian Christmas fairy.
In the tradition of Lang’s multicolor fairy books, Lucia Friedericy has produced the Lavender and Blue Fairy Mirror set.  Friedericy dolls have all the quality and attention detail of a fine antique, and these to fairies are no exception.  With their lacy skirts and delicate wings, they could also have made Arthur Rackham’s illustrations come to life.  The Friedericy Fey are 15 inches high and are sculpted of paper clay.  They have hand painted faces and mohair wings with hand painted bodices.  They sit on a mirror sconce that can be hung on a wall.  With the mirrors, they are 19 inches tall and 6 inches wide and are a 2015 edition. Lucia and Judith Friedericy are a mother-daughter doll artist dynamo whose dolls are collected worldwide.  Their Little Girl reading with Fairies is a one-of-a-kind creation, and the girl’s look is as impish as that one the pixie’s faces.  The trio read together, with the tiny fairies perched on either side of her open book.
Midsomer MiniMo by Charlie Bears is dressed in flower attire and is a nod to Shakespeare.  The bear is 6.5 inches tall, and is the work of Isabelle Lee.  MiniMo has a body jointed in five places and flat paws that help her stand well.  She has glass eyes, a hand embroidered nose and airbrush accents.   This little bear is part of the 2017 Charlie Bear MiniMo collection.
Tinkerbell by Xenis is 9 inches.  She is carved from Canadian maple wood with 13 joints.   Her stand allows her pause “midflight!”  Tinkerbell really makes Peter Pan come alive. Helen Kish also creates small fairies in the form of doll shaped boxes, like the Pink Fairy Box.   The doll comes off her base to reveal a hiding place for a tooth awaiting The Tooth Fairy. Felix and Petunia are two pixies that also are part of Kish’s series, which can also serve as cake toppers.  The fairy boxes are around 5 to 7 inches high and made of resin.
Finally, while there are many makers of fairy dolls, no column about them would be complete without mentioning the felt sculpted Brownies and Cicely Barker Fairies of R John Wright.  The artist has truly captured the essence of both these beloved illustrators.  Every detail is complete, down to the accurate portrayals of the flowers that the Cicely Barker Fairies represent.
Fairies have many relatives in folklore, including pixies, sprites, brownies, goblins, and other supernatural creatures.  Shakespeare’s Puck is one of the most famous, mischievous and clever of the lot, and as he does in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he should have the last word here:

“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.”

― Puck from William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream


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