Comments on: Turkish Dolls

By: Christen

Christen — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:48:08 +0000

Maria Moniz: My grandmother also brought me back a blonde flamenco dancer doll from Spain. She also has painted eyelashes and a stockinette face. I wonder if they bought them at the same place?!

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:48:24 +0000

I inherited my great-aunt’s souvenir doll collection. She traveled about the same time as your mother. My Turkish doll has bright auburn hair. I was surprised at the color and did a google search. I found out that red hair is seen in Turkey as well. My doll doesn’t have nearly as nice fabrics as yours do. They are real treasures.

By: Maria Moniz

Maria Moniz — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:42:49 +0000

I’ve got quite a few dolls that my parents brought home for me from different countries. I recall a Spanish lady with a painted face and especially the painted eyelashes were just like your Turkish lady’s!

By: Salley Mavor

Salley Mavor — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:48:12 +0000

Thanks for this, Helen. As usual, you are full of detailed information about dolls!

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:38:30 +0000

There are many blonds with blue eyes and green eyes in Turkey! My own daughter whose ancestors are Turkish has green eyes and blonde hair. (Look up history of Ottoman Turks.) Esther above is correct.

I agree its a Turkish sultan. I think the turban is made from spun cotton or wrapped wool. They really are quite beautiful. They have some of the characteristics of dolls made by Bernard Ravca–known for great attention to detail and with painted stockinette faces and hands, The costuming is wonderful and the tiny hands are amazing. As for the hair, I think it is silk or rayon floss which is quite shiny. It was used for the hair on boudoir dolls and other dolls. Your dolls are exquisite!

By: Christen

Christen — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:33:07 +0000

The blonde hair and blue eyes are very interesting and mysterious. My grandparents also traveled the world in the 50′s and 60′s and brought me back dolls from many places, because they knew how enamored I was (and still am!) with dolls. My Turkish dolls are quite different, although the costuming is similar. I think mine are smaller than yours, and they do have dark hair and brown eyes. I think your dolls are beautiful, especially because they are different. There is a story there somewhere!

By: Jan J.

Jan J. — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:19:06 +0000

Wow these dolls are little works of art – the details are amazing!

By: lindaschiffer

lindaschiffer — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:32:12 +0000

Don’t forget – those traveling and trading Vikings penetrated pretty far into Asia Minor. There are certainly areas with a high percentage of blondes even in Turkey.

Linda

By: Lenna Green

Lenna Green — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:46:26 +0000

These dolls are amazing, I love the colours used for their clothing.

By: Salley Mavor

Salley Mavor — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:31:28 +0000

The hair doesn’t feel real and the turban looks very much like cotton.