Chinese Cloth Folk Art Dolls - A Research Case Study - Part Two

RESEARCH CASE STUDY No. ONE
Part Two

Hello there!

Welcome to Part Two of the Research Case Study for Chinese Cloth Folk Art Dolls.  In many ways this is a prologue to my previous article which includes notable mentions, some lessons learned, and some things which didn't quite fit but are worthy includes.

You can read Part One HERE.

One of my first Tips was to make sure you ask a lot of questions when you are making your purchase.  Not sure what you should ask?  Here's the skinny on the questions to ask so get the most information you can about a find.  Not only will it save you time researching it will add value.

Chinese Cloth Folk Art Dolls - A Research Case Study - Part One

RESEARCH CASE STUDY No. ONE 

ASIAN CLOTH DOLLS

1950's Chinese Dolls can be found in CreekLifeTreasures shop on Etsy

EVALUATION AND RESEARCH - PREFACE

It is impossible to know "everything" antiques and vintage, professional appraisers and collectors have specialties.  That said, growing the skills and proficiency required to answer questions and build not only your knowledge base but also your reference "library" of links are key.  Most vintage sellers have a good general knowledge, are committed and actively work to expand their capacity and hone their research skills.  In our "at your fingertips" information age, researchers are fortunate for the plethora of online resources.  Not only via web sites but also the many detailed and comprehensive blogs created by collectors.  Naturally, there are vintage and antique guides which can be purchased or loaned from the library.  The downside of printed pricing materials is they're oft outdated.  Good practices still require a thorough search online to verify accuracy. Within all this it's important to not overlook the story.  It is the framework, comprised of the history and the provenance of an item, which is important.

With smart phones, Etsy, eBay, and Facebook support groups, along with pricing apps a lot of research happens on the fly.  Frankly much of researching is pretty mundane, checking the current market prices, nailing down a year of manufacture, verifying it's not a reproduction worse yet a counterfeit prior to a purchase.  But then, every once in a while you come up with something you know is special but you haven't a clue, you go with your gut and make a purchase without any knowledge.  Once home you begin the process of researching and appraising an item in preparation to list it for sale.

This case study begins with one such occasion and my first research tip.

RESEARCH BEGINNINGS - THE PURCHASE

Mimi of CreekLifeTreasures, on Etsy, purchase the three Asian cloth dolls pictured above.  It was one of those estate sales which is the real deal.  Retired military family, life-long collectors of just about "everything" especially Chinese Art and Artifacts says Mimi.  A "huge home with a full attic, and had room to keep everything.  I think more than anything they simply didn't throw anything away"  Mimi went on to say, "They had full decorative Chinese robes that were also for sale.  The first thing that sold was a jadeite hand mirror for $7,500.00, the man drove 4 hours one way and stood in line for over 4 hours to get it.  It was that kind of sale, I so want a 'do over'." "The entire house was like a museum." Who wouldn't!

John Martin's Spool Pets Kitty Cat No. 1. 1930

John Martin's SPOOL PETS KITTY CAT NO. 1. 

Wooden Display of  Spool Pet Miss Kitty aka Kitty Cat No. 1.

Her green eyes captured my heart and made me smile.  Back in 2011 when I was researching my  wooden advertising display version of John Martin's SPOOL Pets KITTY Cat No. 1. I learned she was inspired by a J&P Coats and Clark O.N.T.* thread trading card copyrighted in 1930.

*Note:  O.N.T. - Clark's O.N.T. thread  - What O.N.T. stands for, according to the "All Things Ruffnerian" blog, "In 1806, Napoleon blockaded Great Britain, which meant that silk thread was not available to British weavers. The Clark family had a loom supply company and they were also big suppliers of silk thread.At the time of the blockade, Peter Clark developed a method of combining cotton threads so that they were strong and smooth enough to be used in place of silk, and he advertised this important advancement as "Our New Thread."

My finding was, whether created by an individual or provided by the J.P. Clark Company, she was used as display.  She is obviously screen printed (as apposed to hand painted) and would have been sitting on top of a wooden Coats and Clark thread display.  Her dimensions are 4" tall x 2 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep.  She bears no manufacturers markings and was attached to a large spool of J.P. Coats black thread.  Highly lovable right down to her soiled natty little tail!  She was my fourth sale and sold for $29.00 not including shipping.  Although I was sad to see her go, she was adopted by a "good home" and is loved.

Initially there were 6 pets available 1. KITTY CAT, 2. PUPPY DOG, 3. BOB BUNNY, 4. HAL HORSE, 5. CLARA COW and 6. PETE PIG.   Each of which were included in your purchase of Coats and Clark bias trim or you could send 5 cents to THE SPOOL COTTON COMPANY, Dept. 101, P.O. Box 551, Newark, New Jersey if you wanted all six.  A First Class stamp was 3 cents in 1930.

Now days they'd be downloadable on the companies web site or blog.  Hey, some are!  Coats and Clark blog has a wonderful bit of history including the second release of a Spool project called "Spool Zoo".  You can read all about it there and you'll find a great free downloadable graphic perfect for a child's tee-shirt project.

John Martin's SPOOL PET No. 1. KITTY CAT via Pinterest

According to http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/ in the 1930's, depending on where you lived, a nickel would purchase a loaf of bread, or a can of pork and beans, or one pound of fresh peas, or a couple of oranges, or a half a gallon of gas.  In other words, a nickel could be important to a family during the Depression.

My mother, born in 1926 to a farming family, had very few toys when growing up resulting in a love of toys as an adult.  Educated as a Home Economics teacher she passed on the love of sewing and all things crafty.  So, when I had to choose an avatar for myself when I opened my vintage shop on Etsy, I couldn't think of anything better than Kitty to represent me as an avatar.  Kitty knows good vintage!  Kitty embodied a part of my past, my family's past, and certainly my present.  Who could ask for more?

Link to John Martin's Spool Pets Search on Pinterest

Kitty knows good vintage!

I imported a photograph of her into GIMP a free image editing program and "posterized" her.  I love that I see her everyday.  She's a playful reminder of our past, how vintage and handmade go hand in hand, and is steeped in American history.

When a new Google+ friend asked about my avatar, commenting that she looked similar to a baby toy of hers handmade by her mother, I decided to create this post.  That's one of the lovely things about selling vintage.  It pricks at memories, the little things that really aren't so little, which sometimes become the "thread" used to create and share family stories, traditions and heirlooms.  For me, it doesn't get any better than that.  If +Margaret Siemers found her toy pictured below:

Meet Kitty Kye who inspired this post.

Made in the 1950's by  Margaret's mother in anticipation of her birth Kitty Kye.

Margaret says Kitty Kye's body was from a kit.  Kye is 8" tall and 6" wide constructed with a feed-sack front and muslin back, I see researching vintage cat toy kits in my future!  She wonders if the embellishments were Spool Pet inspired.  Could be?While I can't answer that, I can say Kye's adorable and in fabulous condition!


If you have a Spool Pets story you'd like to share add it to the comments below.

Danish Modern Mid Century Modern Teak Bowls and Home Decor - Design, Care, History and Shopping Tips

Vintage Teak Bowls Trays and Housewares

A Profile of Vintage Danish Modern

and

Mid-Century Modern Offerings

Want to begin accumulating vintage Danish Modern and Mid Century teak for your home?  Or perhaps you are an avid collector seeking information?  While vintage Danish Modern Teak furniture costs are soaring, vintage teak wooden serveware and housewares, such as salad bowls, cheese boards, salt and pepper grinders and sets, trays, as well as candlesticks remain affordable.  Some vintage offerings are down-right inexpensive.  If you are willing to put a little time and effort into refurbishing many vintage Danish Modern pieces can be picked up for a song.

These vintage "touches" will help transform your contemporary modern minimalist pieces and deliver the authentic vintage vibe you seek.  For beginning collectors, I recommend creating a purchasing plan which includes creating a wish list of items you would like to use daily and those which you want to purchase as an investment.  Learning a little history, design principals, and understanding the vintage market prior to making purchases will ensure you get the most value for your money.

A little Danish Modern History

From a design aspect the Danish Modern movement began in the 1920's; but really took hold in the early 1930's continuing through World War II.  It has been said during the depression years and World War II into the post war era, European and Scandinavian designers took to their roots in both design principals as well as materials.  These new designs, born of frugality, honored the past but perhaps more importantly displayed an awakening spirit of hope for the future.

In Danish Modern furniture design, prior to using teak, many Scandinavian designs were made of local woods such as pine.  An American aesthetic for darker woods influenced Danish Modern designers.   Additionally, the advent of new post war glues and technologies such as bent plywood (which made for a stronger union of wood and metal) opened the door to exciting new affordable designs.  Once Danish Modern designers discovered teak, known for it's attributes of being a hard, lightweight and water resistant wood,  Denmark quickly became the largest worldwide importer of teak in the 1950's.

High consumption combined with poor forestry and plantation conservation practices, during the thirty year period between 1950 and 1980, accounted for the decline of teak resources worldwide and the consequential spiraling cost.  In the early 1980's many countries instituted policies to improve and maintain teak conservation practices.  Exports became regulated and plantations were governed to assure teak remained as a sustainable resource.  Why is this important?

Availability impacted both price and design.  As you will learn the age of teak importers, not coincidentally, ended in the 1980's. During that 30 year period of time not only product design but also manufacturing practices changed in order to remain competitive in the market.  Many Danish modern designs which heretofore were executed in Denmark with imported teak, were now manufactured in the country of origin.  Indeed, designs were changed to provide a more economical use of wood.  A good example of this is evidenced with the evolution of the country of manufacture of Dansk bowls; early bowls were manufactured in Denmark but quickly began being produced countries like Thailand and Malaysia. Indeed, even now, global teak availability and prices are impacted by the practices during this thirty year time period. Hence, making  the purchase of vintage teak products is not only fun but also affordable and a "green" practice.

When considering mid century teak salad bowls, serveware, candlesticks, toys and trays for purchase you owe it to yourself to 1.) know a little history, 2.) define your budget and, 3.) understand basic construction and design in order to maximize your options.

A Bit of History - Vintage Teak Serveware and Housewares Mass Market Manufacturers - Importers

Resourcing information for Danish Modern name designers such as Kay Bojesen, Hans Bolling, Jens Quistgaard, Richard Nissen and their piers on the internet is a fun ride and you will find rich information. Conversely, there is much less information available for mass market manufacturers and importers.  The latter being my main focus, because their products are reasonably priced and readily found online.  Take a moment to discover the mass market manufacturers/importers in the mid-century tableware and housewares game.  Knowing the names and a bit of the history will afford you many design and price options.

Mass Market Teak Housewares Manufacturers

Dansk Designs - 1954 - 1991 Formed in 1954 by Ted Nierenberg with designer Jens Quistgaard.  In 1974 Dansk removed all designer references and changed their back-stamp to Dansk International Designs LTD. Dansk was purchased in 1985 by Dansk Acquisition Corp and was later purchased by Brown-Forman Corporation, under it's Lenox brand umbrella.  In March of 2009 Clarion Capital Partners LLC purchased all the assets of Lenox from the Brown-Forman Corporation renaming the company Lenox Corporation which has kept the Dansk product name.[1]  There is abundant information about both Dansk and Jens Quistgaard online which I will not further duplicate here.

Dansk Trademarks over the years.

Dansk Teak Package Care Instructions 

The following care instructions came with each wood item from Dansk Designs.

"Dansk Designs advises you to treat your wood pieces tenderly.  Wood is sensitive to extremes of temperature, humidity and dryness.  So store it in a well ventilated area away from radiators and strong sunlight."
"To keep this piece lustrous, clean it by wiping with mild soap and warm water.  Dry thoroughly.  And give it an occasional beauty rub with ordinary mineral oil."

*I would only note that today it is recommended you use food grade mineral oil.  Which can easily be found at most big box stores, as well as hardware and home improvement centers.

Buying Tip:  While Dansk was sold only first quality in the finer Department Stores, they also sold seconds and closeouts through a network of Factory Outlet Stores.  Look for tags which may show the item was a second.  Further, make there aren't unsightly knots and be sure all staves and inlay work are tight and sound.  Aging glues and exposure to water can compromise the joints and the structural integrity of your piece.

How To Clean Brass with Natural Products

Cleaning Stained Vintage Brass - A Tutorial

Hollywood Regency Floor Standing Solid Brass Candlestick Holders

While cleaning a vintage item is never in question, whether to polish or not to polish brass, copper and silver is for many vintage sellers.   In general, patina is highly sought after, removing patina from vintage and antiques devalues the item.  Given the choice, I always opt for patina or a jeweler's cloth to clean and lightly polish most vintage jewelry.  However, with metal home decor and kitchenware the line is blurred.

Patina is one thing, stains are another.

I was faced with this exact situation recently with these three extra large floor standing brass candle holders.

The tallest candlestick stands 26 3/8 inches , the medium candlestick 21 1/2 inches and the smallest 18 inches tall without candles. These mid century solid brass Hollywood Regency style vintage candle holders were meant to be elegant and beautiful - to make a visual statement.  To have a presence in a room.

Taking this into consideration, I decided to polish.

All three had staining similar to the one pictured here on the left.  Who knows what from or how deep the reactive stain reached, committing to them was a risk.

I knew I could use a commercial brass cleaner and 0000 fine steel wool, available in the grocery and hardware stores.  Very expensive and who wants that in their kitchen sink and going down the drain?

I found several web and blog sites recommending this or that all natural treatment.  What was lacking was examples of how well the suggested treatment worked as well as before and after photographs.  Several of which didn't work, or didn't work well enough to deal with the staining on my brass candle holders.  I'll talk more about that later.  Let me share what did work the best first and what you'll need to get started.  Relax it's all natural and probably in your kitchen pantry right now!

Things You'll Need

• Spoon - I used a stainless steel spoon, a wooden spoon would work also.
• Flour - I used regular unbleached all purpose flour.
• Kosher Salt
• Vinegar 5% to 6% acidity - I used cider vinegar but you could use white vinegar.
• Bowl - I used a plastic mushroom container which I wash and keep for projects like this.
• Cotton Swab - To apply the paste directly on the stain.
• Sponge - to apply the paste for over all treatment.
• Olive Oil - to protect the metal from the air after it has been cleaned and polished.

Prep Work

If your candle holders break down into smaller pieces - take them apart one at a time and wash with warm soapy water and dry with a soft cloth or kitchen towel.  This will remove any oils,dust and surface dirt allowing the mixture to reach the metal more efficiently and uniformly.

Many older pieces of brass have been lacquered.  It's important to know if your piece has been lacquered you will have to use more traditional treatments to remove the lacquer prior to polishing.  This treatment will not remove lacquer.  For pieces which are lacquered you can use a traditional brass cleaner with 0000 fine steel wool, being careful not to rub in a circular motion or apply so much pressure as to deeply scratch the surface of the metal.  Fine marks can be buffed out with a lamb's wool buffer attached to a drill.

Step One

Mix the paste.  I wasn't and didn't exactly measure the ingredients and I made them in batches; treating and cleaning over a couple of days without issue.  I did attempt to stay somewhat consistent and used a heaping 1/4 cup of flour, kosher salt and vinegar per batch.  I doubled this when applying the overall treatment.  You can adjust for too much vinegar if your paste is too thin by adding equal parts of flour and salt until the mixture is thick enough not to run.

Staining prior to treatment.