Babyland Rag Doll?

A large cloth doll with button eyes in antique clothing was being auctioned this week. The body shape and hand shape is almost exactly like the Babyland Rag I'd been bidding on two weeks ago and lost. So I bought this doll with my birthday money. She came with pantaloons, socks, antique shoes antique petticoat and antique dress.

I think this doll is a Babyland Rag that lost her face. The Babyland Rag I saw on Ebay was losing her face - it was peeling off. My theory on this doll pictured is the paint peeled off the "face covering" so someone took it off. On Babyland Rags the faces are a separate slipcover that are whipstitched over the doll form. You can see some stitching marks along the discoloration. Sometimes the Babyland Rags have hair stitched on and bonnets that are permanent. The bonnet I have fits this girl beautifully so I wonder if it is original to her.

My plan with this big girl is to draft a pattern from her. Her 30" size is great because she could wear children's clothes. I have a copy of an antique Babyland Rag catalog that I can use as a guideline in designing a dress pattern for the new doll.


The skirt is attached using cartridge pleating. Cartridge pleating is a way to attach a very full skirt to a waistband and was widely used in antique clothing. This dress is antique and fragile.

I'm entranced by this doll
and proud of myself
for recognizing her body shape.



Smiles,
Dixie