Have I Completely Lost My Mind?

[sapphire]

Looks like Miss Mary is going to come home 

[Oceans64]

Tales - Agree with Wayward. It would haunt you. Glad you decided to bring her home.

[KC]

Okay, I am going to step up to the plate and say what noone else will say....Tales you are losing it!  In fact, all of us on here are!  LOL

I agree with Wayward with the statement that it will haunt you if you don't get it!

What a resemblance!!!!!!  Seems fated!  Awaiting your next posting!!!!!!!

[talesofthesevenseas]

It's official, the Mary Bolles Bradbury doll is mine and will be coming home pending payoff in a couple of weeks. Thanks once again for the moral support while I did my homework.

One interesting thing, so far as the collectors on the forum above knew, Kestner and Kister were the only two firms that they knew of who made these dolls with the "covered wagon" hairstyle in the 1850's. "Mary" doesn't look like she comes from the molds I'm seeing of any of the dolls online. She does however, look a lot like other Kestner dolls and my guess is that she is a Kestner, but I won't be able to confirm that until I find another like her. Like most of these early china heads, she has no markings.

[waywardangler]

WooHoo!  I think you will love her forever, Tales!

[sapphire]

Tales, you've likely come across this one.......she's a 30" though, but just going by your pics she sure looks related   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lethasladies/2695402285/

[waywardangler]

I still vote for the one on the left, Tales choice.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I am sure you are right Wayward, I will love her forever. I was looking at her today when they were wrapping her up and putting her aside and I can't exactly put my finger on what it is about just this one doll that gives her such a similarity to my ancestor, because I don't see it in other very similar dolls. There's just something about this one and despite trying to tell myself that I'm just imprinting my own interests onto the doll, which is true in part of course, but in three visits to see her, I still see the resemblance quite strongly. Its not as if I went back and felt differently after sleeping on it or sobering up, LOL! I am sure I will treasure her the rest of my life and will find a trustworthy descendant of Mary Bradbury's to pass her on to someday.  

Yes Sapphire that one is VERY close. There are a couple of very similar Kestners and about the only difference is the length of the hair. The facial features look just about identical. Isn't it interesting how they each have their own look though? That is one of the really cool things about old dolls is how unique they are.

[KC]

What a find of a lifetime.  That is one of the joys about handmade/hand painted - each one different!

Congratulations!

[Oceans64]

I am sure I will treasure her the rest of my life and will find a trustworthy descendant of Mary Bradbury's to pass her on to someday.  

I hope you get a granddaughter someday that fits the bill!!

[talesofthesevenseas]

If not I have lots of nieces and cousins with daughters. One of them could get her too!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I totally have no willpower... I'm going to go get her tomorrow.

[sapphire]

I totally have no willpower... I'm going to go get her tomorrow.

Really wish I hadn't been taking a sip of pop when I read this 
 









I'm thinking tonight we should roast a 'marshmallow' 

[Oceans64]

LOLOLOL - Once she is yours it's tough to think of her sitting in a backroom somewhere...  cold.... alone...  wondering if she'll ever be loved again...

Or perhaps I've watched Toy Story one too many times 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Yup, definitely a marshmallow. The guy at the antique store who took her out of the case for me said "Oh, and she's been waiting so long to go home with somebody!" so I guess I'm not the only marshmallow!