An Interesting c.1900 Printed Cloth Folk Art Doll by Art Fabric Mills, New York
SOLD
Origin: American
Period: Late Nineteenth / Early Twentieth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1900
Height: 17.25 inches
The printed oils on sateen cloth folk-art doll with cut and sewn fabric pieces, wearing a cream waist jacket with a blue collar, printed red socks and black boots, with`ART FABRIC MILLS NEW YORK Pat. Feb 13th 1900` printed to one foot sole.
The condition of the doll is quite distressed, but it’s so evocative and interesting, that for us this is a side issue. There is a large area to the back of the head that has been repaired and the doll has a general discolouration and fade to it though the reds and blacks remain true.
Edgar Newell, president of Art Fabric Mills of New Haven Connecticut, received a patent on February 13, 1900 for a printed cloth Life Sized Doll. This doll was printed in oils on cotton sateen and in a size of an infant or that of a two to three year old. Red stockings and black shoes were printed on the doll as we see here and the patent date was stamped on the foot. The Delineator advertised the doll in December 1901 for 50 cents. In 1911 the company was taken over by the games company Selchow and Righter.
This is a very early Art Fabric Mills doll and has a wonderful old-world quality about it and for that reason she can be used decoratively to real effect.
