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Wonderful Kathe Kruse Dolls

Signature Dolls shared images of these marvelous Kathe Kruse dolls in a group we are both in, and has graciously allowed me to share them here with Maida readers.  The dolls shared here are only 14" tall.



I love the story behind Kathe Kruse dolls - that the first doll Kathe made was an answer to her child Maria's wish to have a baby to cuddle.  Maria's father looked for a doll like the child wanted but only found cold porcelain dolls.   So mama Kathe improvised, as mothers do:
"....the doll should be warm, soft and also a little bit heavy to carry. She took a soft towel, filled it with sand and finally took a potato as a head. The first doll was born! Mimerle instantly fell in love with it, played with it and carried it around all day long. But after a few days the knots got loose, the sand came out and the potato developed a very unpleasing smell..."
via the Kathe Kruse website
This makes me grin.   Some of my early dolls have that improvised feel, minus the potato head. You can read the story here.  Enjoy the images. 













A far cry from a sand filled towel with a potato head.
What marvelous but simple construction!



I like to end with images of the dolls fully clothed.  
Such beautiful honest creations!  

Thank you to Signature Dolls for sharing them!  




6 comments:

  1. Oh these are beautiful, Dixie. The early Kathy Kruse dolls are right up there with Izzannah Walkers on my If I Were A Rich Man list.

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    1. Jan, I agree! They have a definite cloth doll feel. :-) I love that she started off with a potatohead on a towel as her first doll!

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  2. I so agree with you Jan, about being on my wish list. The one on ebay now is on my watch list just so I can see it.
    Dixie thanks so much for sharing these darling photos.
    Artis

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  3. I found the pictures of the doll's on Pinterest and I'm in love.They are adorable.
    Thank's for posting them.

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  4. Beautiful! Just bought a German Child I think its a V111 20 inches. Its my first Kruse.... Im so excited! Just wish there was more info on them! Would love to share pictures of her to see if anyone agrees she is what I think she is.

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    Replies
    1. When you have pictures, plese email me (contqct information in the left sidebar).

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