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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Wendy Bride project doll

I mentioned in a prior post that I love having "project dolls" to fix up and complete. This Madame Alexander doll is probably my biggest project doll of all time, and is not yet complete.

She is tagged 14-inch "Wendy Bride," and is somewhat of a mystery. The outfit and hairdo are identical to those worn by the Lucy Bride produced in 1949 and 1950, which is pictured on pages 77 and 79 of Patricia Smith's Madame Alexander Collector's Dolls. A lovely color picture can also be found on page 196 of Linda Crowsey's Collector's Encyclopedia of Madame Alexander Dolls 1948 - 1965, though Crowsey doesn't reference her as Lucy. According to Crowsey's 2008 price guide, a 14-inch Lucy Bride books for $1,000 and up in mint condition.




I got the doll for an extraordinarily low price — less than $30, if I remember correctly. This was because she was an amputee — she was missing one lovely suntanned leg.

She had her dress and was otherwise in good condition, though, so I decided to go ahead and buy her as a project doll. It took me about a year, but I finally found a nude, bald 14-inch strung Maggie with the same suntanned complexion. I bought the parts doll, restrung Wendy with the new leg, and resold the parts doll (poor dear) for almost the same price I paid for her.

I am lucky enough that my mom has an all-original Lucy Bride in the 17-inch size. Using her outfit for comparison, I've found my doll the appropriate underwear — a pair of white satin undies with a single square snap in back, authentic Madame Alexander — and shoes — white satin center-snap shoes with a smooth snap, the careful stitching characteristic of Madame Alexander, and fuzzy bottoms.



All I am missing now are her stockings and her veil. I've managed to find the correct stockings for another doll — a Madame Alexander Alice in Wonderland — but I doubt I'll be able to ever find the correct veil.

4 comments:

  1. I received this lovely doll for Christmas when I was five, and still have her...Her veil was very fine net, bordered with lace and worn over her head with a floral band in front. My doll's veil became torn and the gauzy net was replaced, using the original net. Your doll has lost her seed pearl necklace, but it would be easy to replace, using the tiniest of pearl beads. My doll's pink and gray suitcase-shaped cardboard pink rubber hair- curler container survived and is displayed beside her.
    I enjoy your blog - hope you see this belated response!

    Susan

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  2. Oops, in reference to my bride doll's veil mentioned in the previous message, make that "using the original LACE"!

    This doll's hairstyle was very fashionable when she was new - my mother wore her hair in exactly the same way!

    Thanks,
    Susan

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  3. I have this Wendy/Lucy Bride. She is only missing one stocking, I believe. But her dress is discolored. Yours is the first I have seen online...I haven't been able to find any info on her! Now I have something to go on to search further...been trying to sell her to someone who can appreciate her.

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  4. I have this Wendy/Lucy Bride - my mother gave it to me for my 15th birthday.. I would like to sell her as I am downsizing - her veil is missing and the dress is discolored with age but otherwise she is fine.
    Would it be possible to email me a screen shot of page 196 from Linda Crowsey's Collector's Encyclopedia of Madame Alexander Dolls 1948 - 1965 - diemoz@got.net

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