Russian dolls

by Alice Sackett
(San Antonio, Texas)

In the 30s I was given a 12 inch stuffed cotton doll by an aunt in Oregon. She is in Russian costume, handmade, and I was told they were to help women make money.

The features are not molded, but painted, and she wears human hair. The sandals are Russian style straw, but the rest of the clothing looks made by the doll maker, except for a double strand necklace of red and blue seed beads.

She wears white cotton underpants,petticoat, long sleeved dress with pleated skirt, apron with red stitching, black vest. Her head kerchief is white with red machine stitching like the apron. Her hands have stitching to indicate fingers.

She was accompanied by a baby figure, head painted as the other, but an undifferentiated body, and wrapped in a red and white machine stitched quilt.

If interested, I would be glad to send a photo.