Doll News Summer 2019 - 70

Woodens and Salesmen's Samples, Doll Reader
Magazine, November 1983, captioned: "The
doll is a "World Lady," as is apparent from her
elegant attire. Fred says she is just visiting!"
Her attire is still elegant, but she lacks her
hat. She also appeared in Collector's Showcase
Magazine, November/December 1988. On the
bench, she is just to the right of the "Tyler"
dolls. The second, a 15-inch "Queen Anne"
doll who was shown "arranging flowers
near Fred's one-quarter size Baltimore chair
and tilt top table" in Doll Reader Magazine, in
November 1983. This doll's floral gown is now
rather dishevelled and her hat is missing; she
is standing to the left of the "Tylers." The third,
seated on the right on the bench, is a 22-inch
"Queen Anne" doll was shown with a onethird size "William and Mary highboy" in Doll
Reader Magazine, November 1983, and with an
"oxbow chest" in Recreating Yesterday's Wooden
Playthings, in Dolls the Collector's Magazine,
The prototype "Mr Tyler" is wearing unique leather shoes. The commercial
January/February 1989. Her "chintz" fabric
version of "Mr Tyler" sold at Colonial Williamsburg, has carved black
painted boots. Photograph by kind permission of Brunk Auctions, Inc.
gown is still in good condition.
"DOLL LADIES COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW
MANY DOLLS SOME WOMEN BUY LADY WITH BAG
FULL:" This is another example of Fred's funny comments
that we should take with a pinch-of-salt - it made me laugh
with recognition when I read it. It reminds me of comments
I have seen in blogs where people say that the first thing
they would grab in a household emergency would be a
bag filled with their Fred Laughon dolls, which I would
probably do myself - after the husband and the cat!
The Laughon's family dynamic drew people to them.
Helen was described in her obituary as a "born leader and
teacher," and both she and Nel clearly relished being able
to share their silhouette cutting skills and knowledge. Fred
encouraged others to observe his wood-working skills,
and take it up for themselves. John Bauer, a long-term
friend of the family, told me that Fred had inspired him to
attempt large scale furniture projects - and even a few peg
woodens. Others have mentioned "The Laughon family
ability to see life through a grin and a positive attitude"
as Dick Thompson commented in July 2015, on Tom
Laughon's My 90-year old Mom blog, adding that "(Nel)
was a lot of fun to be with, as were your parents". This is
all part of their delightful legacy.

70

SUMMER 2019

Their innate sense of humor comes across in their
work, and they clearly had fun with all the charming
accessories they produced for "Elizabeth Douglas
Thomas." This little doll was the companion to "Charity,"
chosen by Susan Sirkis, the UFDC president at the time,
to be the "Remember the Ladies" souvenir doll, for the
46th UFDC Annual Convention in 1995. An example of
"Charity" is held in the UFDC Museum, Kansas, Missouri,
in the Complete UFDC Souvenir Collection (see page 46,
Doll News Spring 2019 Issue). Fred designed the original
model for "Charity" and advised on the historic detail
for the tilt top table, which was adorned with a tea set, to
accompany her.
LOST AND FOUND: Eleanor McBride made contact
to say that she had the elusive tea set, and even better,
that it was boxed; while Laurie McGill had that rarity,
little "Elizabeth's" 18th century child's chair; there
are five more of these chairs among the treasures. The
rediscovered "peg head towel bar or jewelry stand"
has turned out to be much nicer than I expected. With
regard to "Charity's" costume, archival photographs
show that the correct position of the bow on her mob
Doll News Summer 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Doll News Summer 2019
