Emily Hart Dolls
Antique Reproduction Porcelain Dolls

Blog

(posted on 11 Dec 2013)

Hello to all my lovely doll fans...

I hope everyone is excited and enjoying the beginning of this Holiday Season....

I have had an intense wake-up call, and realize I have been going in the wrong direction for many years... thinking I could make a living at creating beautiful Antique Reproduction dolls.... I put all my eggs in one basket when I could have continued on with other kinds of dolls as well as the Reprocuctions of the Antiques.

I have worked very hard and long hours giving my all to this work. But, right now, I am not making it... I am not selling enough to keep going with only Antique Reproduction dolls, and so I have no alternative than to let go of doing this work.

At times I have been so discouraged, but never as much as I am now.

Giving a 40% off discount on many wonderful works of art here, and with no takers, I realize that my time making these kind of dolls is over... Selling at these discounted prices does not give me any profit to live on.

Since I have a huge investment in the composition doll bodies, Hand Glass Craft Eyes, mohair wigs, and wonderful costumes, I cannot let go without finishing up some of these dolls and trying at least to recoup some of my investment, so there will be some more dolls, but I have made a decision now, not to pour any new Antique Reproduction doll parts. Whatever I have poured now is all I intend to finish in the way of this kind of doll.

I am trying hard to think of how I can earn a living with continuing on with making porcelain dolls, but when I see the incredible work of other dollmakers who are making what is in demand, I realize I have not kept up to the current trends in porcelain dollmaking, and it could be too late for me at my age, and with the limitations of my hand that is still in terrible shape and I am in pain just picking up a paint brush.

I do not have the talent to create the kind of dolls that are selling for high prices such as the kind of dolls made by Marina Bychkova, a young woman who admired one of my own dolls that won a "Best of Show" in the "Fantasy Dolls" Category of an International show in 2004.

It was the last time I entered dolls in an International Show and also the last time I made a fantasy doll. Marina, on the other hand, went straight into fantasy dolls and she is the most incredible doll artist I have ever seen... presently, today, one of her dolls, only 14.5 inches in height is at auction, and with 33 bids at this very moment the doll is selling for $25,100.00 Candian funds, and it stil has three days to go... This, it seems is what is in demand.


The year 2004 was a turning point in my dollmaking career when I closed my teaching studio and began my journey into making only Antique Reproduction dolls... It was, as I see now, a choice that led to meeting a number of wonderful people, and that part I am so happy about, but also, it led to this time where I cannot even sell dolls at just a little over my cost of materials to make them.

My intention today is to make this another turning point in my artistic ventures and anything new I decide to make will go in a new direction... possibly towards the fantasy dolls with tattoos engraved and painted onto the svelte bodies.

I pray that I will find the way to be able to create something, not like what anyone else is making, but something that will flow from within me that will appeal to those who want to buy porcelain dolls.

I value all feedback and encourage you to write to me with your thoughts and suggestions. Please write to me at dolls@emilyhart.com

Wishing everyone the very best and thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past 24 years in buying my Antique Reproduction dolls as well as all the other kinds of dolls I have made.

Emily Hart

(posted on 25 Nov 2013)

Hello everyone...

I am wishing you a very Happy upcoming Holiday Season!

My thoughts and prayers have been very much with the people of the Philipines over the past weeks.

Some of you may know that my dear friend who makes my custom mohair wigs lives in the Philipines, so I am very connected to her and her family. I am happy to say that the Typhoon did miss her community, but just barely, and so I know she and her family are safe.

Yesterday I made up two new Galleries with dolls that are 40% off and 20% off for the next few weeks... Perhaps if you have been eyeing a certain doll, now is the time to look again.

Sending warm thoughts your way, Emily

(posted on 7 Sep 2013)

Hi to everyone... I know I just sent out a recent Newsletter but I am so happy to write that I just put the kiln on with overall wash on new items...

In the kiln... heads: ONLY ONE OF EACH!

Paris Bebe, EJA Early Jumeau, Crescent Bru (21 inch doll size), Crescent Bru (17 inch doll size), Bru jne 13 (for 17 -18 inch body), S&H 1279 "Fredericka", Rare Kestner JDK241, Kestner AT, Queen Louise, Rare Franz Schmidt "Gloria", Full Lips Tete Jumeau, Jumeau Arielle II, Cody Jumeau with applied ears, Cody Jumeau (17 inch doll size) Cody Jumeau Milette, Rare Bruno Schmidt "Wendy", Phenix Bebe, Jullien Bebe, Bru Brevete, Bebe Francaise, Bru jne 11 (for 15 inch body), Bourgoin Steiner, Steiner A9, Bru jne 10 (small size), "Jewel Eyes".

If you wish to reserve one of these heads for a finished doll let me know. Some I may consider selling as "heads only".

These will be the last new heads started for this year. It will take me at least to the end of the year to get these all painted and ready for making into finished dolls.

I am very happy and excited about these new dolls!

I am thinking about Christmas already, are you?... I am dreaming of making the Diana half dolls into Christmas Angels. I have done her that way before, but forgot to take a photo before she was sold.

Wishing everyone good health and feelings of joy!

Emily

(posted on 1 Sep 2013)

Hello to doll lovers everywhere!

It's September again and I am happy to say the July-August doll sale was a great success!

I have made a number of the wonderful ONE OF A KIND pure silk costumes with Antique laces for sale now. All costumes include the underwear and hand knitted socks!

Please don't hesitate to ask for more and larger photos as really everything I sell needs to be seen in larger photos that I am not able to show here on the website. I love to send you photos, and you will be so surprised how lovely it is to see them coming into your mailbox.

September 1st, and I am cleaning greenware today for new dolls. Wonderful dresses are being made for Deluxe Dolls that I hope will be finished by November.

You will see some faces that have not been around for a while, like Phenix Bebe, Jullian Bebe, and some of the brus that have been absent for a while.

I do hope to present some new HEADS ONLY as well, for those of you who just love to make your own costumes.

Jim Vickerman is still making doll bodies and I have had him use a latex paint for all my new doll bodies to eliminate the possibility of hairline cracks developing as have occasionally happened in the past due to humidity changes that slightly expand and contract the composition bodies.

If you order bodies let him know what finish you prefer... lacquer finish or latex paint.

I love this time of year, when the leaves are beginning to turn colors and I think of tucking myself in for the long colder weather and creating wonderful things.

I am just keeping my thoughts positive and doing as much each day as my injured hand will allow.

Hope everyone had a most wonderful Summer.... the good weather is not over yet, here in Western Canada we often have Indian Summer next with great fall flowers blooming in the gardens and lovely cool but sunny days...

Blessings to everyone and thank you for your prayers for healing my hand... I still need them...

Emily

(posted on 15 Jul 2013)

Wishing everyone a wonderful Summer...

Today I announce an unprecidented half price Emily Hart dolls promotion.

Please view all sale priced dolls in the new Half Price Promotion Gallery.

(posted on 23 Jun 2013)
Hello to all my doll friends...
I hope you are all having a most wonderful summer.
I am very pleased to announce that one of my dearest doll friends and long time supporter of my dolls has completed a course in doll repair and restoration.
Donna has created a website, please feel free to contact her if you wish. Here is the link to her site.
www.sunflowersuzies.com
Also, today I have lowered the price on most all of my dolls for sale on all three of my sites.
I welcome all feedback on my dolls, and on the costumes...
Always, I offer layaway for direct sales and am open to changing costumes as possible for you to have the exact doll and costume you dream of.
Warmest regards to everyone,
Emily Hart

(posted on 11 Jun 2013)

Hello to all my wonderful doll friends and customers

I hope everyone is having a great Summer and enjoying life.

It has now been twenty-three years that I have been making porcelain dolls full time, fourteen of those years with a Teaching Studio.

Presenting and selling doll "Heads only" has been very successful this year and I just sent two heads off to England yesterday, sold through my ebay store.

I have finished about half of the new heads I poured early this year, however, my hand has never healed up, and it limits how much I am able to do. Just a couple of hours cleaning greenware or painting on dolls and I am in agony with pain and the hand swells up so badly that I must use ice...and then rest it for the remainder of that day. I will not be able to go on this way.

I am at the point now, where after eighteen months of continuous pain, I can see clearly that this Basal Joint in my right hand is not going to heal up on its own. I have two choices,one is to have Basal Joint reconsruction surgery with a six month to one year recovery where I would be unable to use my hand at all, or to retire from earning my living through dollmaking.

I am presently looking at options for other work to earn an income to live on.

In the meantime, I am working as much as I am able to, on finishing up the many projects I have tucked away here and there in my studio. I do have many dolls that are partly finished and will offer them, if and when, I do have them ready to sell.

A few very outstanding and special dolls that I have kept aside for my own collection I have now listed for sale. As usual, all dolls and heads are available on layaway.

At this point in time I am not intending to pour anymore new dolls, so what you see for sale could be the last one of each doll unless I have others already poured or in the works.

I do hope to finish up partly made dolls, porcelain ornaments, figurines, half dolls etc. over time as I am able to.

Also I am actively seeking a buyer for much of my business inventory, that is immediately, I wish to sell about 50% of my molds, wigs, tools, paints, and a large amount of doll accessories... all the things that I know I will never use again. The buyer must pick up everything from my studio.

It has been a wonderful way to spend these many years creating so many lovely dolls that I know have given joy and comfort to many. I am ever grateful to all the dear ones who have supported me in this work for all these years.

Love and Blessings, Emily Hart

(posted on 11 Mar 2013)

Hello to all my lovely dollie friends!

Spring seems to be here and I am feeling very good about projects lined up for this year.

As most of you know, the last three years have been challenging in many ways for me, personally, and I have had an ongoing battle with healing my right hand that I injured due to overwork in January of 2012. I have therefore done very little work over these past three years, and not offered many heads for sale on their own at all. I hope this year to be able to offer more HEADS ONLY.

Time will tell how my hand holds up to the work.

In spite of the condition of my hand I have managed to get two pourings done already this year and so, my dears, here are the upcoming dolls for this year.

Please write if you want something reserved for you. There will be ONLY ONE OF EACH HEAD MADE and possibly two of a very few dolls.

A. Marque Milette, Steiner A 9, Belton Linda, Mystery Mirage, Jewel Eyes, Stobe Portrait Jumeau, Sonneburg Child, SFBJ Twirp Toddler, Bru Brevete, Jumeau Triste, S&H 769 Kara, K*R 114 Gretchen, A. Marque, A9T, L'Intrepide Bebe, Antique Elise II, Queen Louise, Kestner 14, Crescent Bru Bebe, Rare Rabery & Delphieu, Bourgoin Steiner, Bebe Francaise, Full lips Tete Jumeau, H-doll Helene, Long Face Cody Jumeau with applied ears. Lillianne Portrait Jumeau with applied ears, PAN, Rare Pintel & Godschaux P13G, Jumeau Arrielle II, E12J, EJA Simone, A11T, A12T, Twirp large child, Large Mein Liebling, Large Antique Elise, Bru jne R, A14T, A15T, Paris Bebe Daniele.

I also have several lady dolls ready to dress or partly made.

It's going to be quite a year!

I have also designed a new German doll wig with braids over the head in mohair and they have already arrived, so it is going to be fun to see how they will look on all the new German heads that I have poured.

I love the painted eye German dolls and so there are going to be a few of those offered this year.

Wishing you all a very happy Spring!

Lots of dollie love, Emily

(posted on 31 Jul 2012)

Hello to everyone...

I hope you are all having a wonderful happy and relaxing Summer.

If you wish to receive updates from time to time please put your name and information into my mailing list here, as well, I appreciate very much the lovely comments posted in my Guestbook.

If you are receiving these newsletters and you do not wish to receive them, please let me know and I will take your name off the Mailing list.

It's been quite a year so far... In spite of my not being able to work on porcelain for the past six months, due to my hand injury, I have still been able to dress up and present some new dolls...and a couple of new ones will be listed this week as I got new dresses yesterday.

I still have lots of partly made dolls ready and waiting for clothing.

Now, finally, after wearing a hand splint for a month, I can see a great improvement in my hand, and feel optimistic that I will be able to get into some painting again soon. I really want to get some gold painting done this Summer. I will continue to wear the splint as long as I need to.

Of course my great desire is to make new porcelain pieces again, so I take things little by little and perhaps I will try doing a pouring in the near future.

I have had very few heads for sale on their own this year, but if anyone wants a particular doll or head please let me know so that I can get it on the list for the next pouring.

I have been waiting for four months now for Hand Glass Craft to make up my eye order, but the good news is they are finally working on it now and hopefully I will have it in three weeks, so there will be wonderful new eyes to work with again. This time I ordered more of the dark blue that I have never had many of, and also the extra light blue that I tried for the first time with my last order and has been a huge success with everyone loving them.

I have made a couple of new big baby/toddler dolls from a Parker Levi Mold, Traci, that are just adorable, and I will be offering for sale as soon as they are dressed up. They also have Hand Glass Craft eyes and mohair wigs.

I have a closet full of beautiful modern dolls already made that need to be dressed, but I just haven't been able to sew with my injured hand either.

Some of you may have seen the incredible new jewellry I have been putting onto all the newest dolls. I found the most beautiful genuine Swarovski Crystal beads in many colors and different shapes, as well as genuine Swarovski glass pearls that I had never heard of before. Research has shown me that Swarovski invented the method of producing the crystals and glass pearls in the 1800's, so they are totally Historically correct to use for the Antique Reproduction dolls and in my mind this jewellry, though costly to make is really the icing on the cake for my dolls. I make each jewellry set myself to match the costume for each doll, and now I have added a braclet to the large bru and will be making more bracelets for some of the larger dolls.

Happy Dolling! Love, Emily

(posted on 7 Jul 2012)
Summer greetings to all my doll friends.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Summer and perhaps even going on some Vacations...
I know you don't see many doll heads for sale now... and not too many new faces this year...
I have been unable to work in porcelain since February this year when I completed the last batch of 25 new heads... some were sold before I had them finished and most of the rest have been made into finished dolls now, or are still waiting to be dressed.... A few remain available to buy.
The injury my hand sustained in making those last heads was not properly diagnosed ... that has resulted in even more damage now to my carpometacarpal joint at the base of my right hand... the hand that does all the aspects of my porcelain work...
It has taken five months to finally get a correct diagnosis... not only Osteoarthritis, but the ligaments that usually hold the bones in place were damaged and so the bones shifted and ground together doing even more damage.
At this time I am still unable to work on porcelain... my hand is in a splint and the Doctor is advising removal of the CMC bone in my hand...
I will not have the surgery as I have no faith that my hand will be able to function properly after a bone is removed. As well it would be a six month recovery where I would not be able to use my hand... it is not possible for me living alone with no help.
I am sorry to say that this may be the end of my work as a porcelain dollmaker.
I am nearly 67 years old now... I wish I did not have to give up this creative work that I love so much, but I am in so much pain every day and I cannot work anymore with my hand.
I pray that it will heal by some miracle now that I at least know what the problem is.
I will try hard to complete the dolls that I have partly made, but no porcelain parts will be made until my hand is healed... and that may not happen at all.
Love and blessings to you all, Emily
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