Bartholomew Babies and the 17th Century

Here are a few photos, with content to follow. These are dolls from 1491 and other Renaissance eras, and the 17th century. The Bartholmew Fair was a huge event for decades in Europe, and elaborate dolls, ancestors of our carnival dolls, were famous. Some of these survive today. This is the era of The Old Pretender, Letitia Penn, and Lord and Lady Clapham, early dolls that survive and which were cherished as "collectors items" and as toys. It is the era of the Dutch and German baby houses or doll houses, and of toy villages like Mon Plaisir, which I will write aobut. These were the treaures of adult collectors, though at least one, Ann Sharp's Baby House, belonged to a child who catalogued her items of delight. For more, read Flora Gill Jacobs' books on doll houses. They are in my bibliography, A Bibliography of Toys and Dolls, available from me or on Amazon.

Enjoy!