An Offered Gift

A circa 1930s composition Topsy gift

I was offered a gift of a circa 1930s composition doll that had been owned by the grandmother of the kind person who offered. He shared the story of purchasing the doll for his grandmother in 2000 to replace one that her mother gave away when she was a child. In one of the email notes he wrote, "My grandmother was so happy to have Topsy back for the remaining twelve years of her life. She’s been stored safely for the past eight years."

Topsy arrived in well-preserved condition with a handwritten note:

18 Oct 2020

Dear Debbie, 

Thank you so very much for including sweet, orange-dress wearing Topsy into your collection ~ I can't tell you how happy I am that she will be part of a cherished collection within your larger, entire collection, and that she will be loved at a deep level by a human and doll companion!

After photographing my new-to-me 9-inch Topsy alone, I photographed her with several similar-sized dolls and finally with some that are larger. Those photos are shared below:

Topsy posed with similar-sized dolls. The one on the far left was also adopted. These two look like sisters.

Close-up of the previous dolls

Three other smaller dolls posed with Topsy. The one on the far left is a composition Topsy-Turvy--a doll with two heads that share one body. The doll head underneath Topsy-Turvy's skirt is white.

This is a close-up of the dolls immediately above.

These two 16-inch Topsy dolls are almost twice the size of the newest doll.

Here they are again in a close-up.

Topsy poses with two straight-legged Topsy dolls. The largest is 16 inches tall.

A slight imperfection in the composition had been described to me before new-to-me Topsy's arrival. This was just an indentation flaw in the composition on the thigh that was an easy fix with Mod Podge to fill in the indentation and a mixture of brown paints to match the doll's original tone. Before and after photos are shown next.

The thigh imperfection was filled with Mod Podge to level it with the surrounding area.

A brown paint mixture covers the Mod Podge.

Higher up and on the side of the same leg, there was another imperfection. Mod Podge to fill and paint to cover were repeated.

Finally, I hand washed Topsy's pink dress, hung it on the showerhead to dry, and redressed her.

Hand washed dress

Topsy posed for this final photo.

As I indicated to the sender, I am delighted I was chosen to care for Topsy. As illustrated by these photos, she is in good company.

dbg


There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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