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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 04:44:50 PM

Title: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 04:44:50 PM
I have an appointment tomorrow evening to go take a look at this little beauty. The seller says she does not know the age of it, it certainly looks Victorian in the photos. The canopys are leather and the carriage is wood. The details I would hope to see in an authentic Victorian one are there, like the rear springs and the carriage step. It is priced at $127 with no shipping involved, so it seems a good price and the perfect solution to get the dolls out of their stands and up off the floor where they can be displayed nicely. (until now they have been standing in a corner by the Victrola)

Can anyone help with some additional info on these carriage-style doll buggies? Were reproductions common? This one is looking pretty authentic in the photos. The dimensions are 30" length by 19" height for the carriage with a 16" pull handle.

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/DollCarriage1.jpg)

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/DollCarriage2.jpg)

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/DollCarriage3.jpg)

(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x124/talesofthesevenseas/DollCarriage4.jpg)
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: waywardangler on February 23, 2011, 04:51:22 PM
I like it. Repros really look like repros in person. Seems cheap for a real one and REAL cheap for a repro. Look at all the parts for wear where it should be and old rust (not fresh orange rust) where it should be.  From the pics it looks good.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 05:37:58 PM
Yes I think you're right it should be immediately obvious in person if this is the real thing. The repro strollers I've seen always looked like they came from an import store.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 23, 2011, 05:46:14 PM
Wonder if this 'was' yours??

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/wonderful-miniature-victorian-carriage-or-doll

Info is no more than what you already have and the picture is useless  :P
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: mart on February 23, 2011, 05:51:02 PM
From what I can see it looks consistant with one from the mid to late 1800`s . Hard to say where it would fit in there. But all the wear is what one would expect. Of course only hands on will tell.   Price does sound too low for one of that age. Repro`s from early 1900`s sell for more than that !! I would say to look and see if there is excessive damage somewhere. But,,, I would buy it !!
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 23, 2011, 05:59:01 PM
While not the same it did bring yours to mind.....dated 1880's, Pennsylvania

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/childs-antique-large-pull-toy-doll-buggy-carriage
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 06:05:01 PM
That one on the first link sure does look like the one I'm going to see. If it were the same it would explain why this seller also does not know if it's age.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: Oceans64 on February 23, 2011, 06:09:41 PM
Did they make male dolls?  I see a driver and a nice carved horse in your future....

Miss Mary and her sister must drive in style!!  ;D
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 06:52:34 PM
Ha! I think he would he be the Victorian equivalent of a "Ken doll"!  :D I think the carriage has a pull handle, so I guess the job of "horse" will go to me.

I want to be careful that I don't go too overboard with the doll thing. I love them and love how they look in the corner of my old-fashioned dining room, but I have seen some over the top doll displays where the dolls kind of took over the entire room and the effect was... well... both creepy and hideously tacky all at once. Don't wanna go there!
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 23, 2011, 08:37:43 PM
Look tales.............p ages and pages and pages of really neat stuff for Mary and company!!   ;D


http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/dolls-price-guide/antique-dolls-price-guide-8.html
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 11:13:57 PM
Good thing those are completed auctions huh?
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 23, 2011, 11:17:37 PM
Wellllll darn  >:(

Was so intent looking at all the neat stuff I never noticed the find print.  :P
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 23, 2011, 11:38:50 PM
It looks like their items are going for cheaper than Ebay though. Just not as many listings. Could be a great place to check for all kinds of things!
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: KC on February 24, 2011, 02:49:03 PM
Looks right for age....again, look for wear marks, repairs, etc.
Enjoy!
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 24, 2011, 06:01:21 PM
It seems that there are a whole lot of reproductions made of the buggy type carriages. This one I can't find a repro like it, so that much is encouraging, but I'm going to look it over very carefully before I take it.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 24, 2011, 06:14:15 PM
Uh-oh... looks like this is a 1970's repro:
http://www.webchildhoodmuseum.com/index_files/Page551.htm (http://www.webchildhoodmuseum.com/index_files/Page551.htm)

There are some slight differences, like the shape of the door, but it looks like this is not going to be worth the drive out.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: waywardangler on February 24, 2011, 09:08:40 PM
Nuts!
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 24, 2011, 09:31:29 PM
Tales, unless the one you were considering has seen a lot of weathering it appears to me at least, to have more appropriate wear (on the seat leather especially) for one much older.  Just a gut feeling and based on what can be seen in the small photos. Also the wheels on the 1970's one are more reminiscent of bicycle tires whereas the other seem to look as though they are bare metal.

Again, JMPO.  ;)
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 24, 2011, 10:38:49 PM
Well, it's possible it could be an original, but the feeling I got from the seller's listing is that she too suspected that it was a repro, hence the low price. Especially the way she stated up front that she did not know it's age. Going out to see it tonight would have involved two hours of driving in pouring rain after work, followed by a drive up my mountain road in dense fog. Not worth it to me for something this "iffy".
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: sapphire on February 24, 2011, 11:19:13 PM
Oh my, I really shouldn't start looking around!

Would love to know how they authenticated these ::)


http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-furniture-other-Baby-Carriage-old-W0QQAdIdZ257869476#

(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t98/geeziesmom/9426jmg_20.jpg)


http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-art-collectibles-ANTIQUE-BABY-CARRIAGE-W0QQAdIdZ214045869

(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t98/geeziesmom/805551_20.jpg)
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: KC on February 25, 2011, 11:03:49 AM
Here's the questions that you need to ask yourself....Do I want a reproduction for a repro price?

Let's say that you take this information/pic and show it to the owner and YOU LIKE the one they have for sale AND they go down on the pricing.....would you want it?  Or does a "repro" turn your stomach?
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 25, 2011, 11:52:33 AM
I definitely want the real thing, especially when an antique is close to the same price as a repro.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: wendy177 on March 02, 2011, 06:39:57 PM
Had to run downstairs and photo this poor little thing, has seen better days!!!!! It has been with me for over 30 years. One of the finds  Mom & I collected during our many years of searching for antiques. Miss those days!!!!  Please excuse the mess but going through tons of boxes still!!!!!!!! :D
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: Oceans64 on March 02, 2011, 06:54:51 PM
Do you know the age on yours Wendy?  I have a pic of my Dad in one that is similar.  His is wicker but the frame looks identical.  If Nana bought it new, it would probably date to 1935/6 when she had my Aunt.  Otherwise, 1940 or earlier when this pic was taken.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on March 02, 2011, 07:14:46 PM
What a neat carriage! I bet you could restore that bonnet with some nice, supple leather.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: hosman321 on March 03, 2011, 12:35:28 AM
I keep seeing this one on CL but I have no idea how to tell if it's a repro. The umbrella is in way too good of shape to be civil war era.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/atq/2240898422.html
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on March 03, 2011, 12:47:55 AM
Wow, that's a neat one. I don't know if it's as old as Civil War, but it does look to have some age to it, looking at the handle and the wicker. Doesn't look like a repro to me. I read one guide on buggies that was saying that the dead giveaway to repros is a curly handle, in addition to the usual stuff like wear, patina etc.
Title: Re: A Proper Carriage for Miss Mary and Friends
Post by: wendy177 on March 07, 2011, 03:59:45 PM
Oceans I know nothing about my pram but love the look of the wicker & the design of the one your  dad is in!!!!