Meet Elke

Elke is a Gotz toddler from 2001. She is my second toddler, joining Sara who is a re-rooted Claudius. I'm seriously considering having Bettina give her mohair hair like Sara, and will post more pictures if I do. I'm not particularly enamored with Elke's original outfit, but have photographed her in it for posterity. Toddlers are notoriously difficult to coax into standing, and Elke's sandals make it even more difficult. The leather seems to have stretched, and given the minimal coverage they want to slide off her feet.

She's a cutie, but I know she'll be even more adorable with a change of clothes (and perhaps a change of hair).

Later Gotz Moderns

I am consolidating my Sasha collection a bit, so that my dolls can have more room (and hence more visibility) in the space available. It was a difficult decision, but I've decided to part with my four pale-skinned Later Gotz girls. I will miss them, as they are lovely dolls with their fair skin, rosy cheeks, and long straight hair. Still, I'd prefer that they be enjoyed elsewhere rather than hidden at the back of a cabinet here.

They will be available at my sales table at the upcoming Sasha Festival in Springfield. Since I'll be packing them for our trip soon (is it really only two weeks away?!), I decided to take some group pictures today. It was a bit of a rush job, but I think these turned out okay.

First the two brunettes together, Stella and Anika:

Next the two blondes together, Carmen and Wibke:

Then the two with braids together, Wibke and Anika:

And finally, a couple of pictures with all four: a close up ...

... and a full-body shot.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Meet Sara

This adorable little girl began life as a Gotz Toddler Claudius from 2001. S/he was given a complete re-root with auburn mohair by Bettina, and transformed into Sarah. I kept the name, but changed the spelling to Sara to avoid confusion with my other Gotz Sarah (or "Sarah with an H" as she's now known). Sara came to me wearing this sweet outfit, carrying her Christmas stocking and a special bag (made from the mohair that was combed out during the rooting and styling process, then spun and crocheted).


She has the most marvelous wavy hair, like Boo's but thicker and not as unruly. I am smitten!



She agreed to put down her stocking in exchange for a Valentine ...


... make that two Valentines. She drives a hard bargain, resembling Boo in yet another way.


Speaking of Boo, she is enamored with Sara's "soft" hair. What a cute pair!

Meet Yamka

It's been a while since I've posted about a Later Gotz doll. Yamka is the final addition to that portion of my collection (I know, famous last words). Like Ira, Yamka is a limited edition doll from 2001 with an outfit modeled after one of the old studio dolls (shown on page 100 of the book Sasha-Puppen). She was not easy to come by, due to both her limited edition status and the fact that she seems to be on many people's wish lists. I can understand why, as she has quite a unique look.


I believe she's the only doll with jewelry as part of her original outfit: she came with five beaded necklaces, and a bracelet spiraled around her right arm (which I've removed temporarily as it left green marks on her vinyl).


She came with a certificate denoting her limited edition status and number. In addition, she is marked on her torso with her number (268 of 500) and the year 2001.

Meet Carmen #2

Last fall I noticed a Carmen for sale on eBay that looked quite different from the Carmen I own. Her hair had been styled into two braids, but I knew the difference was more than that. Her clothes were slightly different, and her eyes were different, especially the shape. I communicated with the seller (afewdolls, who I've purchased several dolls from in the past) who kindly sent me a couple of comparison photos of this Carmen with another that she had. Here is one of those photos (note that I am not the owner of either of these dolls):


Wow, what a difference! Since then, I've been looking closely at the Carmens for sale on eBay, and recently purchased a second Carmen for myself. In the long run I may not keep them both, but it will be hard to choose between them if I decide one must go. Here is Carmen #2:


As I mentioned in a previous post, Carmen is is a "Numbered Artist Design". This doll's certificate says she's #314 (while my first Carmen is #752). Thus Carmen #2 was earlier in the production than Carmen #1.

Now the fun part -- comparing my two Carmens. They have more subtle differences in their eyes than the dolls above. Carmen #1 (on the left) has pinprick pupils, while Carmen #2 has larger pupils, and larger eyes as well.


Here's a close-up of the eyes, which are slightly different colors:


Their outfits are made of different materials. Carmen #1 (on the left) has a lighter blue sweater with a finer knit, and a blue and white checked skirt. Carmen #2 has a heathered blue sweater with a coarser knit, and a plaid skirt.


Carmen #2 seems to have slightly thicker hair, though I may be fooled by her thicker braid (in this final picture they've switched places and Carmen #2 in on the left).

Meet Carmen

This is a doll after my Dad's heart -- her hair is long enough to sit on.


Carmen is a pale-skinned "modern" doll, produced in 2001. Her light colored hair and eyes accentuate her light colored skin, giving her a very different look from my other Sasha dolls. She seems Scandinavian to me. My other "modern" dolls (Stella and Anika) have brown hair, which I think helps counterbalance their lighter skin.


While she isn't a limited edition doll, she has a folder and certificate similar to Ira's (who was also produced in 2001). The front of the folder indicates she is a "Numbered Artist Design". Her certificate says "No __" with 752 written in pen (while Ira's says "No __ of 750" with 168 written in pen).

Meet Ira

Ira is a limited edition doll from 2001, with an outfit modeled after one of the old studio dolls (shown on page 49 of the book Sasha-Puppen). I don't think pictures do her justice, as she's quite spectacular in person. Her dress is a beautiful ivory-colored silk brocade with pale blue trim, almost the same color blue as her eyes.


Her lace-trimmed pantaloons peek out from beneath the dress. She wears her hair in a thick braid/plait down her back with a pink and white tie and headband, held in place by a shiny black barrette. I love how it all coordinates without being matchy-matchy.


My camillias were blooming (at least I think that's what they are), so I posed her beside them for a little color. As I was taking pictures, a butterfly landed on the flower. This made for a nice photo-op, and I managed to snap a few more shots before the butterfly flew away.


She came with a certificate denoting her limited edition status and number. In addition, she is marked on her torso with her number (168 of 750) and the year 2001.

Meet Anika

Anika was produced in 2001, the final year of production. She has pale skin, blue eyes and pink blush on her cheeks. She was originally sold in a very modern outfit, which I think is almost as unappealing as Sofie's. Here's a picture of one that was for sale on eBay, though not the doll that I purchased.


My Anika was purchased from a Sasha doll enthusiast in the UK. She came to me wearing a beautiful dress made by Betsymay -- a lilac cotton dress with yellow, green and purple smocking. I think she looks more innocent and child-like in this outfit. These pictures were taken before her voyage to America.


As you can see, she is a truly gorgeous Sasha.