A Treasury of Beautiful Dolls
by John Noble 
Preloved, hardcover book with dust jacket - some we are to the jacket, a pen dedication on the inside from 1976.
An appreciation of the
most beautiful dolls made in America and Europe during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries
"Of my diffuse interests among the minor arts, none has been so rewarding as this obsession with the beauty of dolls." In this handsomely illustrated volume John Noble presents a sensitive and ex. quisite study of his lifelong fascination with dolls, particularly those of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. Mr. Noble points out that dolls are valuable as vital historical artifacts, as well as being aesthetically enchanting. "The objects," says the author, "that adults have chosen as playthings for their children can reveal a great deal about the beliefs and atti. tudes of those adults and very often will alter our concept of them."
Childhood in the eighteenth century was either almost nonexistent or painfully short. Mere tots were forced to assume the moral and physical burdens of adulthood as soon as they could stand erect. The adults were the ones who delighted in toys and games, and some of the finest toys ever made were for the pleasure of adults. Shown in this book is the rich variety in kinds and qualities of dolls, from the simple rag-doll babies to the aristocratically coiffed and coutured dolls of the wealthy. The dolls' costumes were as carefully stitched as human rai-ment, and the materials ranged from laces, silks, and brocades to muslin and wool. The dolls were made from materials such as porcelain and bisque or wood and papier-mâché. With the aid of 46 fine color photographs by Peter Reins-torff and 150 black-and-white photo-graphs, Mr. Noble is able to focus upon the exquisite beauty of each doll and, at the same time, point out significant variants in the construction, materials, clothes, and personalities.
Colour plates by Peter Reinstorff,
Foreword by Dorothy , Elizabeth, and Evelyn Coleman