Doll:Mabel

This doll, affectionately named "Mabel," represents two well-known names in the world of dolls: J. D. Kestner and Margaret Woodbury Strong. The only child of wealthy parents, Strong began collecting dolls as a young girl and eventually amassed approximately 27,000, plus a vast assortment of other objects that fascinated and amused children of all ages. But she had a favorite - Mabel - who accompanied Strong on all her childhood trips and travels before settling into an honored position in the enormous doll collection. Mabel came to her American home from the J. D. Kestner doll factory in Germany. The company produced high-quality, bisque-head dolls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and many reached the American doll market. Mabel's full cheeks, thick eyebrows, and open mouth containing four tiny teeth match Kestner's mold 164, the number inscribed on the back of her head. This mold was one of the most popular of the Kestner line. Mabel's wig was crafted from Margaret Woodbury Strong's own hair, cut for the purpose when she was five years old. Her heart-shaped pendant, engraved with the initials "MW," attests to the identity of her beloved owner.