The Amah (nursemaid) is dressed in a simple white cotton side-fastened top with four frog closures. Her faded pants had originally been blue. She has the larger unbound feet, showing her lower social station, and she wears a plain black cotton headband on her head. Her hair is painted black, with a carved black bun at the nape of her neck. The Amah’s wooden arms terminate in beautifully carved hands and fingers. The Baby is fastened to her back by a traditional Chinese baby carrier, which is nearly square and made of light blue embroidered silk. To each of the four corners is sewn a coarse muslin tie band, which are all brought around to the front and fastened by tying across the diagonal at the Amah’s mid-section. The Baby is positioned to look over its Amah’s shoulder.

The Baby wears printed cotton garments, with open-crotch seam striped leggings and a tiny checked and floral pattern top. A circular collar of stiffened embroidered silk covers the top. On its head, the child wears an embroidered pink silk cap with fuzzy “ears” embroidered on. The Baby is a totally separate Door of Hope doll which is tied into the carrier on the Amah’s back.

Door of Hope dolls have become highly collectible treasures, in part, because of their fascinating history. In 1900, five missionary ladies started the Door of Hope Mission in Shanghai. They opened schools for destitute young girls so they could learn to support themselves. As a means to learn sewing skills, the girls dressed dolls. These beautifully created and utterly different dolls are magnificent in their carvings and costuming. Heads and hands were carved from Chinese “Niponga wood” or pear wood, a light colored hardwood that is tough and difficult to carve. In its natural color it resembles the ivory of the Chinese skin. Touches of paint were then added for the lips, eyes and hair. The dolls were supplied by craftsmen skilled in wood carving and then meticulously dressed in Chinese clothing with amazing detail by the young girls. Frog closures, tiny undergarments and minute embroideries all accented these wonderful garments.

There were approximately 26 standard and premium characters representing differing Chinese social classes. Each girl could dress only about one doll a month, and the relatively low volume of production of these dolls has increased their scarcity. Production of Door of Hope dolls continued until the Japanese invasion of Shanghai in 1937, at which time most of the estimated total production of 20,000 Door of Hope dolls had already been made. The Amah and Baby pair is considered to be one of the harder-to-find premium Door of Hope characters, and this one would be a superb addition to any Door of Hope doll collection.

CONDITION overall is excellent. There is fading and minor discoloration on the clothing, both of which are consistent with age. These dolls came from the estate of a private collector. Metal doll stand is included.

DIMENSIONS: Amah is 11” (28 cm) high; Baby is 5” (12.7 cm) high.