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I got it for 15p in a charity shop in town. I could tell it was old but I didn't know much about Norah Wellings. A short while on the interweb told me that these sailor dolls were made to be sold on the cruise liners before World War 2 and they bore the ships names on their hats.
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RMS Carinthia made her maiden voyage in 1925 from Liverpool to New York. She was part of the Cunard White Star Line. She stopped being a cruise liner in 1939 when she was converted into an armed merchant cruiser and was torpedoed and sank the following year with a loss of 4 lives. The fact that the ship took 36 hours to sink probably is the reason only four died I would imagine.
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A huge amount of these sailor dolls were made by Norah Wellings who started her working life with Chad Valley before starting her own company with her brother. Some are more valuable than others. I don't know if they score more points if the boat came to a sticky end.
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This one has it's original label and is in very good condition. I would imagine it's worth rather more than 15p. When I find out and sell it, the charity shop will recieve a decent donation. It is a childrens charity after all.
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Don't you just love charity shops? You never know what you're going to find and what you can learn. And where else can you get anything for 15p?!!
Great find!! Can't wait to see you on Antiques Roadshow ;))
ReplyDeleteThat's great I love your jolly little sailor!!
ReplyDeleteWell 15p could have bought you a ...errrr..... nope can't think of anything! Love the history behind this little chap - imagine what adventures he's been on x Jane
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything either! x
DeleteWhat a facinating find! It certainly doesnt look like its had any child loving-its imacculate. I imagine there are people out there that collect these who will be stoked to get there hands on this one!
ReplyDeleteThat looks a great find. I cant believe you only paid 15p for it.I think you probably will get a lot more than that.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots on ebay for varying prices but you don't see many/any with the label on!
DeleteThat is fantastic! I love him! I wonder what his story is? Who owned him? How did he end up in the charity shop? So many questions!
ReplyDeleteKate
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Wow, that is the find of the year so far, can't believe you got him for 15p.
ReplyDeletewow what a great find, I'm amazed it was only priced at 15p....I'm sure someone will snap it up!
ReplyDeleteWow he is brilliant and what a wonderful story a little part of history sitting in your hands, I don't think I could sell him. dee x
ReplyDeleteHe's a very smart, very interesting chap - and an absolute bargain! I bet he's highly desirable to people who collect Norah Wellings dolls. Good find! xxx
ReplyDeleteWow, good find - it must have been kept in a glass cabinet it looks so pristine! Love the history behind it, too. I've never seen one before & can't believe it was only 15p! Well spotted :-)
ReplyDeleteHe's smashing! I've had a couple HMS Canberra ones I bought from separate jumbles as a child, one fell on top of a lamp last year and nearly burnt the house down! x
ReplyDeleteSuper sweet. We are off to visit the SS Great Britain soon and now I will think of your little sailor! Great find
ReplyDeleteHello sailor!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh he's gorgeous. I cannot believe you got him for 15p. You can't buy anything for 15p, and actually what were the staff thinking??
I love that you were able to find out so much background information. What a fab post.
Wow what a find for only 15p! It's amazing and I love the history of it x
ReplyDeleteEverything about your sailor doll is pretty amazing! 15p! Great condition with original label! And really interesting background info. Brilliant find. Sure he'll sell well, if you're selling him? x
ReplyDeletehi emma great to find you via the linkup! what a great find and yes yes yes i adore charity shops x
ReplyDeleteCunard was still giving these sailors out as prizes in the 1960s. My mother won several in talent contests in the mid-sixties while crossing the Atlantic to the US. (It was cheaper to go by boat than airplane until around 1966.) In 1994, while on a very short cruise on the QE2, I purchased a newer version of the doll. To cap off the story, a friend gave me yet a newer version of the sailor doll two years ago. I love the fact that this little doll has such a long history at sea!
ReplyDeleteFabulous Emma! I love him! Here's one I found looking alot more worse for wear - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORAH-WELLINGS-SAILOR-DOLL-EARLY-/320737479849
ReplyDeletePS Thank you so much for sponsoring me for Race for Life! Means a lot :)xx
I think the bare footed ones are earlier than the ones with black feet. They are surprisingly valuable! Good luck Robyn! xx
DeleteHi, my grandmother gave me a Norah Wellings sailor doll from the Queen Mary when I was a little girl. I loved and kept this doll all of my life. I am now a grandmother, and somehow my dog got a hold of my sailor doll and chewed him to pieces. I found a near perfect replacement on ebay. Of course it is not the same, but it is the memory of my dear grandmother that really counts...
ReplyDeleteMy Great Aunt gave me a doll exactly like this when I was a young girl she had sailed round the world on the SS Carintha. Sadly I no longer have the doll as it had been misplaced during a house move. Really nice to see the smiley face again though brought back great memories of my Aunt Rita. xx
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