The New Zealand Shipping Company MV Ra.....ne? Sailor Doll made by Nora Wellings

Price: NZ$80.98

Code: BH147

The New Zealand Shipping Company MV Ra…..ne? (Rangitane2) probably.

With the success of the now aging Rangitiki and Rangitata, New Zealand Shipping Company decided to build three new ships, Rangitoto and Rangitane (2), both completed in 1949, and the smaller Ruahine completed 1951. These would be the final three ships to be built for NZSC. In 1962, these ships would be joined by the ex Cunard cargo-passenger liner SS Parthia, which was renamed Remuera.
Rangitane was given this name in memory of the earlier two funnelled liner, which was torpedoed and sunk in 1940. Unlike the Rangitoto, Rangitane (2) was built by Vickers-Armstrongs, Newcastle.

Cloth Sailor dolls were created by Norah Wellings, England. Norah, the chief designer for Chad Valley, opened her own doll company Victory Toys with her brother Leo in 1926. Travel by ship was a very popular means of transport during this period and almost all the shipping companies sold the souvenir sailor dolls on board their ocean liners. They were produced right up until 1960, the year of Leo’s passing, when the company closed.

The Empire company produced sailor dolls in a similar style. To distinguish between the two dolls, Empire or Wellings, look for the ‘Empire’ sticker under the collar on the back, or remnants of, and check the foot as Norah Wellings dolls will be tagged.

Each soft cloth sailor doll wears the name of the ocean liner proudly on their hat bands.

The New Zealand Shipping Company MV Ra…..ne? Sailor Doll made by Nora Wellings

This doll is in very good condition for its age , see all the photo’s of him, This is an early Nora Welling’s doll he is in good condition apart from his hat band where part of his ships name is missing and includes his sown on Welling’s label. They are mischievously moorish, one is never enough believe me, we have a large inventory of all types of sailor dolls including rare Welling’s examples.