Tinted Daguerreotype of Child with Doll on Ebay

Izannah Walker doll lovers will find this Ebay auction for a tinted daguerreotype of a child with a doll interesting.   

Update:  

The auction ended on May 8, 2012 

at $1,211 US dollars. 

Elizabeth Isenberg emailed me and shared the following ideas about this daguerreotype:

"...this is an early brass mat that came out in the1840s and used into the mid 1850s. Until a couple years ago when I attended a lecture on confederate dags, I would have thought this was that early. However, I learned that because of the embargo on goods in the south, cases were reused....so I look for other clues but I don't see any. The dress is a typical day dress. The jewelry and the doll's dress have been colored, along with her cheeks with a dry powder (because the image can't be touched) and then the artist breathed onto the plate to hydrate the paint. The image is sharp except for the child's face because she moved. It wasn't a long exposure (less than 20 seconds) and looks like it was taken outside because of the amount of light. The back drop is just a piece of canvas and the mat is not attributed to a photographer (possible traveling daguerreotypist) which would have given us more info. Who knows if this has a photographer's card behind the image or the child's name. I wouldn't hold my breath- but it is still a good image for any doll collector.

I think the doll gives lots of info- The seam between the head molds is broken and may have given Izannah the dream to redo her doll and I don't see any evidence of side curls. Could this be a Bates Doll?  I've just received a copy of the book, Your Dolls and Mine by Janet Pagter Johl (1852) off amazon books and page 40 talks about Reuben Bates who

was a pattern maker and made a iron head mold with the mouth slightly crooked and one eye higher than the other (pic of Izannah mold next to Bates). He lived in Providence for a number of years and made dolls also." 

Following Izannah Walker Doll Auction Prices

If you like to follow Izannahs at auction, one way to do that is to sign up for lot alerts at auction companies which have sold Izannah Walker dolls in the past.  Auction companies like Withington's, Morphy's, Bertoia, Theriault's, Frasher's, McMaster's and Skinner have sold Izannah Walker dolls.  Occasionally they show up in other places such as estate auctions or Ebay.  Some of these sites have the option of signing up for an account where you can name specific items that interest you.  Then when that item comes up they email you. 

There are also companies online like Liveauctioneers, Artfact and Prices4Antiques which facilitate internet bidding and/or track auction results.  Prices4Antiques and Artfact have membership fees, to see realized prices.  I try to track these as I'm aware of them here, but haven't compiled a list yet. You can find past auction results at these sites if you choose to become a member.  It is really fun to see the variety of dolls that have come to market as well as the realized prices.  

Izannah Walker Patent Conversation Print Fabric

One of my goals this year is to learn about fabric design.  I really love old fabrics and some of the "conversation prints" in old fabrics are so fun.  I made my own "Izannah inspired" conversation print using the doll image from Izannah's patent and thought it would be fun to share here. 

You can choose to have the design printed on Kona or quilting fabric or a heavier weight.  I've printed on the quilting fabric before at Spoonflower.com and like it but it's a bit thick for tiny dolls. The voile would be perfect for very small creations.

So if you're a quilter, and you like Izannah Walker dolls, then I've made this fabric available for purchase on Spoonflower.  It's my first design but not my last.  It reads somewhere between a pink and a red, a little on the salmon side.  Kind of like a faded red.  A fun color to put in an antique inspired quilt.

Izannah Walker's Patent In Written Form

Elizabeth Isenberg, who shared the wonderful daguerrotype of Mary Jenks holding an Izannah Walker doll, contacted the National Archives to get a copy of Izannah Walker's Doll Patent in written form. The form online is a typed/printed version. She kindly shared the PDF of the written patent with me so that I could share it with Izannahphiles who read this blog.  It is so fun to be able to see this patent and also to compare the handwriting in it to the letter that Izannah wrote to her sister Bridget.   Elizabeth said in her email to me, 

"I do love how Izannah used the word sometimes and I am surprised her patent atty allowed this to be submitted. Patents are suppose to be like a recipe in a cook book. It really reflects on her personality and it must have driven the patent staff crazy to smooth out the inconsistencies."

It looks as if Izannah paid $15, and an additional fee of $20 to file this patent.  $35 of 1873 dollars would be worth $673.08 in 2012.  That was a large amount of money for a middle-aged female to spend on getting a patent in her own name. Patents were often taken out in the name of a male family member, rather than in the name of the female.    

View Izannah Walker's Patent PDF

courtesy of National Archives

"Patent Case File 144373; Patented Case Files; Records of the Patent

and Trademark Office, Record Group 241; National Archives at College
Park, College Park, MD."

I converted some of the PDF images to photo files below.  But do view the PDF to see all of the pages of the patent.  Thank you so much to Elizabeth for sharing once again!

Izannah Walker Dolls Auction Hammer Prices

In reporting on what Izannah dolls are ending at via auction, I have reported hammer prices, which do not reflect the final amount paid for the dolls.  In each situation, the auctioneer adds a premium, and in most states there is sales tax added as well.  The range of premiums added by auctioneers varies quite a bit - from as little as 10% to 18% (some higher).  If the auction is in a state which charges sales tax, of course that adds to the cost of the doll as well.  Also, another variation is that some auction companies vary the premium depending on if you pay by cash or if you pay with a credit card.  Having said that, I report the "hammer prices" which do not reflect premiums and taxes.  Of course, when people are bidding, they are adding that percentage on while they bid.  I may reconsider how I do this in future.  Until then, I try to clearly state what the number reported reflects.  Best to you, Dixie

The hammer price for this 

Izannah Walker doll was $4,800.00
plus 15% buyer's fee and taxes.








This Izannah "Type" doll
below ended at  $5,100.00
plus 15% buyer's fee and taxes.

Sandwich Auction House

Saturday, April 21, 2012