Monday, September 20, 2010

UFDC's Izannah Walker Study Set


I recently joined the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) as a member-at-large. UFDC has been kind enough to let me post PDF's of past Doll Reader articles focusing on Izannah Walker on this site. You can find these and other articles in the list in the sidebar.

UFDC also publishes an excellent magazine called Doll News, a magazine well worth reading. When you join UFDC, you receive the magazine as part of your membership. UFDC has other resources as well. One example is the wonderful Izannah Walker Study Set by Linda Edward, which a kind reader of this site sent to me. It is a slideshow of Izannah Walker dolls in CD format narrated by Linda Edward, who wrote Cloth Dolls Ancient to Modern. I learned some interesting things about Izannah Walker dolls from this study set. For example, I had assumed cotton was the stuffing in the dolls, but apparently Izannah used a variety of stuffing materials such as bran or sea grass as well as cotton. Like doll makers of today, she used what was plentiful at the time.

In becoming a UFDC member, you can join a local UFDC doll club and have full voting rights OR you can join as a member-at-large, which is great if you can't fit another meeting in your life.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Theory on the Missing Molds


Reuben Bates' molds, above

Ann Van Arnum has sent me several Izannah resources I hadn't seen.  She also sen me a wonderful theory on what happened to Izannah's molds. The molds above are not Izannah's molds, but are eerily similar. I asked Ann if I could quote her on this site, and she said yes. So here is Ann's theory:
"My theory on the long gone molds is that before and during World War Two, there were Scrap Drives that took place all over New England. Perhaps the metal molds disappeared into the Scrap Drives when someone was cleaning out a cellar.

I grew up in a very old house with a very old cellar. My maiden aunts' home, which was where they grew up, was built sometime before the Civil War. The homes were very close together on the outskirts of Boston. I remember my aunts going down into their very old cellar and dragging out all kinds of metal things , and also going into the old barn, and taking out old metal things for the scrap drives."

The old adage “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” meant the end to many things we would consider historical treasures today. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Withington's to Auction Three Izannahs


Withington Auction, Inc. will be offering three Izannah Walker dolls at auction in October. These sneak preview pictures were shared to be posted on the Izannah Walker Chronicles, with additional pictures to come.



Is that a bit of blue I see in a body covering above?




The doll above is very similar in expression to
a doll that was in Maurine Popp's collection,
shown below.


Large 27.5 inch Izannah Doll,
formerly in Maurine Popp's collection,
auctioned in 2003 by Skinner's.


The doll below is being donated to a museum...


Lots to think about, and some mysteries, too!

Friday, September 3, 2010

The American Museum to Host Izannah Walker Doll Workshop


NOTE:  This class has past, but the pattern is still available for those interested in making this doll. 

Over three years ago I started studying Izannah Walker Dolls in earnest. Who knew that these studies would eventually lead to developing my pattern? And that would lead to an online workshop. I was so surprised when some long established artists joined the online Izannah Walker Workshop (and a bit nervous, too, truth be told). And even more surprised (and honored) when I was invited to come to England to lead a workshop. Long-distance travel is very challenging for my family as I have a child with special needs, so I had to decline. But E. J Taylor and Lynne Roche will do a marvelous job teaching this workshop using my pattern at the The American Museum in Bath, England. The American Museum has "a remarkable collection of folk and decorative arts, the museum shows the diverse and complex nature of American culture."

If you live in England, this is a fabulous opportunity to learn about this type of doll from two wonderful doll makers. The two weekend workshop fee WAS £250. Class size is limited, bookings will be taken by The American Museum.

Telephone: 01225 460503



It was so fun to read the description of the class!

Best wishes to all you students of Izannah's work -

Dixie
Northdixie Designs

A Pictorial Directory of Dolls<br> Featured on the Izannah Walker Chronicles

My mission for this blog in 2008 was to create the site I wished existed - a site for doll makers and collectors who love Izannah Walker dol...