Eliza, an Izannah Walker Doll from Carol Corson's Collection

Today's pictures are of Eliza, an Izannah Walker doll from Carol Corson's collection, wearing a white dress with a printed floral motif. This doll is featured in an article written by Carol Corson for Antique Doll Collector's August 2011 issue. The article Carol wrote catalogued the Doll Collector's of America's Izannah Walker Doll Reunion to celebrate DCA's 75th reunion.  That issue is worth purchasing to view the wonderful variety of Izannah Walker dolls featured.

Carol's description of Eliza in the article is as follows:  

"15-1/4” Eliza has short hair brushed forward around her oval face. She has low painted shoes with thin black painted laces."

This doll will be auctioned by Withington's on October 20, 2022, along with four other Izannah Walker dolls and many other rare and wonderful treasures. 

Note the wispy curls at the temples. 

 

Phoebe, an Izannah Walker Doll from Carol Corson's Collection

Today's pictures are of Phoebe, an Izannah Walker doll with a flatter formed face. This doll is featured in an article written by Carol Corson for Antique Doll Collector's August 2011 issue. The article Carol wrote catalogued the Doll Collector's of America's Izannah Walker Doll Reunion to celebrate DCA's 75th reunion.  That issue is worth purchasing to view the wonderful variety of Izannah Walker dolls featured.  

In the article linked above, Carol Corson offers this description of Phoebe:  

"Phoebe, the 17-3/4” standing doll is pre-patent, but just. She has many of the features of the patent dolls but her head is not separate as is Jeremiah’s and she does not have the patent label. Her paint is original and she has the plainest face imaginable. This is a perky doll, but no one could call her beautiful. In contrast to her face is her extraordinarily beautiful curls. Private Collection. The 18” tall doll seated on her own Brittany Bench is one of two dolls with blue eyes. Her repainted hair has long tendrils brushed back to her ears. Her brown boots have peach accented buttons." 

This article by Antique Doll Collector is a must have for anyone who studies Izannah Walker dolls. It is available in digital format here:  https://issuu.com/store/publishers/antique-doll-collector/issues/08-2011

In the image below you can see an overlap where the front and back parts of the head are joined together.  While Phoebe is not a post-patent doll, this joining at the center of the head rather than a seamline toward the forehead is more like post-patent dolls. 

Stay tuned for more posts of the Izannah Walker Dolls to be auctioned at Withington's on October 20, 2022. 

John Thayer, an Antique Izannah Walker Boy Doll to be Auctioned by Withington's

The next 5 posts feature individual Izannah Walker Dolls to be auctioned by Withington's on October 20, 2022. It will be an excellent auction to attend in person.  But Withington's does take absentee and phone bids, so never fear! 

Carol Corson's doll collection is beyond amazing. I had about 4 hours to really study the Izannah Walker dolls, so I focused on Izannah dolls. I did turn my head a time or two and saw so many other rare dolls:  Schoenhut dolls, Lancaster Rag dolls, a tiny Chase doll, and many types I don't know much about. The catalog will be a fun one to study in detail! 

Today's pictures are of the famous John Thayer, an Izannah Walker doll painted and dressed as a boy in a fabulous plaid original outfit. This doll is featured on the cover of Antique Doll Collector in an article written by Carol Corson for Antique Doll Collector's August 2011 issue. The article Carol wrote catalogued the Doll Collector's of America's Izannah Walker Doll Reunion to celebrate DCA's 75th reunion.  That issue is worth purchasing to view the wonderful variety of Izannah Walker dolls featured.  It is available in digital format here:  https://issuu.com/store/publishers/antique-doll-collector/issues/08-2011

In the article, Carol Corson offers this description of John Thayer:

"15” boy, named John Thayer after his last of three generations of his original family. He is in his sewn on original dress with matching trousers. His side-parted hair is brushed to the right. He has high painted black boots with red shields at the top and gray painted soles. Walker dolls have down tilted feet and even the ones in super original condition have worn toes which may be caused by being carried by one arm with its toes dragging on the floor. Private Collection."

He is an exquisite and rare example of Izannah's work, clearly depicting a boy, dressed in a fabulous original plaid attire. I have only seen two Izannah Walker boy dolls in person, and this is the only example I've seen with a side-parted hairstyle. The buyer of this doll at the October 20, 2022 auction will be very lucky indeed!