Izannah Walker Dolls Group

In 2008 I began the Izannah Walker Chronicles with the idea that it would be a kind of clearinghouse for all things Izannah. It works quite well for posting information, but doesn't allow for discussion about Izannah Walker dolls. I have opened a social network at ning.com for dollmakers, pattern designers, collectors and students of antique inspired dolls. At Maida Today Dolls Group there is a sub-group for those who enjoy talking about Izannah Walker dolls. It's open to anyone who has an interest in Izannah Walker. All you have to do is set up an account at ning.com and join. Click the banner above to go to the site.

Thank you, Izannah Collectors!

The following pictures were sent to me by Bradley Justice. He knows the collector who owns this doll, and asked permission to post the pictures here on the IWC. I am so thankful for collectors who share the beauties of the dolls they own.

Izannah Walker Doll at Lucy's Doll House

Today I was able to take a mini-vacation and drive down to Lucy's Doll House in Camden to document the latest Izannah Walker doll in residence there.


It is because of Sue and the generosity of Lucy's Doll House that I've been able to document these dolls. Sue Singer was in the shop today while I documented the two dolls below and we had great conversation while I took pictures.

A note about the pictures - All photos/pictures presented in this post are copyright Dixie Redmond 2009 and all rights are reserved. An artist or student may copy for personal use for study but the images themselves may not be used in derivative works of art or shown/reprinted in any publication without permission.


The doll on the left is a cloth doll with an applied bonnet. All cloth! I was fascinated by it and took well over 200 pictures of both these dolls. Detailed pictures of the folk art doll on the left are on my Northdixie Designs blog. The Izannah doll is divine - so wonderful and petite. It's hard to tell the scale of things, but my thumbnail is about as large as the palm of this little 15 1/2 inch doll's hand. She's so wonderful!

This beautiful doll is
available for purchase at


Lucy's Doll House
49 Bay View Street
Camden, ME 04843

Summer hours - 10 to 4
7 Days a Week
(207) 236-4122

Again, I am thankful to Sue Singer
and Lucy Morgan for the opportunity
to share these pictures.


Lucy's Doll House
49 Bay View Street
Camden, ME 04843

Summer hours - 10 to 4
7 Days a Week
(207) 236-4122

Izannah Walker and Maggie Bessie Dolls...

It's funny how connections are made. I belong to the Yahoo group Vintage Cloth Dollmaking. One of the members mentioned a fabulous Maggie Bessie pattern that has been developed by Bradley Justice. So of course I wanted to buy the pattern, because Maggie Bessie dolls are very intriguing and beautiful. When I got the pattern, I sent a Maggie Bessie doll picture to Bradley, mentioning that I write a site dedicated to Izannah Walker. Bradley then sent me some pictures of an original Izannah Walker doll and got permission from the owner of the Izannah doll to post them here. How wonderful! Many thanks to Bradley and to the owner of the original Izannah Walker doll.

Bradley Justice's Maggie Bessie Inspired Pattern
"A North Carolina Doll"

Let's talk a bit about Bradley's Maggie Bessie inspired pattern. He was able to look at original Maggie Bessie dolls and study their construction prior to developing his pattern. The North Carolina Doll (his name for the pattern) makes up into a 14 inch doll. A perfect size for most dollmakers. If you are interested in purchasing the Maggie Bessie pattern, email shawstein@aol.com for more information. The pattern for the doll and traditional Maggie Bessie dress is $15. Bradley has an additional dress pattern and "haube cap" pattern to be purchased separately.

Here are the Izannah Walker Doll pictures Bradley is sharing here with the permission of the owner of the doll -

Another Original Izannah Walker Doll

I am hopeful to have some pictures of a new original Izannah doll sometime in the next couple of weeks, so check back. :-)

Two Izannah Walker Dolls to Be Auctioned

"Let the Little Lambs Play"

On April 26th not one but two Izannah Walker dolls will be auctioned in Theriault's "Let the Little Lambs Play" April 26th auction in Short Hills, New Jersey. A huge thank you to Theriault's for allowing me to post the pictures here. Click the pictures to be taken to the auction descriptions.

Pre-patent Izannah Auctioned on Ebay?

An Ebay auction entitled Antique Pre Patent Izannah Walker Doll - Wonderful ended yesterday. The doll in question has a wooden head, and a body that might or might not be Izannah-like...hard to tell as there were no pictures of the body. It would have been great to see how the doll's body was connected to the head, that might have been an important clue.

The doll was listed as a pre-patent Izannah Walker doll because it had a tag that said,

"21 inch pre-patent doll probably around 1850's. Obtained from the original owner's family. Face does have some paint loss but still retains her lovely charm. Her arms and legs were replaced sometime around the turn of the century by a loving family member. $5,500."

The doll is interesting in its own right but it is unlike any Izannah Walker doll I've seen in person or in pictures. Perhaps it could be like this doll below from the Strong Museum if it lost it's fabric face...what do you think? Have you ever seen a wooden pre-patent Izannah?

Where Izannah Is Buried

Monica Bessette left the following comment in regards to the previous entry (I have edited out one phrase). And the find was courtesy of Diane. Thanks, Diane! And thanks Monica for sharing the information you know.

Hi Dixie,

Izannah is buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI, a beautifully landscaped cemetery which is not far from her final home in Central Falls, RI.

During the late 1800's there was a movement away from family and church burial grounds to the more elaborate, park-like cemeteries befitting our well-to-do citizens.

She is buried along side her best friend, Emeline Whipple. I'm not sure if Izanah made these arrangements or Emeline, and have always wondered about the implications of two women being buried side by side. Izannah died first, so she may not have had a say in it, but I can't imagine that either!

The cemetery in Somerset is the family plot, and she may have had every intention to be buried there, but she left Somerset during the 1850's and probably changed her mind about that being her final resting place.

Good find!

Monica Bessette
The Search for Izannah Walker

Palmer St. Cemetary in Somerset

I got the pictures in this post from Diane Goodwin, who had recently been to the Palmer St. Cemetery in Somerset (assuming Massachusetts). She sent the pictures in this post, as well as the following email. Thanks, Diane! She writes:

I came across this monument in the historic Palmer St Cemetery in Somerset today. The names match Izannah and Jane, and I think Jane purchased the plot from the info on the cemetery plans. Their house at 373 Main St was owned by the Hintz family on the 1871 map. Do the dates match your info on the dollmakers?

There are 4 sides to the monument. Inscribed on the sides:

Jerathmel Bowers Swasey
born on the 1st day, 5th mo 1752

died 4th day, 2D mo 1826

Sarah Hellon
his wife
born Feb 23, 1757,
died Dec 25, 1836

Parthenia Palmer
Their Daughter
died Nov 3, 1833
aged 47

Anthony Hintz

died Nov 22, 1839
aged 53


Jane Hellon Swasey
his wife
died Sept 7, 1872
aged 76

Gilbert Walker
died May 30, 1825
aged 63

Sarah Swasey
his wife
died Aug 3, 1824,
aged 43

Anthony Hintz
their son
died 1824
aged 11 days;


Izannah Frankford
their daughter
died Feb 15,1888
aged 70

Jane Hintz Walker
born Sept 9, 1814
died Oct 6 1899

----------------------------

Dixie's note here - I'm not sure where I got this information from, but I believe that Izannah is not buried in this family plot, but in another town with a marker that says Izannah F. Walker. I need to search through all the articles I've collected, but will have to do that another time. If any of YOU know more about this, please comment.

The Backposts Have Lots of Wonderful Pictures

Someone asked a bit ago where they could find the pictures I took of the Izannahs from the Strong Museum in the back posts. I took hundreds of pictures and spent hours and hours editing and saving the pictures for posting. It was a joy to share them here. I'll also put them in links in the sidebar for future reference. This is just to remind you that the backposts have many wonderful pictures which are not accessible in the sidebar. So scroll down and click on "older posts" to see previously posted pictures. And here are links to posts with the Izannah dolls from my trip to the Strong Museum.

• Strong Museum - Izannah in Yellow Dress with Brown Cape
• Strong Museum - Primitive Izannah with Printed Apron
• Strong Museum - Izannah Walker Doll or Not?
• Strong Museum - Izannah with Bell Necklace
• Strong Museum - Redheaded Patent Izannah
• Strong Museum - Izannah with Red Trimmed Scalloped Boots

The Texture of 100 Years of Dollhood

The texture of over 100 years of dollyhood is beautiful. It's my hope that the creations I make will be around 100 years from now and more, even if they show the signs of loving care of their owners. You've seen this doll before, but not some of the detail pictures I was able to take, courtesy of Lucy's Doll House in Camden, Maine.

The dress on this doll is particularly sweet.
The fabric was so fine and thin, and the print so charming.

This particular doll was layered in clothing - she had on pantaloons, then a chemise and under slip, and then on top of that was an embroidered dress undergarment, and finally the sweet dress above.