Rare and Unusual Cloth Dolls. Photo Essay

These dolls were exhibited at the Wenham Museum Ragtime exhibit during 1985-86.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOROTHY MCGONAGLE

Picnics are such fun and this small pair of dolls by Izannah Walker appear to have a full basket of goodies. These dolls are quite small, 11 and 13 inches (28cm and 33cm), unusual and look like young children. The doll on the left is C-1873 with painted-on shoes and the heavier finish of the later labeled Walker dolls. The doll on the right is earlier, has no label and is descended from the Walker family.

Source: Summer 1989 • Doll News , Pages 26-28

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The Ugly Duchess from Alice in Wonderland is a seldom seen character doll by Martha Chase.

18 inch (45.7 cm) Martha Chase child is C-1920. Her brown hair is molded and bobbed. The painting is unusually lifelike.

18 inch (46cm) early unmarked lzannah Walker. Written on the body is "I.F. W. 60 George Street, whence his name, "Georgie." This address is thought by some to be the house where Izannah Walker lived.

11' /,inch (29cm) Alabama Baby by Ella Smith, The beautifully painted face is exceptionally defined, She pictures and is dressed as a young child in a white dress with a yoke.

A rare cloth baby by Martha Wellington who obtained a patent in Brookline, MA in 1883, The facial features have an intricate wire substructure which supports the stuffing and stockinette surface, The stockinette is then needle sculpted before the head is painted in oils. The body is also of stock­inette.

This sober American primitive is 15 inches (38 cm), The fabric is heavy and appears to be a strong canvas type, The features are painted in oil and the pa­trician nose is of wood under the fabric, She has painted-on stockings and boots as well as a necklace, Mid 19th century.

A hard-to-find pair of black Alabama Babies by Ella Smith, The girl has a black wig and the boy painted hair, Both appear to wear original clothes and are in un­played with condition.

Three early Raggedy Anns and Andy with hand painted features, approximately 16 inches (40,6 cm). An exceptionally large Raggedy Andy of commercial manufacture, A Golliwog by Dean's Rag Book Company and another of unknown commercial manufacture.

"Miss Columbia" was a gift from Elizabeth Richards Horton whose collection formed the nu­cleus of the dolls at the Wenham Museum. During the early 1900s she was sent around the world on behalf of charities for children.

A Columbian doll made by Emma Adams especial­ly for Elizabeth Richards Horton to display a fami­ly baby dress.

Two dolls by Gertrude F. Rollinson of Holyoke, MA who designed dolls from 1916 to 1929. These dolls have molded, three dimensional features and look similar to Chase dolls. The black doll is paint­ed black only on the exposed parts.

An early example of a Moravian doll with drawn features and hair. She has descended in the family of the original owner.

Mother Congress doll designed by Madge Mead. She is in exceptionally bright condition and her raised skirt shows the stamp on the body. C-1900

A pair of black Kamkins made by Louise Kamkins C-1920-30. They are black curly mohair wigs. The only known black Kamkins, could they have been a custom order? 18 inches (45.7 cm) and have