These past few months I’ve been so swamped with custom work that my “Third Thursday” sales have fallen by the wayside. Tomorrow Third Thursdays are resuming!!! Please stop by at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time for a small offering of items to relaunch my monthly releases of reproduction Izannah Walker dolls and clothing. ❤ ❤ ❤
A Very Special Doll for Delores <3
I’ve been working on an interesting project for the last few months. I was asked to make a reproduction Izannah Walker doll based on the wonderful circa 1857 doll named Ella, that was sold by Withington’s Auction in 2008. The first step was to determine which of the 16 different molds that I have of Izannah’s original dolls would most closely resemble Ella. My Ismay was made around the same time period that Ella was and has a similar, though slightly thinner face. Ismay has had many more active adventures in her life than Ella has, and is not in as pristine condition. So my second step was to make a plaster positive of Ismay’s head and carefully re-sculpt the most worn areas. Then I made new molds from the plaster head. For reference I used the stunning photos taken by Withington’s for their 2008 catalog. It’s been a lovely process and I have so enjoyed conferring with Delores about her new doll! She is not an exact copy of Ella, as she blends bits of Ella and Ismay together, but I think she has captured Ella’s spirit. ❤ Tomorrow she will be traveling to her new home. I’ll miss having her sweet company in my studio, but I’m thrilled that she is finally going to join her new doll family!
A very special custom made doll for Delores ❤
- you may click on any individual photo to enlarge it.
A New Doll for Anita
This little doll is turning into quite a traveler ❤ She just returned from the 2018 Early American Life Craftsman Directory photo shoot, and in the morning she is leaving for her new home… Safe travels ❤
Maude Rouse’s 1865 Izannah Walker Doll
On April 12th Withington Auction sold an amazing Izannah Walker doll. The doll was
purchased in 1865 by Eastwood Eastwood, for his adopted daughter, Maude Rouse, of Central Falls, RI. A note detailing the doll’s provenance was stitched to the hem of her petticoat. Eastwood Eastwood was briefly the mayor of Central Falls. RI, where Izannah Walker lived and worked.*
I had the privilege of attending the auction and seeing Maude Rouse’s doll in person. It was a wonderful experience which I’d like to share with you. I hope you enjoy seeing the photos of this outstanding doll, which now lives in a very loving home with her third owner ❤ I can not imagine a better place for her to be!
c. 1865 Izannah Walker doll sold at Withington Auction 4/12/18.
Photos from the Withington auction preview on 4/11/18.
You may read more about Eastwood Eastwood here : https://politicalstrangenames.blogspot.com/2013/06/eastwood-eastwood-1834-1900.html?spref=fb
Withington auction 4/12/18
* Sometime between 1850 – 1853 Izannah Walker moved from Somerset Village, MA to Central Falls, RI, where she lived until her death on February 15, 1888. She died of consumption, now known as pulmonary tuberculosis, and is buried, alongside her best friend Emeline Whipple, in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI, which is not far from her home in Central Falls.
Happy Easter!
Do you remember this photo from my Easter 2009 post? Nine years feel like they have flown by and the dolls and I are once again wishing you a very Happy Easter!
I’ve just finished posting directions for making dyed silhouette eggs, like the one Isabeau is holding in this photo, on another one of my blogs, Paula Walton’s 18th Century Home Journal. If you’d like to know how to make these sweet nostalgic eggs click on this link: https://paulawalton.wordpress.com/2018/04/01/happy-easter-crafting-silhouette-eggs/
1 Very Special Dress Available Just in Time for Easter SOLD
Getting a new dress for Easter was a consistent annual occurrence during my childhood. I occasionally received a new dress at Christmas time, but I always had one for Easter. My mother made many of my Easter dresses… which makes remembering them even sweeter. Following in that tradition I have one very special Easter dress available for sale, so that you and your favorite doll can relive Easter memories of your own ❤
Easter dress for sale
Easter dress for sale
Easter dress for sale ❤
Easter dress for sale
Made from mid-19th century fabric that one graced the back of a hand pieced quilt, this dress features extra fabric which creates a very full skirt. The skirt has two growth tucks and a double row of black velvet trim. The very short sleeves also have double tucks and a single velvet band. More velvet trims the waist, which closes with a sash of the most amazing wide antique velvet ribbon. The drawstring at the neck casing and ribbon sash make the size of this dress somewhat adjustable. The dress, which has an 8 inch skirt length, will fit my 18 – 19 inch reproduction Izannah Walker dolls. The ties also make this dress very suitable for dressing fragile antique dolls and are very accommodating if you display your doll using a doll stand. I have gently hand washed this dress, but because the fabric had never previously been washed, the fabric retains much of it’s original sizing, which gives it a great deal of body.
SOLD Only one dress available. Email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com if you are interested in buying this dress, or have questions about it. The purchase price is $250.00, which includes free shipping to any US address. Payment via Paypal, credit card, or lay-away. Sold on a first come basis.
Today is International Woman’s Day, Time to Celebrate Those Women Who Inspire Us! Thank You Izannah Walker!
Thank you Izannah Walker for inspiring me with your beautiful, intricate painted cloth dolls. For being an enterprising 19th century woman who was able to support herself in a male dominated world. For being the first woman to be granted a United States patent related to doll making. You have changed my life!
It’s Here! The March 2018 Issue of Antique Doll Collector Has Arrived!
Look what just came! The latest issue of Antique Doll Collector magazine, with my article about the Izannah Walker exhibit that I curated for the Jenny Lind Doll Show in October, AND a wonderful article, by Izannah Walker historian, Monica Bessette about six Walker dolls that she visited while doing research for her new book!
If you are a subscriber your copy of the magazine should be arriving in your mailbox any day. ❤ A single copy of this issue can be purchased from Antique Doll Collector for $10 postage paid by emailing adcsubs@gmail.com or calling 631-261-4100. Copies should also be available in some Barnes & Noble stores in a week or two.
Look for My Article in the March 2018 Issue of Antique Doll Collector Magazine
I have an article about the Izannah Walker exhibit that I curated at the Jenny Lind Doll Show last October in the March issue of Antique Doll Collector. Here is a sneak peek of the cover and contents page. The magazine should start mailing to subscribers on 2/22 and be for sale at Barnes and Noble in early March. ❤ Well known Izannah Walker biographer, Monica Bessette, has written a companion article entitled Izannah Dreams, also in the March issue. I can’t wait to read it!
Mistress Walton’s Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe
It has been a cold, snowy, ice covered week here in our sleepy little Connecticut home. Even a commute that is measured in yards, rather than miles, has been treacherous. So rather than working in either of my studios, the dolls and I have been sitting in front of the fire cutting silhouettes. ❤
Last evening we finally finished hand graining all the frames, mounting the silhouettes and framing them. Now that they are completed we are all ready to open our Valentine Pop-Up Shoppe ❤
MISTRESS WALTON’S VALENTINE POP-UP SHOPPE
Most of our various offerings are one of a kind. You’ll notice that several of them are similar, but have different details, varying frames, etc… Each item offered for sale has an item number and price. Free priority mail shipping is included to all U.S. addresses. Exact postage – no handling fees – are charged to foreign addresses. Connecticut residents will be charged 6.35 % sales tax. Payment may be made via Paypal, personal check or lay-away. All items sold on a first come basis. You may email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com with questions or to claim an item. If more than one person wishes to buy a particular item, I will go by the time stamp when your email is received to determine the 1st request.
A note about the photos, because of the glass there are some reflections in the photos. I also had a problem with static electricity and dust. I dusted, and dusted and dusted some more, but every time I looked again there were little dust particles on the outside of the glass… Needless to say, all of the silhouettes look so much nicer in person :).
Baby Hands
Two variations of baby hands with hearts. I drew this little hand a couple of years ago when my granddaughter was a baby ❤ This is a very tiny paper cutting, the mounted silhouette is slightly less than 2 inches square. Framed to hang on the wall. $29.00 each.
# 1. $29 SOLD
# 2. $29 SOLD
# 3 Tiny Girl with Hearts – $32.50 SOLD This mounted silhouette is 3 x 2 inches, with a frame the extends approximately 3/4 inch beyond the edges if the opening. This frame will stand or hang.
Izannah Silhouettes
The dolls were all very patient about posing for me as I drew the pattern for their silhouettes using my camera obscura ❤
#4 Izannah Silhouette – $30 A little 3 x 2 inch bust length Izannah silhouette, framed to stand or hang.
#5 Full Length Izannah Silhouette – SOLD $59 with Valentine Heart and Envelope – $30 Mounted on a 4 x 6 inch background, accented with a woven paper Valentine & envelope with a wax seal impressed with an antique seal. Framed to hang.
Hollow Cut Full Length Izannah Silhouettes #6 ( 6. is SOLD) & #7 (SOLD) – $49 Two versions of hollow cut Izannah silhouettes mounted on 4 x 6 inch backgrounds. Framed to stand or hang.
#8 Woven Heart and Hand – $49 SOLD Mounted on a 3.5 x 5 background. Framed to stand or hang.
# 9 – 13 Young Girl with Doll and Heart – Five different variations of the same silhouette with different mountings, hearts and frames.
#9 4 x 6 inch mounted version. Framed to stand or hang. $59 SOLD
#10 4 x 6 inch mounted version. Framed to stand or hang. $59 SOLD
#11 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to hang stand or hang. $59 SOLD
#12 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to hang stand or hang. $59 SOLD
#13 Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to stand or hang. $59 SOLD
#14 Mother and Child with Doll. Mounted on a 5 x 7 inch background. Framed to stand or hang. $65 SOLD
#15 Third Hand with Heart & Heart Pincushion – $65. Muslin hand with applied thumb on an iron clamp. Use this “third” hand aka “sewing bird” to hold one end of you fabric when hand sewing long seams. Accented with a heart and accompanied by a separate heart pincushion. Both hearts are hand sewn from hand dyed, felted wool, with hand pinked edges.
#16 & 17 Hand Stitched Adam and Eve Pins – $25 each Tiny Adam and Eve samplers to wear. (#16 is SOLD)
We hope you’ve enjoyed attending our Valentine Pop – Up Shoppe sale! ❤
Izannah Walker Journal 