Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Antique Izannah Walker Doll

Recently I bought an antique Izannah Walker Doll. I had tried in the past, a couple of times to bid on one on ebay, but missed out, so when this doll came up, I decided to invest in the doll for several reasons. I wanted one, plus,  I wanted to see a antique one up close and personal. This is what I would call a very standard Izannah Walker doll. She is about 18 1/2 inches tall. dainty and in very good condition. I made pictures, some are not really clear enough, but I wanted to show various parts of her that I saw, that I needed to change in my own doll making. One of the worst things about this doll is the overpainting on the hair someone did to her in the back of her neck. The person I got the doll from stated that the doll had belonged to her mother and that she had,  had her for 50 years. So the old painting was done long ago, so we will never know what her neck line really looked like. In time, I might try to see about taking off the old paint at the base of her neck only, as it is really bad now. there are no other changes that need to be made. Her side curls are really beautiful and I hope will be a help to me in trying to make them on my own dolls. This has been a difficult thing for me to do all along, is the curl making. The other area that has, ( you might say ) damage,  is the skin at the back of her shoulder plate. It is stitched and looks stretched a little. Someone had to sew her up a little in the past. Who knows what her doll life has been through so many years. I will make her some new clothes, as the things she came to me wearing were not what I thought she needed or what I think will be pretty on her. I have to tell you, that buying this doll was a huge decision, because of the large amount of money, and also I wondered if she would really help me in the doll making in the end. I have other old antique cloth dolls, and even though you see them close up, that is not a guarantee that you can duplicate them. After examining her, which ( by the way) I discovered her upper legs feel sort of crunchy, like dried grass or something, I see a few things which I can improve on while trying to make dolls like her, not a reproduction of her. I am proud I got her. I do feel a kinship to Izannah Walkers family as I know they made her and I am looking at one of Izannah's own dolls she made. Appreciated and well cared for, she will be,  and included in my small cloth doll collection which I use and pick up and look at and pet constantly while making other dolls. I have to get busy now to try to make some dolls to help pay back my debt to my husband for buying her. He was generous and supportive of me in doing this. I hope you  enjoy seeing her and it helps you. She doesn't have a name, as her former owner said she didn't ever hear her mother call her by name. In due course, I will give her a good name.










11 comments:

  1. Martha, I am so excited for you! She is truly a beautiful girl. She is a lucky girl to be living with you and I only imagine how much she will be loved and adored. You are lucky to have such a supportive hubby. I look forward to seeing her dressed and photographed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Martha, she is by far one of the loveliest Izannah Walker dolls I have seen. She reminds of the doll that was once in Lucy's Doll House Shop that Dixie use to visit and photograph. I am sure you are excited beyond measure to have her in your collection. Congratulations and be sure to get her insured, :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so happy of you Martha ) Nice doll

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am so thrilled for you! And to my mind, you don't "Owe" anything for having this doll. Being around her will make you a better doll maker, just because we absorb elements of the things we are around and love. BUT, you need to just accept that you have her, she's yours to enjoy, and learn from, but if you never made another Izzy doll in your life, it's okay to have this one! She is magnificent, and I'm so glad she's in such good and loving hands as yours.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a treasure, Martha! I am so happy for you! You are such a dedicated doll maker and will, as Jan said, "absorb" so much from just having her in your daily presence. Congratulations and happy doll making!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Martha, I am so happy that you own an original IW doll! She's a nicely made and painted one (Even though there is some repaint work on her). I wish I could have seen your face when you took your first glimps of her. So exciting!
    Valerie H.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OH MY!!! How very thrilling!! She is so very very lovely and pretty!!! How wonderful delightful that you have her!!
    Enjoy!! Many warm blessings Linnie

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so happy for you!!! What a great example, Martha. I am behind times checking blogs, but was thrilled to see this post! You deserve it so much!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Martha I am so happy for both you and this sweet doll! You are just the right person to be her caretaker. I communicated back and forth a bit with her seller and had the chance to see her clothing in detail. I totally agree that her dress is not really appropriate and I'm sure you will have so much fun making her a new wardrobe! Congratulations!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I hope you and yours had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and are having a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. May we display your header on our new site directory? As it is now, the site title (linked back to its home page) is listed, and we think displaying the header will attract more attention. In any event, we hope you will come by and see what is going on at SiteHoundSniffs.com.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations Martha - HOW EXCITING!!! I am so happy for you! Debbie Barlow

    ReplyDelete