Playing With Dolls

I never was much for playing with dolls. 

At the Museum we had a naked doll.  I shivered every time I passed her case. I was tempted to cover her with some kind of blanket.  I wished I could sew…alas I cannot.

However I have a Board Member who is a kind gentle soul who can sew!  Her name is Alice!  Alice has her own Schoenhut Doll. She told me that her name was Margaret or Beverly or some such name..all really good doll people name their dolls.  I have never named a doll in my entire life.

This was the poor naked doll, one foot is a little longer than the other.  I am showing you this for a reason.  Notice the joints.

Albert Schoenhut was a German Immigrant that settled in Philadelphia, PA in 1911.  His family was well known for wooden toy making.  He made this doll completely out of wood. The doll heads were carved from basswood.  Then they were put in a mold of some sort and heated up to make the head all smooth.  Now for the joints. Albert designed and patented a steel spring hinge tension technique. The joints were flexible and allowed the doll to be posed.

Alice sewed. We test fit the new outfit..Alice didn’t like the color of the muslin she used, it was very white.  I suggested that she mix up some tea and let the fabric soak up the color.  The next day there was a package for me on the Museum steps.

Inside the package was tea stained clothing and tiny little shoes.  I sat at my desk and dressed the doll and took some photographs of her.

I emailed Alice a photo.  She called me back..and said cut the shoe laces..please!  So I did. This doll looks pretty good for being 100 years old.

Some days at the Museum I get paid for playing with dolls.   I am working for the Museum part time over the winter..from home.  I can work in my jammies..and sometimes I do! :)