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Doll Festival at Leffingwell House
Thank you Emma and Elaine, China, Marissa, Sherry and Sydney, Hannah and Melodye for being such wonderful models and demonstrators. Didn't Denise Williams do a wonderful job of explaining how to make doll clothes? It was Denise explaining the different ways to attach hair to a doll that I will remember most though. Superb job as always! Our thanks to the Reminder and Karen Butera for a great article! Thanks to everyone for your continuing support! July 3, 2010: The Leffingwell House Museum was full of historical doll information during last weekend's Doll Festival. The July [3] event invited people to bring a current doll to meet their doll ancestors from the 1600s to 1900s, and to learn how dolls had changed from then until now. The oldest part of the Leffingwell House was constructed in 1675, with two additions added in 1715 and 1760, but it did not become a museum until 1960. The museum proudly displayed dolled all over the house in various places - some on mantles, some on beds and otherrs scattered here and there. The tour stated off with Volunteer Program Coordinator Beryl Fishbone stopping in the different rooms of the house, holding up the dolls for all to see. "Girls around 7 years of age would be given a doll with only a head and shoulders, and they would have to show off their skills by finishing the body and clothing to proportion," Fishbone said. Dolls were not stuffed with poly fill back then, but with sawdust, and decorated with hand-drawn faces. Most of the dolls were made out of porcelain , but some were also made out of wood. 
Also on display was a dollhouse built in 1895. The two-story home featured two porches, and in keeping with the year it was built, it did not portray plumbing or electricity. "If you notice, the dolls that you have brought with you have younger faces than the dolls that we have at the museum," said Fishbone. "Our dolls have faces that look more like mommies, instead of babies." A member of the audience commented on the fact that the museum's dolls did not have smiles on their faces. 
Helen R. Jensen, from Lebanon, came out to view the collection. "A friend invited me today, and history has always been important to me. We don't pay enough attention to history, and what better time than on the Fourth of July weekend?" she said. After hearing the history of the dolls, the participants were off to the sewing room to create a new doll, doll hair and clothing. By Karen Butera, Reminder News |
