Izannah Walker Cloth Doll
Very little is known about Izannah Walker. She was born in 1817 in Bristol, Rhode Island. But, orphaned at the age of 7, she
moved to Somerset Massachusetts in 1824 to live with her mother's family. Nothing more is known about her until census
records of 1865 for Rhode Island lists her as a doll maker in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Unusual for her time in history,
Izannah was comfortable in a man's world as a skilled carpenter, active in real estate, designer of a parlor heater, bird fancier
having raised canaries and a general tinkerer. And, of course, doll maker, patent holder and entrepreneur.
Izannah obtained the patent (#144,373) for her unique construction of a cloth doll in November of 1873. The head was cloth
coated in paste and pressed in a die mold. Step two involved adding a layer of cotton batting and a layer of stockinette to the
outside of the head. The head, with its new layers, was then repressed. The inside of the head was firmly stuffed while the
outside was painted with oil paint. Ears were applied separately. This technique allowed the head to give when pressed
preventing the paint from cracking and subsequently peeling.
Doll bodies were made of firmly stuffed cream color cotton sateen. Joints were indicated by sewing. Izanah's sisters assisted
with the painting of the heads and bodies. Both style of painting and the original clothing of the dolls reflected mid 19th century
tastes.
Dolls have been found ranging in size from 15 inches to 27 inches (15, 17, 18.5, 20,21, 24 and 27 inches). Besides size,
differences in the dolls include face shape, hairstyle painting and presence or absence of painted boots. Earlier dolls often
have a more rounded than egg shape to them. Hairstyle may be the well known ringlets of the time or short wispy hair. Low
top boots were usually painted on the feet though occasionally barefooted dolls are found.
Early Face Later face
Wispy Hairstyle Ringlet Hairstyle
Painted Boots Barefeet
There is controversy over the time frame in which Izannah made her dolls. She received her patent in 1873. According to
patent laws of the time, the dolls were not supposed to have been made more than two years previous to the issuance of the
patent. However, many collectors believe she made dolls as early as the 1840s, which would put her in her early to mid 20s.
Monica Bessette has identified an Izannah Walker doll in a tintype that can be dated to 1857 suggesting that Izannah made
dolls much earlier than the patent law allowed. Anna Sheldon, daughter of Martha Chase, states in a letter dated 1945 that the
Chase family still had their mother's doll purchased directly from Miss (Izannah) Walker in 1868 and that this doll was the
inspiration for the dolls she later created.
By the time Izannah was granted her patent she was 56 years old. It is quite likely that she made dolls much earlier as the
tintype documents but that she did not feel a need to file for a patent until she started making the dolls for production or others
attempted to copy them, The early 1870s saw a tremendous expansion in the middle class in the Northern states with the
Industrial Revolution gaining strength in the North after the Civil War. This was the same time that Joel Ellis and the other
Vermont doll makers were developing their style and building their businesses. The Moravian Church in Bethlehem Pa. made
the Polly Heckewelder doll to raise funds subsequent to the Civil War. Maggie and Bessie Pfohl began making cloth dolls in
North Carolina during this time. Roxanna Cole from Conway Arkansas provided handmade cloth dolls throughout the US and
Europe. Now was the time that patent protection was necessary. Now was the time for the patent.
moved to Somerset Massachusetts in 1824 to live with her mother's family. Nothing more is known about her until census
records of 1865 for Rhode Island lists her as a doll maker in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Unusual for her time in history,
Izannah was comfortable in a man's world as a skilled carpenter, active in real estate, designer of a parlor heater, bird fancier
having raised canaries and a general tinkerer. And, of course, doll maker, patent holder and entrepreneur.
Izannah obtained the patent (#144,373) for her unique construction of a cloth doll in November of 1873. The head was cloth
coated in paste and pressed in a die mold. Step two involved adding a layer of cotton batting and a layer of stockinette to the
outside of the head. The head, with its new layers, was then repressed. The inside of the head was firmly stuffed while the
outside was painted with oil paint. Ears were applied separately. This technique allowed the head to give when pressed
preventing the paint from cracking and subsequently peeling.
Doll bodies were made of firmly stuffed cream color cotton sateen. Joints were indicated by sewing. Izanah's sisters assisted
with the painting of the heads and bodies. Both style of painting and the original clothing of the dolls reflected mid 19th century
tastes.
Dolls have been found ranging in size from 15 inches to 27 inches (15, 17, 18.5, 20,21, 24 and 27 inches). Besides size,
differences in the dolls include face shape, hairstyle painting and presence or absence of painted boots. Earlier dolls often
have a more rounded than egg shape to them. Hairstyle may be the well known ringlets of the time or short wispy hair. Low
top boots were usually painted on the feet though occasionally barefooted dolls are found.
Early Face Later face
Wispy Hairstyle Ringlet Hairstyle
Painted Boots Barefeet
There is controversy over the time frame in which Izannah made her dolls. She received her patent in 1873. According to
patent laws of the time, the dolls were not supposed to have been made more than two years previous to the issuance of the
patent. However, many collectors believe she made dolls as early as the 1840s, which would put her in her early to mid 20s.
Monica Bessette has identified an Izannah Walker doll in a tintype that can be dated to 1857 suggesting that Izannah made
dolls much earlier than the patent law allowed. Anna Sheldon, daughter of Martha Chase, states in a letter dated 1945 that the
Chase family still had their mother's doll purchased directly from Miss (Izannah) Walker in 1868 and that this doll was the
inspiration for the dolls she later created.
By the time Izannah was granted her patent she was 56 years old. It is quite likely that she made dolls much earlier as the
tintype documents but that she did not feel a need to file for a patent until she started making the dolls for production or others
attempted to copy them, The early 1870s saw a tremendous expansion in the middle class in the Northern states with the
Industrial Revolution gaining strength in the North after the Civil War. This was the same time that Joel Ellis and the other
Vermont doll makers were developing their style and building their businesses. The Moravian Church in Bethlehem Pa. made
the Polly Heckewelder doll to raise funds subsequent to the Civil War. Maggie and Bessie Pfohl began making cloth dolls in
North Carolina during this time. Roxanna Cole from Conway Arkansas provided handmade cloth dolls throughout the US and
Europe. Now was the time that patent protection was necessary. Now was the time for the patent.
