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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1957)
r MedfordTribune MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1957 Doll Making As a Hobby W "-nm irr V - - 11 "' VtV V For centuries the making and dressing of dolls has fascinated both young and old. A small group of Jackson county women, deeply interested in dolls, formed an informal club and one of its most ardent and artistic members is Miss Mary Frances Whitman. Miss Whitman, known to hundreds in the valley as "Fannie," makes china dolls, paints their hair and faces as well as the hands and feet, fashions the bodies and also makes clothing. Miss Whitman, shown here at her home on South Fir street, begins the head by pouring liquid potter's clay into a plaster of paris mold made from a "mother" mold (shown at far right). Miss Whitman has made scores of exquisite doll hats. A single hat sometimes takes as long as 10 days or two weeks of the maker's spare time. She works wnh braid of straw or horsehair like that used on large hats, velvet, silks, ribbons, tiny flowers, bits of feather and miniature quills. She holds a bonnet of red velvet with feather trim, and the shepherdess hat to its right is of natural straw trimmed with violets. Two poke bonnets (at left front) ore of straw trimmed with fluffy feathers, the miniature Merry Widow sailor has rosebuds around the crown. Another sailor (far right) is odorned with a feather pompon and quill. s 1 -j'iH' I 2. ( lv?t' 1 - 1 r rw Shim ' i ! jW'. . v ., I f." I a? ' fill Four additional members of doll club shown here agree that they are novices compared to Miss Whitman and Mrs. Davis, and learn much from the two women. Mrs. Polly Offut (at left) and Mrs. Carl Fichtner hold dolls wearing costumes of the Nomads of Avrudaka which Mrs. Fichtner mode for her officers when she retired as head of the order. Mrs. Lois Fretwell, Jacksonville, holds a yarn doll ond Mrs. Paul Flulkin (far right). Shady Cove, is working with pieces of bright felt which will eventually be a costume for a doll which she is completing. Another member of the club is Mrs. Michele Rossi; Mrs. Marie Pierce attends from time to time. TT"rrcrr.re Trwrrytv--wre-TrCTjOT .lh ..iin iimpii ."' arm ----- - n Mrs. Henry (Anne) Davis, 429 South Grape street, is known among doll fanciers throughout the United States for her dolls with heads made from pears. Mrs. Davis begins a head by peeling a pear she uses several varieties in the general shape she wants the head and then as the fruit dries and shrinks, she adds coloring material, devises eyes, colors the lips, adds hair. Mrs. Davis also makes the tiny bodies, only a few inches high, with finely fashioned hands and feet, and the clothing with costumes complete in every detail. Three dolls on table are (left to right) Scattergood Baines, turn of the century widow and organ grinder, complete with minuscule monkey . and crgn. t5 eo"' c v t ' lit;.. .3 rtS . V! ? -i,-. T", 1 Jl; if C5on Inside) r.:.. v-- Vi Hermit of the Rogut Mrs. Davis enjoys making historical dolls and pictured here are (seated) Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane (who always wore men s clothing) and a dance hall girl in skimpy dress. Miniature replica o" bar, with typical barroom pictures above, was made by Mrs. Davis, aid Wild Bill holds miniature cards. S 1 iff f ft J Mfe , 1 -j .r. AO;;) v , A A 1 'j AM Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Bartlett rb Ik'V 415 . El i"' ".0-f-'VMS- 'k 4 'k- J 1 ; r I'. l,J On Easter Sunday pi , , ' . f, , - . " , 7 - ' , -- ' . r '- 'r ' :-.--'.'--'" '"-'"'''- -J- ; 1 : - .i r"f''f - I li.1i r "iiffliftr iiiii 11 1 "iniiri - it -- Cabinet at Miss Whitman's home holds collection of handmade china heads. On top are (left to right) Southern Belle, wax doll fron the French quarter of New Orleans, and a wax Marie Antoinette doll made by the wel known doll artist, lewis, Sorensen of Los Angeles. Miss Whitman plans a new hobby room for her home.
