Treasured Toys

Around 1925, The Campbell family moved a short distance into a home of their own.  Previously they had been staying in a house owned by Herbert's Uncle Mack in East Athens, PA.  Here are Janice and brother, Harrison, pulling their toys in a wagon on Moving Day. 

I have a trunk with many of the same toys featured in this photo, and an assortment of doll clothing made by their mother, Moon, and later by Janice, my mother.

The "trunk" strangely enough is a box used to ship Winchester Rifles.  

 

Janice and brother, Harrison

The doll bed has sheets and pillowcases with scalloped edges, and a hand knit blanket.  On the dresser sits a Buddha on a lotus leaf.  The basket holds once fragrant bags of pine needles that were popular summer souvenirs.

Christmas at the Campbell household. That year my grandmother, Lavinia aka Moon, constructed from cardboard, a fake stone hearth and chimney.  Each Christmas it was something different.  Front row here is our doll dresser.

The baby doll was mine, with cherub wings added by my grandmother made from white kid leather gloves, to be used in some sort of Christmas decorations. The doll is marked EFFANBEE on her back.

There is an ironing board and a very accurate "sad iron"  and wooden clothes pins.

We have a high chair and a rocker, along with an assortment of hand made quilts.  The trunk is a later addition, from my childhood.

 

 

Doesn't every doll deserve a piano?   I believe this was a Toni doll.

 

One Christmas, I set up the doll furniture in front of the fireplace at our house in Kansas.  Our cat, Berkeley, knew just what to do with the doll bed. Braided rug by my mother.

There is a miniature wood stove, a picnic basket, cupboard, an an assortment of utensils, cups and pots.

My grandmother, Moon, must have made this sewing bag,which is now crammed with doll clothing.

She designed her own patterns and took inspiration from published ones, too.

A pillow with felt appliques, and a small pillow with the her nickname VIN (short for Lavinia) embroidered along with the image of a dog, likely her beloved dog, Jack.  I do not know who Ruby was, perhaps a doll.  The small quilt at the top was made by my daughter, Hazel as a teenager.

Moon started making these "Emerson's" in college.  The legs are filled with rolled up paper, the bodies a small tin can or cardboard tube, all covered with velvet or corduroy.They have lots of personality!

An early Emerson at Syracuse.

Some very elegant clothing made by Moon for "THE LATE POCKY" ca. 1925, an embroidered dress, and a very elegant wool coat with stand up collar adorned with a fabric rose.  Also a silk tasseled bag.

More of Pocky's well-worn wardrobe

I don't know what the H stands for.  The coveralls have a drop seat in back.

A fancy plaid dress, apron and Christmas stocking

Footed PJs and a knit dress.

Some things for an earlier and larger doll:

A crocheted bag, red, hooded cape, leather coin purse with a snap.  And a small banner embroidered name and image of their cat,  Geezil.  And a sample tube of Tangee lipstick - all used up, thankfully!

Geezil with neighbor Julia Moore.

Janice's initials in crochet form, a hand woven plaid bag with crocheted closure for thimble storage.  And a heart shaped box with a lock of someone's hair.

 

Above, crocheted doll rugs

Below, we have tiny crocheted hats, belts, bags, a sweater, bookmark (with the initials JIC in crochet), and a doll collar.

A classic sewing bag made by Janice at the age of 11, in 4-H

Also, among the doll clothing, a momento from college.  When Janice was at Syracuse in 1944, so many male students were off fighting the war, that female students were inducted into otherwise male fraternities.  Here, a ribbon from Tau Sigma Delta, making her an honorary architect.

When I was small I enjoyed playing with my mother's toys when we visited East Athens.  My grandmother made dolls for me and my sister that we called Lulu,   When one was worn out, she made another , and I made one for my daughter using the same pattern that came from an old newspaper.

With my first Lulu, NYC.

A well loved, Lulu

A toy train from my childhood. Endless fun taking it apart, putting it together and pulling it around.  

Stamped under the engine: Arto Monaco Toys - Upper Jay, N.Y.

My mother made some great clothes for my dolls.  Here, a strapless dress and fur shrug.  Also a felt circle skirt with Elvis embroidered on it.  This was a Harriet Hubbard Ayer doll, to promote the cosmetics company by that name. 

An amazing wool hooded cape with matching slim skirt. An embroidered jacket, a fur collar, cotton top and slim slacks, printed apron.

These Ginny Dolls, made by Vogue were very popular when I was a girl.  The taller one is Jill, wearing a rabbit fur coat with a pink satin lining and pearl buttons made by my mother.  Hazel made the knit blue sheath dress much later.  The doll on the right is a classic wearing the clothes she came with.  On her back it says ALEX, which I think indicates that she was a Madame Alexander doll.  These dolls came dressed in native costume from around the world,  They were collected and housed in glass cases not to be played with.

On my last visit with my mother, she gave me this porcelain doll and some fabric and suggested I make some clothes for her.  It took me around ten years, but I finally got to it.

A Lulu I made for Hazel.  She's wearing shoes made by Moon for an original Lulu.

Everything tucked back in the trunk which can now return to its previous function, holding outgoing mail at our front door.