Doll-A-Day 2023 #9: The Art of Helen Claxton

   A couple of years ago I  went to a doll show and saw some wonderful handmade dolls, created by a lady named Helen Claxton. There were some men and a few ladies. You may have seen that post, where I showed you three of them. 

I didn't buy any of those dolls, even though I really liked them, especially 'Katie Kelly', the little lady in green, but that post led to something else I never would have expected. At some point after the post, I received a message on the blog's Facebook page. (Yes. There is one. You can find it HERE. I post links to the latest posts, and also some things you won't see here on the blog.) It was from a lady named Diane, who asked about those great dolls. She wasn't a doll collector she said, but she had to get her hands on those dolls. I said I would check at the upcoming doll show that was held at the same place, and I'd pick them up for her if they were there. 

  Did I find those dolls again? Yes and no. There were no male dolls, and in fact, the dealer didn't remember ever having any male dolls. I'm sure she did though.  The good news was, there were four ladies, instead of three. 

Did I buy them for the lady? Yes I did. Was she happy? No...she was THRILLED! She was so happy that I had bought the three dolls for her, that we started quite a long messaging exchange. Three dolls? Well yeah... I wanted to keep the one I had coveted at the last show. But as I talked to the lady, she delivered a piece of information that blew my mind. She wanted the dolls because the artist who made them was her grandmother! What?! 

  She explained that Helen Claxton was her grandmother, but she hadn't mentioned it because she was afraid I would try to take advantage of the fact and raise the prices. (Just so you know, she paid me what I paid for the dolls, plus the cost of shipping them. Against my objections, she also included a finders fee. I wanted to send it back, but she insisted and finally I relented. I used the money to pay most of the cost of my set of Baps dolls.) The family each had one of Helen's dolls, but most of them had been sold during Helen's lifetime. Diane was so happy to have her grandmother's dolls back, that there was no way I could possibly keep the little lady in green, my favourite. She thought I should, but I just didn't feel right about it. Katie needed to return to her family.

  I have since been to two other dolls shows, and managed to obtain one more of Helen's dolls from that same dealer.  I'll keep looking. If any of you find any of Helen's dolls, please get the dealer's information and leave it in the comments. I'll pass it along to Diane so she can bring Helen's dolls home.                       

  Helen was quite a multitalented artist. She did wood carving...

This one has a story behind it, as you'll see below.

...painting...

 ...drawing...

...quilt making...

...and, obviously, doll making. Of course, the dolls she made involved wood carving, sewing, and more. She made everything on her dolls, including their little shoes, and all their accessories. Like the leather shoes on this lady belonging to Diane.

It looks like Helen even made stands for her doll. This stand appears to be made of heavy wire soldered to a tin can lid!

But before we look at any more of Helen's dolls, let's learn something about her.

  Helen was born in 1897, as Helen Fowler. 

Helen in June, 1916

She attended Syracuse University, where she graduated Suma Kum Laude

Some of Helen's text books, showing the various aspects of art she studied.

Helen, center, with Arthur L. Guptill, right, author of "Sketching and Rendering in Pencil", one fo the books Helen studied.

Helen eventually married Tom Claxton. 

Together they opened the first antique store in Kentucky, in the town of Jeffersontown. While Tom hunted for antiques for the shop, Helen took commission for painting designs on chair backs and clock faces. Supposedly one of her clock faces was displayed at the Smithsonian! Helen also started creating dolls, which were sold in the shop, along with other art she made. People began to commission dolls from Helen.

    Some of Helen's early dolls were 'matchstick dolls'. These dolls had a coffee bean head, and matchstick arms and legs. Helen had a 'secret concoction' she used for the flesh covering on the coffee beans. I'm wondering if these mini dolls Helen made are some of the coffee bean headed matchstick dolls.

A Santa Jack-in-the-box.

Diane sent me these pictures. These tiny dolls are the merchandise of a couple of Helen's peddler dolls belonging to Diane's sisters. Everything but the last two pictures belong to this lady.

Helen even made the baskets her dolls carried.

She has a carved wooden face and leather gloves.

Helen made the goods she's selling, as well as the peddler herself.

Except for the paper umbrella, obviously. The buttons are explained in the description below, from the doll's tag.

This is the lady selling the Santa Jack-in-the-box, and the lady in pink and black.

Another doll with a carved wooden face and leather hands.

   Diane's brother came across my blog post online, when Googling his grandmother's name. I'm glad I included her name in the tags on that doll show post! Each grandchild has one of Helen's dolls. That's five in all, so now they have doubled their collection. Here is the doll her brother owns.

The little guy's name is Nosmo, and there's a story behind that.

 Here is Diane's brother's account of the story:

 "... for many dolls, Helen details some aspect of who a doll was, or was fashioned after. That information was written and attached to the doll.

One story (as I understand) was she and her husband Tom Claxton were driving in the country on a very hot day. Helen asked to stop to get a drink of water. Tom stopped in front of a family’s house and there were a lot of kids. They asked if they could have a drink of water. While drinking the water, Tom and Helen sat on the front porch and Helen started making sketches of each of the kids. She gave small sketches to each of the kids and made a sketch to keep for herself. The mother of the children told stories about each child. Those stories also went into her notes.

When Tom and Helen returned home, Helen used the notes and sketches to make the dolls.  Nosmo’s name came from a sign saying, “No Smoking”. The mother couldn’t think of another name." 

According to Diane, Nosmo's mom saw only part of a 'no smoking' sign, the part that said, 'no smo', and she liked it as a name, and named her son that! I guess we'll never know which version is right now, although I think Diane tends to give her brother's knowledge of this doll precedence.

Helen continued selling her dolls for years. They must have been popular, since her family was only left with five.

Helen making dolls in 1957.

   Now let's take a good look at the dolls I found at the doll shows. We'll start off with Katie Kelly.

Katie had a carved wooden head, as well as hands and feet!

Her clothes are felt, and her hair may be wool or human hair.

Katie was originally holding four leaf clovers, according to Diane's brother, who has the original sketches of Katie's design.

Not sure why her bracelet is chained to her dress though!

Katie's shoes are carved wood. I'm not sure what her stockings are made of though. It has a nice even texture pattern, but they feel hard.

The dealer wrapped them in Ebay paper!

  

Next up is Sairey, the Woman with a Hoe. (Having parents from Kentucky, I can tell you this woman's name was most likely Sarah.)

Yes, she's smoking a pipe. One of my gramas smoked a pipe, although, not a corncob one like Lori always think of when I say that!

The dealer's tag.

What character! Diane said Helen's dolls were based on people she knew.

Look at those tiny stitches in that bonnet!

Sairey is one of the taller dolls, and she's still under 12 inches tall. Katie is probably only 9 or 10 inches.

Next is 'Hortense, the old Hoer'. (Uh...)

Sadly, Hortense is showing her age, on her face at least. Her face is cracking, but her clothes and shoes are clean and perfect. 

Helen's logo on her original hand made tag.

I'm guessing Helen even made the hoe!

Just like they were made yesterday. Someone took good care of Helen's girls.

The last doll I bought the first time(?) was The French Fagot Gatherer. (Fagots as in "a bundle of sticks or twigs bound together as fuel.")

Look for this tag at your next doll show!

She's wearing mittens.

  

The doll that showed up at a later show is a bit of a mystery. Leave a comment if you have any ideas. She is labelled as 'Meriah the Gentle Quakeress'. 

She has blonde hair, but a very dark complexion. We don't know what she's made of, but maybe felted wool? Why is she so dark?

The dealer thought at first that she was a dried apple doll, but a touch of her face tells you it's a fiber. What is she made of?

  Thanks go to Helen's granddaughter, Diane Hanson, and her siblings, for answering my questions, and sending pictures of their dolls, and some of their grandmother's other art. 

  Diane not only sent me the money for the dolls and a finders fee. She also included several gifts, including a display for photos, a doll identification book that had belonged to her mother-in-law, some locally made hand sanitizer, (Covid still loomed fairly largely.),and a big embroidered pillow cover that Helen had done herself.

She probably made the trim too! It deserves an ironing and a decorative spot on the bed. I had a pillow I was going to put in it, but it got, appropriated by one of my children!

  She also let me in on the family's reaction to the dolls by sending a video of her first presentation of the dolls to her siblings, by Zoom call.

  Those are today's dolls. Don't forget to leave a comment if you ever come across any of Helen's dolls. I'll be keeping my eyes open! See you tomorrow for another doll.