New Home For WSOAPP!!

 Some of you may be wondering why our selling blog hasn't had a lot of new goodies lately. Well there's a reason for this, as we're in the midst of a transition.......

We are so excited and can finally let ya'll in on this. Coming very soon in July, WSOAPP will be celebrating the Grand Opening of our brand spankin' new website! It's been a long work in progress and labor of love and we know you will simply enjoy browsing around at all the cool features and shopping the awesome creations from our talented artisans!

We at WSOAPP want to personally thank Mare and Joel for more hours than they can count and many sleepless nights as they've created this incredible site!

So stay tuned!  Sign up on our mailing list if you're not already to you'll know what's happening and when!

Izannah Walker Dolls

Izannah F. Walker, one of America's earliest known female doll makers, was born in 1817 in Bristol, Rhode Island. On June 28, 1873, at the age of 56, Walker applied for a patent for "improvement in the manufacture of dolls." In her application Walker claimed "my doll is inexpensive, easily kept clean, and not apt to injure a young child which may fall upon it. It will preserve its appearance for a long time."

As witnessed by the surviving examples of her work, we know that this is true. Izannah was granted a patent on November 4, 1873. However, it is known that she had been making dolls for quite some time before she applied for her patent. Research has uncovered a documented case of her making dolls as early as 1828.

Izannah Walker's dolls are three dimensional works of art, strikingly similar to the folk portraits painted in the 18th and early 19th century by artists such as William Matthew Prior (1806-1873) and Erastus Salisbury Field (1805-1900). Although all of Izannah's dolls possess a recognizable style, each is distinct. This raises the question of whether some were done as portrait dolls. Although there is no documentation of this, the differences in height, facial shapes, and hairstyles on the dolls could certainly cause one to speculate that this is possible.

Her dolls have been found in 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 24 inch sizes. The hair is usually painted on with some variation of either wisps surrounding the face or corkscrew curls. Most of the dolls are girls but several boys have been found and photographed. Izannah also made black dolls. The dolls hands have stitched fingers and applied thumbs and the feet are either bare, with stitched toes, or they have painted on boots.

Today the rarity and beauty of Izannah Walker dolls make them highly collectible. Currently the price range for these dolls, in good condition, can go from $16,000-18,000.

Thanks to Donna of cameomoon for this article!

WSOAPP March Offerings

Spring is just around the corner and we at WSOAPP are celebrating with Our March theme...

"Treasured Memories of a Vintage Past"

Here are just a few Spring creations to drool over! These... and so much more... will be available on our website: WSOAPP MARKET STREET SHOPPES on March 7th!

Pie Birds

First of all, some of you may be asking... just what is a Pie Bird? Well Pie Birds, also known as Pie Funnels, Vents, or Chimneys, are little ceramic, glass or earthenware creations that have been used since Victorian times. They are "steam vents" that are placed in the center of fruit and meat pies while cooking to prevent the pie from boiling over in the oven. When the pie filling is cooking, they allow the steam to escape from inside the pie. Pie Birds also support the pastry crust in the center of the pie, so that it did not sag in the middle.

These amazing pieces of art are very useful to have around, but the real joy of these little guys is their beauty. The most common is the black bird, and over the years, more animals and characters have joined their ranks.

Of course, if you are going to collect Pie Birds, do your home work and watch out for replicas. For example, the Black Chef from the 1950's wears a white chef’s hat has a long thin white spoon and a blue, green, or yellow smock, and is valued at around $150. The replica's spoon is round with glaze crazes. Look carefully at the vent holes and make sure they are about the diameter of a pencil, as repros usually have a small vent or absurdly, no vent hole.

I started collecting pie birds a few years ago when I stumbled on them by accident on ebay. I dutifully got a couple of collectable books to get me started and a few smarts...

...and I have enjoyed the thrill of the hunt for unique and affordable funnels and birds. Of course, there are those I must pass up if they go beyond my budget, but mostly I collect the ones that appeal to me. Here's a some pictures of a few of my collection. Some I got for a little... some for a little more! :o)