William F. Goodwin Patent Walking Doll - Circa 1870 and Other Autoperipatetikos Walking Dolls

Have you ever heard of the William F. Goodwin Patent Walking Doll - Circa 1870 or seen one of the video's of it walking?  I hadn't and was delighted to not only see pictures of these dolls, but to see a couple of video's. They are totally delightful dolls and I would love to see one.

The Early American Toy Stevens & Brown Goodwin Patent Walking Doll, shown in the video above,  is from the Antique Toys and Automata website.

If you'd like to see how the doll walks please click on the video above.

According to their description:  We are pleased to offer for your consideration a wonderful early American, circa 1872, clockwork toy called "The Improved Automatic Walking Doll" more commonly called the Goodwin's Patent Walking Doll .  

This beautiful toy was by manufactured by The Stevens and Brown Company in Connecticut and appears in their 1872 catalog on page four. The ad displays the wood carriage but the script introduces the "improved" tin carriage version.

The clockwork motor for this toy is hidden under the carriage seat and it drives the rear axle, propelling the toy forward in a circle. As the carriage moves forward, the doll follows and her metal jointed legs move up and down allowing her to walk along as if she is pushing the carriage. Her ankles also flex, making for a very realistic “walking” motion so be sure to watch the video above. A hard or polished surface will not allow the doll to walk, the pins on her feet must catch slightly to cause the mechanism to function (she walked best for us on concrete).

I found them to be totally charming so, of course, I had to find out more. Here's what I found:

The mechanical doll’s legs were patented by William Farr Goodwin Jan 22nd 1867 & Aug25th 1868.

The Stevens & Brown Clockwork Goodwin's Patent Walking Doll circa 1870 shown in the video below is from the Antique Toys and Automata website.

If you'd like to see how this doll walks please click on the video below.

The Molly Brinkerhoff Doll - Buried With A Family's Cherished Possession During The Revolutionary War

When I was doing my "History of Faceless Dolls" research I ran across another doll that I was intriqued with and wanted to know more.  She was also around in the colonial times and had an amazing history. It seems she was loved so much she was buried in a chest by her owners with other cherished possessions when the British invaded Long Island and then dug up later when the war was over.

Can you imagine loving a doll so much you want to safeguard her during a war? I certainly can.

While she wasn't pertinent to my research on "faceless" dolls I just had to know more. While there wasn't a lot of information on her there was some. Here's what I found.

The Chicago Tribune in 1948 had an article in their Books Alive column by Vincent Starrett that was reviewing a book "The Dolls of Yesterday" by Eleanor St. George (Scribner).

In their article they mentioned the Molly Brinkerhoff doll and said:  "YOU will not find the name of Molly Brinkerhoff in American history, and that is a pity, for she was a heroine of the Revolutionary War who merits our sympathy and respect. One of the oldest rag dolls in the United States, she has come down the years in fair condition, all things considered, and now lives in Vermont - aged perhaps 175 years - with her present owner, Mrs. Richard G. Miller of White River Junction."

"Molly is mother made of  old homespun linen stuffed with flax. Her hair and features are embroidered.  One arm now is missing, and her clothing has long since vanished: but with care she may last another century or two and survive seven more wars."

"Her adventures have already been notable.  Certain colonial Brinkerhoff kids loved her and wept to leave her when the British army swept toward their Long Island home. They hid her in a chest, with other treasures, and buried her in the sands of Long Island, then fled with their parents before the tide of war. Later, when the war was over, she was resurrected and restored to her adoring family."

"After her mother's death, Mrs. Miller -a direct descendant of two colonial famiies - found Molly in her attic, together with a plaque that had accompanied her to some fund-raising fair in Civil War times.  The plaque reads:"

Molly Brinkerhoff

I am not made of dust or wax,

But homespun linen stuffed with flax,

No human being treads the earth

That was alive at Molly's birth.

Many scores have I, old Molly,

Kept the Brinkerhoff children jolly.

During the war of '76

I ofken chest deep in the sand

I was buried on Long Island strand.

There safe from British and Tories I lay

Til the last of the redcoats skedaddled away.

"There is no signature, but the poet is obviously Molly herself, writing perhaps on her hudreth birthday.  The note of quiet authority is unmistakable."

In the book  "Cloth Dolls From Ancient to Modern - A Collector's Guide With Values by Linda Edward" there is a mention of the Molly Brinkerhoff doll on page 8 that said, "A Revolutionary America period doll known as Molly Brinkerhoff was oened by the Brinkerhoff children. She is 25 inches (63.5cm) tall and made of linen stuffed with flax. Her hair and features are neatly embroidered. She was held in such hig esteem by her owners that when the British troops advanced on Long Island, New York, she was buried in a chest on the Long Island Strand along with the other family valuables to protect her from the "Redcoats and torries." When the family returned home after the wa she was dug up again safe and sound to become a cherished family heirloom."

Also, according to The Information Please Girls' Almanac By Alice Siegel - Page 146, "Molly Brinkeroff - Molly was a doll that was buried by her owners along with their household goods when the British invaded Long Island in the days before the American revolution. When  Molly was dug up she became a keepsake for generations of Brinkeroffs, who associated her with that period in history."

I wish I had found more information on her and had found a picture.  I haven't yet, but I'll keep trying.

After 250 Years It's Still The Bangwell Putt Rag Doll

Image Courtesy of The Doll Book written in 1908 by Laura B. Starr

When I was doing my "The History of Faceless Dolls" research I ran across a faceless doll that was created in 1765 and, 250 years later, is still in existence.  It was included in the Memorial Hall Museum Online -  American Centuries....View From New England  website that allows you to "Explore American history with hands-on activities, exhibits, lessons, historic documents and artifacts."

The Children's Toys section of their online collection includes the Bangwell Putt Rag Doll which is a faceless rag doll that was made for Clarissa Field of Northfield, MA in 1765.

Here's what the website had to say about this doll, "Dolls could be purchased, but many people made them at home. A relative made this rag doll for Clarissa Field of Northfield, Massachusetts, around 1770. She named her Bangwell Putt. (Clarissa had several other dolls, all with equally fanciful names, including Pingo, Palica, Kimonarro, and Ebby Puttence.) Clarissa Field was born blind. Although Bangwell Putt lacks a face, her ten fingers were carefully made, suggesting the importance of touch in Clarissa's world. Like other little girls, Clarissa could use her doll to practice the skills she would need as an adult. She could dress and undress Bangwell, and sew fashionable clothes for her. Bangwell has a homespun body and is dressed in eighteenth-century fashion, including a corset. Clarissa also could tend Bangwell as a mother would a child. Clarissa never married. She kept Bangwell until she died in her eighties. Bangwell Putt is thought to be the oldest surviving rag doll in North America."

I became intriqued by this doll, especially her name, and wanted to see if there was more information on her. Here's what I found:

The History Of Faceless Dolls - Updated February 2015 - Part VIII - American Primitive, Prairie, Pioneer, Wagon Train, Appalachian and Folk Art Rag Dolls

In the book "Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern" by Linda Edward in Chapter 1 - Page 7 there is a wonderful illustration of a "faceless" 3rd century Roman rag doll made of linen, courtesy of Eric Edward, NVA.

In Chapter 3 - Page 20 of the "Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern" by Linda Edward there is a wonderful picture of a "faceless" Amish Doll from the late 20Th century and the Pennsylvania Dutch area.

If you'd like to read my "The Book Review Corner" blog review of "Cloth Dolls From Ancient To Modern please CLICK HERE.

According to Wikipedia.com, "A rag doll is a children's toy. It is a cloth figure, a doll traditionally home-made from (and stuffed with) spare scraps of material. They are one of the most ancient children's toys in existence; the British Museum has a Roman rag doll, found in a child's grave dating from the 1st-5th century AD.  " Amish dolls are a type of traditional American rag dolls which originated as children's toys among the Old Order Amish people. The best-known type have no facial features. Today, many rag dolls are commercially produced to simulate the features of the original home-made dolls, such as simple features, soft cloth bodies, and patchwork clothing."

The doll in the picture to the right is the Roman Rag Doll at The British Museum mentioned in the Wikipedia.com article. According to the museum it is a linen rag doll, filled with rags and papyrus, from the Roman, 1st-5th century AD, that was made in Egypt. If you would like to read more about this doll please click here.

As far as American rag dolls are concerned it doesn't matter if you call them primitive rag dolls, Appalachian dolls, prairie dolls, prayer dolls, wagon train dolls, or folk art dolls they're all basically cloth rag dolls and Americans have been making them since colonial times 1630 - 1762.

There are many different styles of primitive rag dolls.  Some are faceless, some have button eyes, some have hand embroidered or painted on simple faces, some have stitched fingers and toes, some have round heads while others have flat heads. Most are made from rags or scraps of cotton, calico or unbleached or stained muslin fabric and stuffed with fabric scraps, straw, or sawdust.