Graphite and Watercolor Schoolgirl Portrait: Laura, 1873 interlocking cage whimsy I had forgotten how much

I had forgotten how much fun it is to pose these mannequins because of their complete manipulability--which of course is the point

Handmade and hand-painted papier mache head and hand-sewn costume

Done in wool yarn on perforated paper

as a lover of old penmanship I like the idea of having Spencerian pen nibs art one’s disposal—and this box is full not just of Ivison & Phinney nibs

Berks County

Graphite and Watercolor Schoolgirl Portrait: Laura, 1873 interlocking cage whimsy I had forgotten how muchFour of these I found together, only one of them this one dated on the back, locating them all in 1873. It seems they may each have been done by a different school girl all with a different name signed to the back, as well as a different subject named on the front. (Perhaps collected by a teacher?) A customer recently noted to me that naive drawings of this sort make her heart beat faster and the same is true for me, just pure joy, and also offering a