My Father’s Dolls: Build a Library
When my father died it was like a whole library burned down
World without end
Remember me
Laurie Anderson, World Without End, 1994
I saw Laurie Anderson perform this live in Milwaukee in 1995. It’s a lyric that stuck with me. It’s a song I played in the car on my way to hospice the last day my father could communicate with us.
My father passed, October 26th, 2023, at 6 pm sharp.
I am the daughter who now carries the family history. I have two step-brothers but, understandably, who he was to them in life is foremost to them…although they are more interested in his war time records than I am. I’m the last of his blood. I’m the one to carry on the familial past that existed before we did.
I have a few boxes of photos and records I have yet to open. Everything that needed to be shared with a historical society, like the documentation of my ancestors time on Catalina island or John “Juan” Robarts fighting with the 1st Baattalion, Native California Cavalry, my dad shared with them while alive
I also have my father’s dolls. He had a cousin who made these for family members. They’re intricate and delightful.
The Baseball player, his glove comes off.
There are also characters from Peter Pan.
Tiger Lily’s outfit has degraded the most and at some point I’ll need thin leather to re-make her outfit. She’s also lost her bow, arrow and quiver.
Tiger Lily is always difficult to deal with. There’s not much NOT racist about the depictions of Native people in Peter Pan.
I do appreciate that this doll has her in pants with a weapon, kitted out much the same way the Davy Crocket is.
He’ll also need shoes.
I’ve known I’ll be fixing them up, making new shoes to replace missing ones and new clothing for the outfits that have started falling apart.
Today I decided that I want to do more.. I want to make a way to both display and store them.
I want to use hardcover books to make individual and group doll trunks. Book on the outside. Scene on the inside in which the dolls can be stored/displayed
This is a rough example from a wiki page.
I’ve done similar things like my 100 yen shop Alice room
And my conspiracy room.
I’ve been taking steps to learn how to build my own doll trunk…which I will no doubt write about once my friend Red Chuck and I have made a wooden presentable box/trunk. Our first attempt is best left unseen.
(Photo of struggle box unavailable)
Either way, using a found hardcover and changing it to be a book/doll box diorama OR building a book-looking doll box/diorama will be how I make houses, and storage, for these.
The folksy/banjo doll and a picture of my father with one of his many banjos.
Thus I will start to create my own memorial library.
