I found this photo in my mom’s childhood photo album. She’s holding a very large doll. So I asked her about it, and she told me that somebody from Grandpa’s side of the family gave her that doll. She remembers the doll very well, but some of the details surrounding the doll were a little hazy, as with most memories from long ago.
Mom’s guess was that maybe it was Aunt Tena’s doll. Aunt Tena was married to Grandpa’s Uncle Joe DeKorn, and they lived in Grand Rapids. Their sons, Grandpa’s cousins, were Philip and Richard. So I examined the background in the photo. The rock garden is probably the most distinctive feature.
Phil DeKorn’s album that Sue sent me has several photos of the outside of their house in Grand Rapids. But was there a rock garden? Every photo is from a little different angle and cuts off the sides at different places. Some of the photos led me to believe Mom’s photo was taken at the DeKorn home. Then I found this one with the rock garden, and I was sure. It’s Phil just before enlisting in 1943.
It might even have been Uncle Joe’s camera that took both photos. I’m guessing Mom’s photo was taken a few years earlier, perhaps 1939.
This is definitely the same rock garden. Did you notice that the little girl has the same skirt as the doll?
Thank you for corroborating the rock garden! I was so pleased when I figured out the angle that it was the same. I really doubt it my mother is wearing the same skirt as the doll. I think the dress could be long or it could be another layer of skirt that has fallen down because stitches have come out. A matching outfit doesn’t really fit my mother’s memories. Thanks, Mary!
Hi Luanne ~ the rock garden looks different to me in the photo’s. Aside from the obvious, lack of stairs or cement walkway. I then looked at the house in the background of Phil’s photo to compare with the two. The color and siding, slating along with the roof line looks the same. I am agreeing the same home, different location and the love of rock gardens 🙂 Could the other 2 buildings in the background be clues you could match up too? That is some doll your moms holding. lost as big as her!
I feel pretty positive it’s the same rock garden. If you look at Phil’s photo and if you were the photographer you moved to the right you would get the right angle for my mom‘s picture. Of course it’s always possible that they had a lot of rocks in their yard. As long as they weren’t rocks in their head lol.
lol, thats funny.
No wonder she remembered the doll! Any idea what’s on the top of that very tall pole.
Wow! I have no idea. Good question!!!
I am sorry, Sharon, but I disagree. If you look at the cement behind and next to the little girl, you can see the start of the path. The tree is there, too. The angles are different.
Yup!!!
Excellent example of sleuthing out clues to stories by comparing what we know of multiple photographs!
Have you tried to find out the maker and date of the doll? May help with your investigation!
I have not. I don’t think it would help too much because I already know that my mom and now that we know where the picture was taken and it confirms her memory that the doll came from Aunt Tena. It could be that the doll comes from aunt Tena’s childhood, but the main thing was to identify the photo location for me.
You are correct, the doll has an extra long dress, not part of your mother outfit. However, the many buckleon her shoes must have taken 10 minutes to fasten! Also, the item on the long pole is a birdhouse
Amazing. Have you ever seen a birdhouse that high?
Thank you!!!!
Wow, that is some doll. Is she wearing an outfit from some particular culture? Is your mom wearing a matching outfit? Or are my eyes deceiving me.
Excellent sleuthing!
Thank you 🙂. I doubt that she’s wearing an outfit from a particular culture. I think she’s wearing a pretty standard western culture outfit of a time before my mother was a child. I do not think my mother is wearing a matching outfit. Mary tthinks so but I am holding out for no.
I agree with Mary because I can’t figure out why a doll would have a dress that long!
I’m pretty sure that my mother did not have a matching outfit. It doesn’t fit her memory of the doll, and I think I see hints of her light color outfit at the side. I’m almost positive that that is all the doll.
OK, you’ve convinced me! 🙂
LOL
I notice that your mother has the tip of her tongue out in the photo. Was that typical for her? Her doll is intriguing. She looks like a fashion doll of some kind.
Lol! You are right about the tongue! I’ve never noticed that in her pictures before, not that I’ve seen that many of her this young. Maybe the photographer said something that made her do that? Yes, definitely fashion doll. Doesn’t look like the German and French dolls I’ve seen or dolls from the thirties. Her face is much more adult than the usual full cheeks and big eyes.
Yes, I thought the doll had quite an adult face.