Mitchelle Stephenson — For the Capital Melanie Turner, a volunteer at the Capt. Salem Avery House Museum, arranges one of the 100 dolls recently donated to the museum by the Stockton family.
Vilma Stockton was either a full- or part-time resident of Shady Side for most of her life. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1929, she was a permanent resident in her home on the West River for over 25 years, until she died in early August of this year.
Word recently came from her son, Charles, that the Stockton family is donating over 100 of Vilma's handcrafted porcelain dolls to the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, which operates the Capt. Salem Avery House Museum, where Vilma was a member.
The museum will keep a number of the dolls, but plans to auction off individual dolls as a fundraiser.
The dolls will be on display and sale during the upcoming West River Heritage Day festival on Oct. 18. Museum Director Laurel Fletcher is excited to have the collection.
"I think it is fantastic that we have something made by people in the local community," Laurel said. "So many things we buy as souvenirs are produced outside of our country, it is nice to see the wonderful things handmade by local craftsmen," she said.
Last Saturday, Pat Freiburg and Melanie Turner, two museum volunteers, took the collection in and began sorting through the dolls and their sometimes-elaborate costumes.
Vilma created the dolls over a 10-year period beginning in the 1990s. Although her eyesight was deteriorating during that time, she continued to paint on the dolls' faces and sew their outfits, handcrafting each mannequin.
There is a Huck Finn-type doll, with a fishing pole and wooden fishing bucket. He has red hair and perfect freckles across his nose. He is wearing a plaid shirt and denim overalls - all made by Vilma.
There is an old grandmother and grandfather who stand together. The grandfather has two small corncob pipes sticking out of his overalls, while the grandmother has a weathered face and a perfect replica of a calico, prairie-style dress.
Vilma, an African American, made black, white and Native American dolls. There are period-themed dolls, like the Victorian dolls dressed in stockings, petticoats and an elaborate purple hat with fuchsia bird plumage, pink flowers and white lace. There is a Father Christmas with white hair and white fur trimming his robe, and a priest and nun.
Melanie said that in looking through the boxes of costumes, she's been surprised by some of the things she has found.
"There is a hat from a New York City millinery shop, the 'House of Style,' " Melanie said. "She really went out of her way to get the details right," she said.
Melanie is in charge of the museum gift shop. She said that once the dolls are inventoried and appraised, she will take appointments from prospective buyers to see the dolls.
Pat, who was a friend and neighbor to Vilma, said that Vilma had suffered through a brain tumor and that friends and neighbors had greatly helped in her final months.
"This is a really special gift for the museum. She was a loving and special person and I think she would be thrilled to know that we have her dolls on display here at the museum," Pat said.
To make an appointment to see the dolls, call the museum at 410-867-4486.
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