1. "Meet and greet!"
Posted by Stefani on Mar-12th-03 at 9:07 AM

We have a slew of new members lately, and quite a number are posting away!

Welcome Artslady,Stargazer, haulover, Stuart, Njwolfe, and all others who have chosen to lurk for now.

From time to time I make a formal invitation for members to introduce themselves, if they so desire. So please, consider yourselves invited! Tell us a little about yourself and what got you interested in this case. I know you all have fascinating tales to tell!

(Message last edited Mar-12th-03  9:11 AM.)

Thank you Stefani!  I have been enjoying reading the posts,
rekindled my interest in the case.  I am a 54 yr. old lady
who got interested in Lizzie many years ago, read every book
I could get my hands on, went to the conference in 1992 and
subscribed to the newsletter published by Jules R. and I am
happy I saved all my copies, been reading over them, great stuff.
It is hard to explain the fascination, I love true-crime
stuff and trying to understand human nature I guess. Also I love
to read everything about the Victorian era, lately I am researching
a doll-maker from the late 1800's, Ella Smith. Someday if I can
ever retire I would like to write a book, not about Lizzie specifically but definitely about that time and place in New
England.  I hope the other newcomers and oldtimers too will share a little here also,  Thanks again, Nancie

Wow!  You and I have something in common besides Lizzie.  Are you a doll collector?  What have you found out about Ella Smith?  My parents used to live in Roanoke, AL, but unfortunately that was after I left home and before I began collecting dolls.  (Drat!)  What kinds of research are you doing?
 
As some of the people here know, I'm a female of a "certain age," soon to be a great-grandmother.  I live in Northern Virginia.  I'm a longtime doll collector, dealer and appraiser and also have dealt in some other antiques.  My interest in the Borden case grew out of a trip to the B&B in 1998, after which I began reading everything I could get my hands on.  I've found a couple of doll connections in the Borden case.  At the trial, an "ordinary doll" (probably a chinahead) was used to show where the wounds were on the Bordens' heads, and later, after the girls left 92 Second Street, the barn on the property was supposedly used as a kewpie-doll factory.  I've been unable thus far to find out anything more about the dolls that were made there.  It's possible they were only dressed on the premises. 

Wow, thats news to me, Edisto, about the Kewpie dolls.  What an interesting find! 

Edisto, that is such a coincidence, my boss is the great
grand daughter of Ella Smith and got me interested in the dolls
and history. She was quite a lady and businesswoman back in 1890,
she received many patents for her inventions, her Dad is ruputed to
have invented the bed spring.  She was a large lady who wore a black
cape and had a talking parrot on her shoulder, quite a character
in town.  My boss has 2 original dolls, the black "Alabama Babies"
sell for big bucks now because there weren't that many produced.
I have a theory that Ella invented "plastic" way before anyone
else, her doll was advertized as the "indestructable doll" and the
method of making the mold was always a mystery.  Ella had a locked
room that noone could enter... it is a fascinating story.

Nice to meet you njwolfe!
Thanks for telling about yourself.
Hope to be hearing from others soon, as well

We've been having a good time chatting with haulover & Stuart and Stargazer etc. Oh and new Ross and it would be nice to hear something about each of you?