Name/Title
Ruth Mitchell's Doll Trunk, c. 1910Entry/Object ID
2021.134.1Description
Acc. No. 21.134.1
Subject Category: Citizens of Alameda
Date or Period: c. 1910
Object: doll trunk with contents
Description: A wooden trunk, painted a dark gray, reinforced with black metal riveted in place, and decorative metal on corner, hinges and lock, with divided cardboard box inset. Remnants of bailing handles are affixed to the sides. A paper label with 'No. 21' is affixed to the bottom. The trunk contains small size doll clothing, including underwear, hats, dresses, a fur coat and stole, a celluloid comb, and celluloid brush with mirror on the reverse. Also included is a booklet, titled 'Christmas Bells', 'Longfellow', which in turn has a clipping, of a restaurant, E.D. Judd & Co., 1424 Park Street.
Size trunk: L 14" x Depth 8 1/2" x Height 10"
History of Object: Trunk with contents of Ruth Mitchell (1897-c. 1912), oldest daughter of Wm. S. Mitchell and Margaret Sloane Mitchell (nee Hislop, b. 1875). In 1905 the Mitchells moved from San Francisco to 1525 St. Charles St., after their young son, Robert, was brutally murdered in his bed, with a hatchet, in 1901. The clothing in the trunk was - for the most part - made by Ruth's aunt Gertrude E. Latham (nee Hislop, b. 1874), wife of San Francisco printer and publisher and 1925 Alameda council member, Alfred Latham (1871-1935), who had moved into 1131 Bay Street by 1920. After his death, in 1936, Gertrude ran a cigar business out of the Alameda Hotel. After Ruth's death at 15, her toys, including the trunk with clothes, as well as four dolls and a doll tea set, were lovingly packed away. Ruth's sister Marion (b. c. 1907), married Alameda resident and engraver, Adolph Hintz, around 1933, and they lived at 1019 Grand Avenue, the house her parents were living in by 1920. The Hintzes moved away in 1985.
Since donation, the dolls have been stolen, likely during the time the museum was in the library basement, and the tea set has disappeared.
Acquired from: Marion Hintz (nee Mitchell)
Donation Date: Sept 1958; Catalog Date: December 4, 2021Interpretative Labels
Label
1/3/2021 MvL:
typed label on outside:
"THIS DOLL TRUNK WITH FOUR DOLLS AND COMPLETE WARDROBE WITH HATS, WAS DONATED TO ALAMEDA HISTORICAL SOC. BY MRS. MARION HINTZ 1019 GRAND ST. THE DRESSES AND HATS WERE HAND MADE BY MRS. ALFRED LATHAM."
Text on loose card (with central hole for inclusion in a card system):
"[typed:]Toys
Four old-fashioned dolls with complete wardrobe and hats, made by Mrs. Latham
One doll trunk One doll tea set
(over)
[upside down:]
Donor: Mrs. Marion Hintz 1019 Grand St. Sept. 1958
[handwritten:]
Doll trunk that originally belonged to Ruth Mitchell (born S.F.) she died at the age of 15. She was the daughter of Wm. S. Mitchell (original owner of 1525 St. Charles St. Mrs. Latham was the sister of Mrs. Wm. S. Mitchell (Margaret)
Marion Hintz, sister of Ruth, & donor of the trunk."
contents of handwritten note inside trunk:
"Marion Hintz
belonged to Ruth Mitchell
born in S.F.
1525 St. Charles.
daughter Wm S. Mitchell (who died at 15)
original owner 1525 St. Charles
Mrs. Lathan was the sister of (Margaret)
Mrs Wm. Mitchell
Trunk & china tea set"
