My Rag and Bone Dolls Collection

I am stunned to see that I have no posts about artist Jana Seven of Rag and Bone Dolls. Of all the artists in my Halloween art collection, she is the most represented! Have I subconsciously been keeping her to myself? I don't think so. I talk about her with other collectors all the time. 

It could be that Jana releases her art in collections all at once and they sell out very quickly. I really can't post ahead of time about what you might find. She gives very little notice before she opens her shop. The other reason could be that I know that she doesn't consider herself a Halloween artist and I haven't wanted to put that label on her. However after a great deal of thought and discussion with fellow collector Kristen Stafford, I've come to the conclusion that I collect works by artists that fit in with my curated art collection which, if I have to define it, focuses on Halloween, memento mori, and folk tales. Jana Seven surely wouldn't dispute that she fits well in the last two descriptors. 

With that in mind, I want to share with you the Rag and Bone Dolls figures and printed pieces I have in my collection. These are not for sale. However, if you like what you see, I strongly suggest you sign up for Jana's emails. You'll get a heads-up when a collection is about to hit her shop.

The first piece I purchased from Jana was The Poppy Sisters in 2020 which were part of a traveling circus/freak show collection. I love that there is almost always a story that comes with your piece. 

"The Poppy Sisters were discovered on SchröderstraBe when they were just eight years old. And although many performers were mistreated while touring with the circus, the Poppy Sisters were not. There were befriended by royalty, had their own elaborate traveling carriage and were courted by many suitors throughout their long lives. However, their own company was enough, and spurned all advances. Their riches were untold and their adventures many. Long live the Poppy Sisters!"

Groundskeeper Matthew and Goodwyfe Eliza were purchased in 2021 and are part of the Foundling Asylum collection. They arrived in their own coffin. The story about the collection is that a sickness came to Little Northrup, Maine where the Foundling Asylum was located deep in the woods. Everyone died. The sickness was passed person to person. Matthew had been the Groundskeeper at the Asylum since it was built and he was twelve years old. His wife Eliza helped Matthew with his work.

I purchased the 3 pumpkin figures between 2021 and 2023. I decided to hang them together in a metal serving tray I had. The first piece I purchased and shortest figure is Jean-Baptiste. Her story is that "In certain forgotten corners of New England, when pumpkins are harvested under a full moon, a wee baby demon is uprooted from the underworld and is forever in the care of the pumpkin." Jean-Baptiste's little demon is called The Great Roar. The green pumpkin is called Elizabeth and her Li'l Satan. I purchased the gentleman pumpkin at an in-person show in 2023 hosted by the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn. 

Igrid the goat has a map stitched into her dress so that she doesn't get lost. She was purchased in 2024. 

I was very excited to be able to purchase a piece from Jana's Forgotten Saints collection earlier this year. I had watched her social media posts about the creation of the various saints and when her shop finally opened I could hardly breathe. I really wanted a saint that spoke to me, but knew I wouldn't have much time to make a decision (we're talking minutes) Fortunately, my eyes fell on Saint Marit, Patron Saint of Sitting Quietly and I pounced! Sitting quietly for 20 minutes is a morning habit I had started during the Covid years. I was thrilled. Because all of the Forgotten Saints were amazing, I also purchased the beautifully decorated cards of the entire collection of saints. 

Are you starting to understand my obsession with these figures? 

My most recent purchase was a Hex Doll called Ella.  I have been intrigued with these type of antique dolls for many years. Some people call them topsy-turvy dolls because you can flip the dress up and there is another doll underneath. The description that came with Ella is as follows:

"Ella is a two-sided Hex Doll. She is carved of wood and inspired by a hex doll in Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. The Ella side is used for good spells, and you an also flip her over to use the skull side for bad curses."

Finally, I purchased a printed copy of a collection Jana made about death. Jana's husband John Seven did the photography for the soft-bound book. The collection of embroidered words and sculpted figures was created as a special exhibition at the Morbid Anatomy Library in 2023. It is a solemn, thoughtful, and heartfelt letter to Death. I absolutely love it and hope that it will be published in a hard cover edition at some point.

If you would like to learn more about Jana Seven, visit her website janaseven.art and make sure you sign up for her Raggedy Bones newsletter. The website also has a shop where you can find postcards and prints of many of her pieces.