Shirley Paxman founded the McCurdy Doll Museum in 1978 in Provo, UT and named it for Laura Christensen McCurdy who provided more than 3,000 dolls. Paxman commissioned the set of figures in this exhibition directly from Lews Sorensen. Correspondence between Paxman and Sorensen regarding the set began in 1979 and concluded in 1985 shortly before his death.
Born in 1910, Sorensen became one of America's premier creators of wax dolls. The subject of numerous newspaper articles, Sorensen gained a broad reputation for his life-size wax figured, and a general reputation as an outstanding sculptor. He invented a unique wax technique that is soft enough to carve, but firm enough to resist melting. Appearing in this exhibit is a series of 24" - 30" tall "Father Christmas" dolls (3 of whom, interestingly, are female) representing traditions from a variety of nations. The life-like, and individual character of each ornately clothed figure adds charm to the stories of their origin.
