A little research has led me to learn that the Dorothy Washburn--who made these three drawings on Boston hotel letterhead--was from a notable Boston family, who lived at least some of the time at 324 Beacon Street in Boston's Beacon Hill, in a beautiful brownstone erected by Washburn's grandfather and grandmother, Miles and Sarah, in 1880-1881. Records show that Dorothy and her brother Paul, and parents Paul and Mary, as well as grandmother Sarah also spent some time living in Boston hotels while renting out the Beacon Street house, so it makes perfect sense that her drawings from 1908 would have been done on Boston hotel stationary. And it seems Dorothy's father, pictured alone in one of the drawings, may have lived abroad for some of the time, as the later dated 1910, also included in this lot, has her sending him a truckload of kisses and looking forward to seeing him on a future trip abroad (as well as mentioning her recent sightseeing to view a couple of ships based in Boston, the Zeeland and the Canopic.)
In any event, I think the drawings are fabulous! One a self-portrait, one of herself along with brother and mother, and the third her father with wonderful little dog Spudy, chasing a butterfly, with "the bramble" to the rear of his house. All with most excellent hands, faces, and outfits!
Drawings measure 9 1/2" x 6" and are in very good condition--found folded up but I have been flattening them out and they will flatten out more. Letter measures 10" x 6 3/8" unfolded. Price is for the lot.
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