Archive for the ‘Antique Dolls’ Category

Christmas in July

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Following is an excerpt from a letter on December 7th, 1980 from one antique doll collector to another:

Dear Dorothea,

Was in Danvers, Mass. yesterday for the DCA (Doll Collectors of America) Christmas meeting.  An excellent luncheon, and the room was decorated with a tree and packages as I have a feeling they had a party there the night before.  Our program was lovely with the same member giving the program as did last year.  This time she read a poem first which was a bit humorous and then she shifted to the more serious and read the story of the first creche as she had found it.  I don’t know where she found the story, but she read it beautifully, and much of it, she knew so did not just read it, but told it.  Then members who had creche figures told about theirs.  I have a lovely one but somehow did not think to take it.  A lovely start to the Christmas holiday season.  All good wishes, Ruth

Doll Collectors of America was still in existence and hosting doll meetings,  luncheons and conventions during  the 1990’s, but I am not sure if they are still  around today.  I haven’t heard anyone mention this organization in ages, and I was never a member of DCA, only UFDC (you can go to www.ufdc.org for more info).  After Dorothea passed away, I purchased her entire doll collection, including this dapper male parian doll.  As she had no heirs, I was also allowed to keep many of her personal photo albums and correspondence.  This Christmastime  letter sent by Ruth to Dorothea captures the magic and enthusiasm of antique doll collecting circa 1980 and also shows the strength of their friendship as fellow collectors.   How dear of Ruth to take the time to describe the creche figure program to Dorothea, who apparently could not attend the meeting.  I never knew Dorothea, but I feel like I do from the dolls, letters, and photographs she left behind.  You can read more about Dorothea by visiting her page on my site; find it by clicking on the Site Map of www.debrasdolls.com.  I have kept a few of her dolls for myself and sold off most of them over the years, however there are still a few available for sale on the Antique Dolls pages of my site. Maybe you would like to acquire one of Dorothea’s dolls for your own collection and carry on her love of antique dolls?

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Dolls in Bloom

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

This is a painting of me gardening in front of the shop, done years ago when the shop was yellow and I had time to garden.  I hope to get back to it again someday.  In the meantime, I tend to all of the dolls in bloom here at my shop.  They are like flowers and I like to make arrangements with them.  Dolls and flowers are a very natural pairing.   So many antique dolls feature flower patterns on their original costumes, or carry miniature bouquets, or flower decorated bonnets.  This  antique Lenci doll, which I just acquired yesterday, retains her original hat adored with beautiful felt flowers.  The hat is magnificent, don’t you think?  So even though my real flowers outside are ignored for now, I am content tending to the dolls, and happy that some flowers in my garden (like this old hydrangea bush) have survived in spite of a my neglect.

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Doll Shop Owner – Job Description

Friday, June 25th, 2010

At Debra’s Dolls we buy, sell, appraise, restore & consign dolls.  As jobs go, this is definitely a fun one.  I can honestly say that I love every aspect of what I do aside from the paperwork and inventory updates. (And one other minor grievance  which I will mention at the end of this post).  Today I had the pleasure of returning two dolls to their original owners after they had been lovingly restored.  The first was a baby doll from the late 1970’s which was thought to have been lost long ago, only to be rediscovered after a move.  The second was an adorable Mary Hoyer from the 1950’s which Andrea, our talented doll doctor, resurrected to her former glory.  I helped a knowledgeable and devoted Kathe Kruse collector add to her already impressive collection (thank you, Jessica) and got to photograph this stunning all-original antique poured wax Pierotti baby doll for my July 1st site update.  I just got this doll in and you can see that I am completely infatuated with her.  Most of you already know that wax dolls are my favorites; you can read all about my longtime love affair with them on the ARTICLES page of my site.  Yes, buying and consigning antique dolls is clearly the favorite part of my job.  I am always excited to get my hands on a rare doll find.  And this brings me to my definite least favorite part of my job, my only real complaint: letting a fabulous doll like this go.  I am comforted only by the knowledge that it will find a home with someone who loves antique wax dolls with the same intensity that I do.  Maybe it will go home with you?

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Doll Appraisals

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Offering doll appraisal sevices is a lot like having Christmas every day of the year.  During normal store hours, customers can bring a doll to the shop for a $15 appraisal fee.  I never know what will walk through the door and am frequently delighted by what I find.  Ten years ago on my birthday, a New Jersey resident brought in a doll which had been in her family.  It was wrapped in a black garbage bag without the added protection of bubble wrap or tissue paper.  I was thrilled to discover that her family doll was a Bebe Modele by Bru, circa 1879-80, on its original articulated woden body and featuring the desirable Circle Dot head model.

This doll was so rare that it was chosen to be included in Theimer & Theriault’s The Bru Book (2001 revised edition).  This was a particularly lucky birthday for me, as I was able to negotiate a price with the owner, purchase it, and then later resell it to a lovely collector from the West Coast who later became a good friend.  Just two weeks ago, this rare Simon & Hailbig character, in completely original clothes, was brought into the shop for an appraisal.  I am hoping that it comes back to stay, as I would love to buy this doll or consign it for the owner.  Cross your fingers- maybe you will see it for sale on the character doll pages of my site in the near future.  If you have a doll and would like to find out the value and have it identified, be sure to check out the APPRAIALS page of our site.  Sorry, doll appraisals are only done in person, at the Mullica Hill doll shop, but it might be worth the drive and the $15 fee to find out you have a real treasure.

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