Children of Japan

Children of Japan
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Hinges and Hearts

Hinges and Hearts
An Exhibit of our Metal Dolls

Tuxedo and Bangles

Tuxedo and Bangles

A History of Metal Dolls

A History of Metal Dolls
Now on Alibris.com and In Print! The First Book of its Kind

Alice, Commemorative Edition

Alice, Commemorative Edition
Courtesy, R. John Wright

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Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory

Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory
Her Grace wishes us all a Merry Christmas!

Annabelle

Annabelle

Emma Emmeline

Emma Emmeline
Our New Addition/fond of stuffed toys

Cloth Clown

Cloth Clown

Native American Art

Native American Art

the triplets

the triplets

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby
Bought Athens on the street

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Sand Baby Swirls!

Sand Baby Swirls!
By Glenda Rolle, courtesy, the Artist

Glenda's Logo

Glenda's Logo
Also, a link to her site

Sand Baby Castaway

Sand Baby Castaway
By Glenda Rolle, Courtesy the Artist

A French Friend

A French Friend

Mickey

Mickey
From our friends at The Fennimore Museum

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll
British Museum, Child's Tomb

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll
Among first "Toys?"

ushabti

ushabti
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Popular Posts

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase
Courtesy, Antique Daughter

Judge Peep

Judge Peep

Hakata Doll Artist at Work

Hakata Doll Artist at Work
From the Museum Collection

Japanese Costume Barbies

Japanese Costume Barbies
Samurai Ken

Etienne

Etienne
A Little Girl

Happy Heart Day

Happy Heart Day

From "Dolls"

From "Dolls"
A Favorite Doll Book

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Jenny Wren

Jenny Wren
Ultimate Doll Restorer

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Baby Boo 1960s

Baby Boo 1960s
Reclaimed and Restored as a childhood Sabrina the Witch with Meow Meow

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum
L to R: K*R /celluloid head, all bisque Artist Googly, 14 in. vinyl inuit sixties, early celluloid Skookum type.

Two More Rescued Dolls

Two More Rescued Dolls
Late Sixties Vinyl: L to R: Probably Horseman, all vinyl, jointed. New wig. R: Effanbee, probably Muffy, mid sixties. New wig and new clothing on both. About 12 inches high.

Restored Italian Baby Doll

Restored Italian Baby Doll
One of Dr. E's Rescued Residents

Dolls on Display

Dolls on Display
L to R: Nutcrackers, Danish Troll, HItty and her book, Patent Washable, Mechanical Minstrel, Creche figure, M. Alexander Swiss. Center is a German mechanical bear on the piano. Background is a bisque German costume doll.

A Few Friends

A Few Friends
These dolls are Old German and Nutcrackers from Dr. E's Museum. They are on loan to another local museum for the holidays.

Vintage Collage

Vintage Collage
Public Domain Art

The Merry Wanderer

The Merry Wanderer
Courtesy R. John Wright, The Hummel Collection

The Fennimore Doll Museum

The Fennimore Doll Museum

Robert

Robert
A Haunted Doll with a Story

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

The Cody Jumeau

The Cody Jumeau
Long-faced or Jumeau Triste

German Princesses

German Princesses
GAHC 2005

A Little PowerRanger

A Little PowerRanger
Halloween 2004

The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls
Shrine to Dolls in Mexico

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death
Doll House murder

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A lovely dress

A lovely dress

Raggedy Ann

Raggedy Ann
A few friends in cloth!

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI
Pixar Animator's Collection

Little PM sisters

Little PM sisters
Recent eBay finds

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Really old Dolls!

Really old Dolls!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

I will be Back; Finishing a Book

So, I will return, as my Gen. Macarthur doll might say. LOL!. More musings, and then a very brief hiatus. The competition factor involved in dolls is upsetting to me. [Note, I’m tying in Word and using sell check; hence I have the missing letter from the alphabet!].
Frankly, my advice to anyone is, there will always be another doll. I’ve read some version of this advice in Eleanor St. George’s books, in Helen Young’s, and in Clara Hallard Fawcett’s. A hobby is a retreat from the “slings and arrows of fortune,” and a way to handle stress and pursue personal enrichment. I will quote my friend R. Lane Herron here, a legend in the collecting and doll book/doll artists world, “ I don’t know what I would do without the dolls …” Lane and I have been regular correspondents since 1985 or 86, when I started writing With Love from Tin Lizzie; A History of Metal Dolls . . . That there will always be another doll is even truer of the most expensive commodities; just read the ads in the major magazines, or go to Ruby Lane or eBay, as well as other wonderful sites. There will always be a Tete Jumeau, or even a Jumeau Triste, and even Huret dolls are to be found for those with the funds and knowledge of where to look. The rare AT is found not so rarely at major auctions by Theriault’s , Frahsers, and others.
I take issue with terms like “serious” collector and “high end.” They dismiss many out there who write about dolls and doll history, and are not mad enough, or can’t afford to send upwards of $1000 on one doll, or more likely, upwards of $10,000. We at the museum will not deny we have our share of high end or “serious” collectibles, but we also find that though we love them, they are not the examples that make visitors smile. Again, note, All Dolls are Collectible, to paraphrase another legend, Genevieve Angione.
My issue with some major clubs and organizations is that, as one major dealer I know puts it, they have become cliquish. I was horrified when I offered to donate a coy of my Bibliograhy of Dolls and Toys to the most venerated and oldest doll club of all to receive a letter stating that if I wanted to sell my book, I could take out an ad.
I wasn’t trying to sell anything; it was a donation to their museum, and all I would have wanted, at most, was someone to review it honestly, as the lovely family of Doll Castle News did.
Of course, it is crucial to encourage and inspire other collectors. Dolls are a luxury, but there are many wonderful dolls to be found and many fit within any budget. I don’t like being copied, either, but I take imitation as a form of flattery in general. I started with foreign/international dolls and then antiques, slowly incorporating my childhood dolls, characters and celebrities and others. My collecting model was influenced by Helen Young, Janet Johl, and others like them who collected good, and varied general collections. I admire those who specialize in only one type of doll, but I also get bored with that kind of collection after a while. That’s just me. Having said that, I focus on metal dolls and mechanical dolls in my collection, and have sub collections of Frozen Charlottes, Greek Dolls, ritual dolls, and Hispanic dolls.
I have come to refer going to doll shows alone; whoever I am with suddenly becomes a collector, or wheedles me into giving him/her something I found and bought first, or I have to deal with other folks’ schedules and time issues.
Do your own thing, and keep your ideas to yourself. Or, you will find everyone is suddenly into foreign dolls and metal dolls, and soon, they will try to publish your ideas. Not good.
In any case, stay collectors; remember why you began, kudos to dealers who also collect and are knowledgeable. It is great to make a living off what you love, but let’s to the grade school competition and the elitist behavior. If dolls do tell the story of all humanity, let’s be the bards of a harmonious chorus, not a cacophonous chorus of noise pollution.
I’ll be back soon!!

I will be Back!

So, I will return, as my Gen. MacArthur doll might say. LOL!. More musings, and then a very brief hiatus. The comeition factor involved in dolls

More Soon and some Musings!

I thank all of nearly 30,000 folks who have read, commented and viewed this blog. I have some notes and comments for today, but have slowed down on blogs because I am finishing a book, a novel this time, and because my keyboard needs fixing, I'm missing a key letter, hint: "we like ie ala mode!" Musings: On Sunday Morning, a story on drones, that are radio controlled. One was a tiny hummingbird, just like the a small automaton, or more accurately, animatron. It was smilar to the little bird in the cage made by Roullet and others during the 19th c. I was noticing real estate values again this week, with an eye to what is doable for our brick/mortar museum. I see more and more that may work. So, we inch closer to our goal. Emma cat, who's image is on this blog, continues to collect her "dolls." There is a marionette mouse toy she likes very much; I have it talk to her in French, and she listens attentively. We recently learned Emma is related to the Hatfields through one of her former owners, so we have a cebrity to deal with! To our friend Debbie at Uneek Designs, your Richard III and consort are fantastic! We send all good wishes for your recent major move. My hands are a little better, but I still can't keyboard very well, and not not having a letter to work with is a challenge. RE doll collecting, try Kindle; there are many books to browse and to buy, if you choose, with key words history of doll collecting, doll collecting, dolls, antique doll. There are authors I have not heard of before and am including in my bibiliograhy, second edition. Lately, I have found many antique cards with dollson them, many from now defunct museums, which are a great research tool. I have bought some tiny English metal dolls, and have also colected modern bisques that hit the sales racks in unlikely venues, including some by Dynasty, a firm that was quite successful in the 80s, and a detailed bride by Seymour Mann, one of my favorite doll makers because they are the mother and father of novelist Erica Jong, [Fear of Flying}.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013