See Below; Linda's Dollie Storage Blog

After Midsummer and Anne Rice Auction

Even though I can't attend or buy anything, I am eagerly awaiting the commemorative catalog of the auction by Theriault's this July 18th that contains dolls from the Anne Rice collection and from the "collection" of Victor Hugo's granddaughter. I suppose if there is such a thing as an English major's doll auction, this is it! Rice's dolls have been included in so many of her books that I feel as if they are family and part of my album.

Other news: Dr. E's is now on Facebook, and we are picking up Twitter followers.

Lydia, the dream china head arrived. Even my husband was impressed. Her face is a creamy pink luster finish, and the vertical curls are fantastic. Her maker did everything right, down to the flat period boots. I can't wait to set up a web and real exhibit of all the china heads in Dr. E's. They have always been the quintessential antique doll for me.

Now that it is truly summer, many of us will be on the yardsale, rummage sale, garage sale trek. Just last week, I wasn't looking, and I found Boot Camp Barbie, very unique, a lovely 2' hand carved pre-Columbian figure, three bronze models of famous Parisian buildings on a marble base, and assorted tiny items for shadowboxes. I left other things, including a very nice sword with a bone handle. Too dangerous to have around my eleven year old, and difficult to store at this point. But, My Point [no pun intended!] is that I've always had a good eye. For those who are interested in these adventures, read Evelyn Chisman's Small Dolls and Other Collectibles. Though she wrote the book some thirty years ago, Chisman's idea and advice is still sound. She talks about the possibility of using her hobby to create a little income, though I confess, I don't sell my finds. I donate them to my silent auction gift baskets, and look for my friends' collections. Yet, she is right, that at any given sale, there are dolls, doll related items, craft items, small porcelain items, records, ephemera, books, and other collectibles that could be turne into cash on eBay, Etsy, Yahoo auctions, Amazon, etc. They could be incorporated into items sold at craft stores, or consigned for a little extra cash. I see lots of Barbie items, and Strawberry Shortcake memorabilia. These could be added to a retrospect of the different dolls that have been available. Even clothes and shoes have doll logos and character logos like the afore mentioned dolls, and also G.I. Joe, He-man and She-ra, Bugs Bunny, Precious Moments, Flintstones, etc.

Sales like this are also great places for holiday items and vintage Christmas ornaments. I found a whole stash of the Hallmark little houses in a handmade basket for $1.00 two years ago. These are great collectibles to pair with dolls, or terrific office gifts. They will be unique and appreciated. There is also a market for these items online, so again, you can make some spare change.

Hope all is well and remains so. Till next time, Happy Dolling.

Facebook

Dr. E's is now on Facebook. Wish us luck!

Midsummer Night's Eve

"if these shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended . . . "

Such wonderful words, that have inspired such art. Ilove Midsummer, and remember many happy trips out west with my mom and dad,where we looked at fossil shops, and reconstructed forts. I loved Wyoming with its Jackalopes and Little America, and the mainstay of my Native American doll and silver jewelry collection came from those trips. There was a store we visited called The Boardwalk in Wyoming every year. The dolls there were real works of art, and I also used to find old comp dolls and old store stock, including tiny ethnic bisque babies from Germany and occuped Japan. We were nervous to get there on time; the elderly owner used to let us in, but the younger workers closed at five on the dot. Sometimes, we couldn't make it. We loved the rock tumbling places, and there was a great little craftstore loaded with old store stock one year near Billings that had all kinds of folk dolls. My first peanut doll, a cowby mounted on a tiny peace of driftwood was from there.

We visited the inn at The Grand Canyon, The Petrfied Forest, Old Spanish Town in Albuquerque, Old London Bridge in Lake Havasu, and the memories are as vivid as anything I see on a daily basis. One year we went to Colorado Springs and Yellow Stone, and we stayed in a cabin. A bear came right up my mom's window and looked her in the eye. Dad said it was professional courtesy. Very funny, sort of our totem of the cave bear moment. The dolls and souvenirs from these trips form the heart of the museum collection. I can't wait to display them all with their stories.

Birthdays and other small tragedies

Ah, another birthday, and always near Father's Day. My dad no longer allows holidays of any kind, and I recieved an envelope with "Happy Whatever" written on it and a Snoopy sticker. Oh well. My husband took me galavanting around our local university town, where we hit the most amazing thrift shops in the world. I found wonderful metal dolls, and a Medieval cookie doll made from an old ginberbread mold.It is very similar to the baptismal dolls of clay my late friend Mary Hillier portrayed in Dolls and Doll Makers. There were wonderful foreign costume dolls that came home with us, and a German mechanical cyclist for our eleven year old. My husband who is great about these things picked out some very old bisque dolls for me, icnluding a very sweet black bisque boy in miniature wearing overalls. I have also done well eBay and etsy. One metal head girl arrived with her own wardrobe of homespun and cotton petticoats. Her shoes are homemade knitted slippers with soles. All are put away safely, and we managed to clean today and make the house look liveable. I am trying to post a picture of the Lyhdia style vintage china head I just won. When I was little, I lusted after those long banana curls that spilled vertically down each side of the doll's face. It is the third birhtday without my mother, and it is very hard to take. When I look for the dolls, or browse for them, I can hear her whisper, "better get that one, too!" I took her passion flowers and lilies today, in honor of the flowers we used to plant.

One gallery in the museum will be the dolls she dressed and knitted for. Till later, to all,Happy Dolling!

Welcome!

Welcome to Uneek Musings! He most beautiful historical dolls, and in miniature,no less, that I have ever found are on this site. I am inspired to create miniature historical venues for them and am tempted to focus on tiny dolls forever!

Tomorrow is my birthday, and a landmark one at that, but it is hardly going by, not even with a bubble and squeak. I have been finiding metal dolls on ebay and etsy that are very good and also interesting. It has taken me about ten years, but I think I'm getting the hang of if! Dr. E's is also picking up some Twitter followers and considering facebook!

We have had rain and more rain, and terrible, windy storms where the streets flood, then recede. After the disasters re floods of the last two years, I am very thankful nothing has happened. It is not fun being in the middle of the remodeling mess, but it is better than the alternative.

Happy Midsummer, especially to those who love and collect fairy dolls! Remember Cindy McClure? Till later.

Metal Heads

Typcial Monday; it's pouring rain, and I was sniped on these heads for $1.00 on eBay! Lovely metal heads, which look like they are flapper heads from the twenties, possibly meant for boudoir dolls. Well, it happnes, but my motto is there is always another doll. Are there any more like these out there?