American Doll and Toy Museum

We will be adding photos, beginning with ancient dolls, as an annexe to the museum; visit us on Facebook, Dr. E's Doll Museum, and on Twitter @Dr. E's Doll Museum. We also have Facebook pages Doll Universe, Antique Doll, and Dr. R. We are on Flickr under Ellen Tsagaris, and ISSUU as Old Dolls. Our other Twitter account is Old Dolls. On Instagram, we are ellen_tsagaris. In keeping with our new non profit name, we've changed the name of this blog. All we need now is the building!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: With Love from Tin Lizzie; A History of Metal Doll...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: With Love from Tin Lizzie; A History of Metal Doll...: See Below: Results 1-1 of 1 User Review - Flag as inappropriate We all have our own personal history shaped by the dolls that were p...

Monday, March 4, 2013

Types of Collectors and Favorite Doll Shops of the Past

Chronologically, we are on dolls of the early 19th century. The 19th century in general seems to be the heyday of doll making, and there are literally dozens of types of dolls made, and perhaps hundreds of manufacturers and makers. We will get back to them, and spend a significant amount of time on them. I like to digress now and then, to fill out the topic and peak readers' interests. I was ponderng over thew eekend after visiting another antique show and staying up late to read various antiques publications including The Collectors Journal, Fine Art, Treasures, and a few more. These are just my musings; I do not claim expertise, but am simply putting my thoughts on paper for you. Investors: These may be dealers, museums, private people, and at least one LLC I've come across. Dolls are an investment to them, more exclusively than to other collector types. They want only mint dolls, where possible, and high end dolls. If dealers, they may be highly specialized. Sentimental value is a commercial asset that makes the product marketable. This is a good way to make a living for good business people and those who love to study. It takes years of expertise to be a successful investor, and lots of hard lessons are learned along the way. It takes discipline and patience, just as play the stock market does. Investors will not buy a rare doll if it is in bad condition unless the restoration involved is economical and will enhance a doll's value. Investors have the pulse of the market; they survey what sells well, and stick with it. They are often good at auctions, at least those I know are. They like playing the game and are friendly and willing to share their knowledge. Dealers; they may be investors, or collectors selling items they are do not collect themselves. Some become dealers to learn the market and to learn where to buy better dolls. Dealers have to be good at marketing and at customer service. Like investors, they know a good deal, but to stay in business may depend on quick turn around. Storage may be a problem for them jsut as it is for other collectors. They may or may not have chattel mortgates taken out on their inventory, and may or may not have stores. Some dealers may also be certified appraisers. This involves taking classs and receiving credentials as an appraiser. You may see some of them on the Antiques Road Show. Many belong to the National Antique Doll Dealers Association. A few are also doll artists. Some dealers are professionals, others operate soley on eBay and Etsy or other mail order sites. Some do not collect dolls at all, but are very knowledgeable and belong to UFDC and other organizations. As always, Caveat Emptor, but it is safe to say most dealers in dolls appreciate them, and are in business to sell. They are williing to look for items for you and act as "pickers" and to trade shop talk. Without them, many would not be able to collect! Private collectors who are knowledgeable. This probably describes me. We collect not to sell, but to build a collection for our own enjoyment, or for our families. Some of us want to create a museum, or we use our dolls to write about. Others make dolls or paint and use dolls as models. We may trade or sell a doll to upgrade, we may give to charity to become involved in Scouts or other community service projects. Some of us are investors, but we love to scrounge yard sales as well as high end auctions. Many of us now specialize because the price of dolls has skyrocketed; we look for modern and collectible dolls as well, foreign dolls, celebrity dolls, paper dolls. Some of us collect "People," e.g., Dionne or Shirley Temple Dolls and memorabilia. A favorite chldhoo doll often starts us, and sentimental value is crucial, as is a doll's history. We don't care so much about condition if we can get a good price, and some of us like to restore our dolls. We may run a doll hospital, too, though this is also a course of study, still offerred by Lifetime Career Schools. Selling our dolls and profit are not our main goals, though know knowledge is power in our field. Private collectors who are interested in decor; These collectors love dolls, and like to decorate with them. They are not interested in makers or price guides, and may not even history. They enjoy the ambiance a bisque doll lends to an old chair, or like to buy dolls as souvenirs of travel. They are happy, may or may not be sentimentally attached, and place alimit on what they spend. Decor collectors are interested in aesthetics and beauty; they like modern porcelain dolls as much as antiques and/or reproductions because they are lovely to look at. Decor collectors can morph into knowledgeable collectors, and can even become dealers or investors after a while. Action Figure, Figurine, Stuffed Animal collectors; they are variations of the types of doll collectors out there. They don't often like to be called doll collectors. They are, but tread warily. Many men fall into this category. Also, museums often have collections of these objects cataloged in areas other than "dolls and toys." Toy collectors; they manage to have a few dolls among their treasures. May also be dealers and/or investors. Doll Artists/other artists; may collect found objects or doll parts to make their own creations. May also collect in their own right. Other artists may photograph or paint dolls. These include the folks of NIADA, ODACA, Crafters Guilds, Joseph Cornell, Lynn Pererra, Tasha Tudor, Hans Bellmer, David Levinthal and Jarvis Rockwell. Favorite Doll Shops of the Past: The Fallen Angel/Colorado: We used to drive through over the summer on our way to California. She had lots of art dolls and Santos, old and new, and Shackman porcelain dolls. My first Heebee Sheebee came from there. No longer open in 1985, the last time we drove through. Lolly's Doll Museum, Galena; closed about 20 years ago. Lolly Shaver, the owner, passed away. She sold dolls and costumes, etc., as well. My Dad says my house looks like her museum. I should be so lucky. Kneen's Doll Shop: Mrs. Kneen and her husband ran department stores, and then she had a small shop in rural Central Illinois. She also sponsored doll shows. She was a prominent member of her community and of the doll community. My mother and I liked her very much, and she featured dolls with provenance and dolls that came from around the world. I also found many Barbie collectibles, and a great crazy quilt top at her store. The Boardwalk, Larmie, WY: I don't know if they are open, but we used to race to get there by closing time. The elderly owner always let us in. There were souvenirs, antiques, and Native American Dolls of all types, including general store items, and a Horse supply shop. The Albuquerque Doll Shop: She had the most amazing dolls from around the world, collectible, old, foreign. She was located in Old Spanish Town int he 70s, but closed sometime after 1981. Indiana Antiques, San Jose, Ca. This was like going into a high end museum in 1973. Over the years, the inventory dwindled, but there were more antiques, French dolls, frozen Charlottes, and Peg O' My Heart dolls in original bottles than I had ever seen. I bought a doll that survived the 1906 earthquake from them, among others. The Magic Kingdom Toy Shop and King Norman's Toys: They were in San Jose and other parts of CA. Modern dolls, but great collectible dolls, and dolls we did not have in The Midwest. Some of the dolls I've never seen again. Marionette Doll Shop and Doll Hosptial; changed locations in and around El Paseo Saratoga in San Jose. She had amazing foreign dolls, and antiques. There was a great earthenware head, and one made from a gourd. My first Floradora came from there. Dolly Dear Doll Hospital, Iowa: Run by Mrs. Rossi; her collection was magnificent, and took up her living room. She had every Joel Ellis, every French Bisque, every Schoenhut you can imagine. I bought my first Sherman Smith from her. Mrs. Rossie was a wonderful person, but a bit of a doll snob. She didn't think much of Mr. Smith's dolls at all. :) The New York Doll Hospital: run by the Late Irving Chais and hsi family. Spelling is not perfect, but his doll hospital was nearly so, and featured in Carl Fox's 1970s photo essay, The Doll. Ms. Lenon Hoyte, of Aunt Len's Doll Museum, took her dolls there to be repaired. Her collection was featured in Who won Second Place in Omaha and in the 1970 Xmas edition of Life. India Imports, The Importer, Santa Cruz Imports, all in San Jose. There are many more I could add here. They fueled my desire to collect and inspired my love of dolls. There was Hobby City in Anaheim, Motts' Miniature Museum in Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park; Glick's Antiques and Doll Musem in Galena, Hobby City and the Hobby City Doll Museum, Anaheim, The small doll museum in San Juan Bautista, part of an antique shop, The Big D Doll Shop and museum, Kalona, IA; Anns Antiques, Illinois and Iowa, Dolls and Doodads, Maquoqueta, The Mary Merrit Doll Musem, The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art, and the Enchanted World Doll Museum, South Dakota, Estes Park Doll Museum, and many, many more. Of course, there is Emma Clear's legendary Humpty Dumpty Doll Hospital. May they live on in our memories, along with the wonderful people who have owned them.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Adventures in Dolls and Art

Recently, I was lucky enough to visit my friend JM in her beautiful home, filled with art dolls and statues that she creates. She is a beautiful woman who creates dolls from found objects and discarded materials. She has made a fantasic mask of cigarette butts, dozens of them, and madonnas of rusted cars with beads and wire for hair. They look African, and are intricate. The materials come from soujourns she takes all over the world, a discarded cigar here, a bead there. She uses buttons, and materails, natural and man made, discarded bottles, vinyl and bisque dolls, you name it. She uses acrylics and oils and creates 2D and 3D art. She shows in galleries and has her own website, jeanneomelia.com. Dolls in art and collectors in general have always had their niche in the doll world. David Levinthal, Jarvis Rockwell, J. Cornell, Hans Bellmer, Jeff Koontz, Niki de St.Failles and others have made dolls and toys the center of their work. Manfred Bachman's The Doll focusses on the doll as art theme. The site, The Shelter for Misfit Dolls also has many images of art dolls, including vignettes that are a tribute to the illustrations of Edward Gorey. There are doll artists, of course, including my friend, the late Suzanne Gibson, our good friend R. Lane Herron, the late Lewis Sorensen, elinor bailey, Dewees Cochran, Glenda Rolle, Deb Staggs Ritter of Uneek Designs, Rustie, Avigail Brahms, Brigitte Deval, Gillie Carlson, Sheila Wallace and the many artists of NIADA, ODACA, and other doll artists organizations. Historically, there are Mme. Tussaud, Mme. Montanari, Edith Samuel, Rose O'Neill, Grace Drayton, Grace Storey, Emma Clear, so many more. There are great resources for art dolls of all kinds including The Art Doll Quarterly and Somerset Studios and other Somerset magazines. Lots of older and current magazines like Dolls, National Doll World, Modern Doll Collector feature art dolls and are worth a look or two. Doll Castle News is great for art dolls and handmade dolls and features articles by the talented Mr. R. Lane Herron. Sasha dolls, the brainchildren of artists Sasha Morgenthaler have their own newsletter. Anne Rice had many art dolls in her former collection and museum, and Demi Moore is a big fan of them. She has bough a Victorian home to house the dolls. Doll Collectors/Makers are the ultimate recyclers. Dolls are made of many materials, and the most creative, like my friend JM's, often used discards and castoffs. The china doll industry may well have started with leftovers from the china factories, and Darrow rawhide dolls were made of leftovers from Darrows whip and leather goods business. Art dolls and craft dolls, all handmade folk dolls, restructured, restored and rescued dolls are worthy of their corner in a varied doll collection. They are also fun to make.