Dolls Revisited Update -over 55 gently loved, newly made from kits or imagination, new and lots of donation dolls and stuffed animals were on display during the month of November at the Westerville Public Library.
Press Release
Dolls Revisited
November 2003
Westerville Public Library
Dolls revisited is an outgrowth from receiving almost two hundred dolls from my mother. After I left home, she began to collect sixties, seventies and eighties dolls through garage sales. She would then, clean them up and often redress them. She also made dolls from kits and her imagination. With the addition of collectible dolls, she had amassed an unique collection of probably over 400 dolls.
After my father passed away, she downsized her New York home and moved to Florida for good. She told me I could have the old dolls or she would re-sale them at her own garage sale. Seeing two hundred dolls of little monetary value but lots of emotional value on shelves, beds and the floor was to say the least amazing. So I bagged them up, filled up a van and took them back to Ohio. For over a year they were kept on open shelving (and on the couch, floor etc). I have two sons (no daughters) and my youngest son said it was just too creepy to go into the "doll" room and see 200 pairs of eyes staring at you. Over the past year, friends and visitors have brought additional dolls in all stages of repair to add to this collection.
However I never had intended to amass a doll collection and decided to find a way to give them away. Hence, the Dolls Revisited program. I originally issued a call for entries but instead received donations of dolls - some gently used, new, redressed, undressed, made from kits and stuffed animals redressed. Although my mother's contribution is still the largest, we have over 50 dolls to display and then to donate. Most dolls have been redressed, some are gently used, others new. Many have been given blankets and baskets as part of the program.
Beginning in November, the dolls will be on display in the Westerville Public Library in meeting rooms A & B during normal Library hours. The dolls will then be given away for holiday gifts. Children from the following groups will be recipients - Westside Boys and Girls Club, Christian Children's Home and the Women's Outreach Program.
I still have lots of unique dolls from the 60's to 80's, although the cupboard is a bit empty. I do find myself checking out dolls at garage sales and have admittedly picked up one or two.
Renee Kropat
sample of the dolls