Today, I went to the local doll show for the second time. Both years, I feel like I've got awesome deals for less than $30, plus enjoyed a museum-like experience of the wide variety of dolls others collect.
Tacoma/Puyallup doll show isn't huge, but large enough to spend about two hours looking at everything. (There's another row to the left)
When I attended in 2015, there were many UNUSUAL dolls:
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| ?? |
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| stylin' hair |
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| Poor Pitiful Pearl |
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| A ventriloquist doll |
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| Reborn doll |
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| I love this redhead doll's wistful expression |
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| Little Miss No-Name doll |
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| teeny musical instruments! |
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| assemble your own doll? |
I didn't have much cash for the first show, and was pretty thrilled to make it in with $20 ($8 admission fee) and still get three dolls. I'd been looking for Rosie online- this show had two! Plus Business Pocahantus and a Liv doll were in a grab bin.
In 2017, there were less zany dolls, but still many good classics.
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| Classic Barbie and friends |
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| Hundreds of Simon & Halbig dolls |
This china doll interests me. She's not exactly warm and cuddly or highly detailed. I wonder what a young child from her time period thought of her. Somehow, being both simple and dramatic gives her a presence.
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| amazing facial expressions - Himstedt dolls |
Dolls I wish I collected:
These large Himstedt dolls (at least 2 feet tall, $300 and up) have gorgeous expressive faces. A women is working on selling her mother's entire collection.
This little wood doll is so cute and sassy, from her flapper outfit to her side-glancing eyes.
And of course, I'd love to collect American Girl dolls! I'm shy wandering around these booths by myself, but I was lucky to have a nice conversation with the woman who customized this doll. (It was not for sale, but she caught me rubbernecking for a view of her dolls on her walker.) She gave the doll a short wig, freckles, and darker lipstick. She's planning on fixing an old Molly doll next, who is in need of re-stringing and new hair. (She's going to become a redhead!)
If only... $80 for an Madam Lavinia (articulated curvy body). Beautiful.
I though the most unique doll at this show was this big-headed girl with a Strawberry Shortcake-like face. (Or is she more like Betty Boop?)
There are always a lot of dresses for sale with Very Large Prints. Intense. If you'd like to make and sell your own dresses, can I recommend this tasteful guide from Nethilia?
Avoiding the Generidress.
There was a variety of black dolls. This small set was attractive, but I can't tell if designs like this try to idealize plantation days. (I often see a lot of mistrel style dolls in antique stores, so certainly it could be worse.)
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| Black baby doll |
I didn't buy any dolls this year, but found a few deals on vintage clothes, plus a homemade set of patterns for Monster High ghouls from
Kristine Anns. She also threw in her "Sewing for Tiny Dolls" booklet for free when I told her I haven't done it before! She was so nice- ended my day on a nice note.
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| My purchases |
When I came home, I was hoping to fit the black vintage dress on a curvy doll. It barely fits- and you'd better go over the head rather than up the hips! I'm happy with my purchases.
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| Blondie feeling classy |
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