Doll Shows

By Ginger -
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:

??
stylin' hair

Poor Pitiful Pearl

A ventriloquist doll

Reborn doll

I love this redhead doll's wistful expression

Little Miss No-Name doll

teeny musical instruments!

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.

Classic Barbie and friends

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.  

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.)

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.
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.

Blondie feeling classy

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