Why people collect dolls

If you ask any group of doll collectors why they started, chances are you will get a variety of reasons that are as diverse as the people themselves.

Not surprisingly, children are often the catalysts for doll collecting by adults. In buying gifts for their own child or a child of a friend or relative, adults are exposed, maybe for the first time in years, to dolls and the magic they hold.

For many people collecting is a form of nostalgia, tangible evidence of fond childhood memories. Often there remains an abiding love of dolls that has never been extinguished and it is suddenly rekindled with the discovery of a beloved childhood doll tucked away and half forgotten. Or maybe looking through the family album and finding a picture taken holding a long absent doll that sparks the desire to replace it. Sometimes this happens when a new baby is born or when the last child leaves the home. In any case, once that longing has begun, only finding that doll and holding it once again will suffice.

Nostalgia takes on yet another form when an antique or vintage doll is inherited and the recipient is eager to learn more about this plaything that has stood the test of time. In researching a doll 's history, much can be learned about the lifestyle of a little girl who loved her as about the doll itself. In this way the gaps between generations are bridged and family bonds are strengthened.

Several hobbies can lead indirectly to starting a doll collection. People who sew may begin by making doll clothing and become intrigued by their tiny models. People who work with ceramics are often introduced to dolls in porcelain doll making classes. Collectors of miniatures or doll house furniture find themselves adding a doll or two to enhance their room settings. Hummel®, Kewpie®, or Precious Moments® enthusiasts tuck a few dolls in among the other collectibles.

Decorating with dolls is also very popular. A county-themed estate may provide a home for folk art dolls while bisque head dolls grace homes with Victorian decor. Dolls are also chosen if their hair or costumes complement the color scheme of the homeowner. In some homes, dolls live in every room: a baby in a highchair in the kitchen, a young lady in a rocker in a family room, a group of miniatures in a shadow box in the bedroom, even a mermaid or sea nymph in the bathroom.

Sometimes, dolls are recognized simply for their beauty and value as works of art. This type of doll is likely to be displayed with pride in curio cabinets or glass cases. In effect, they are viewed as artifacts from a more genteel time that will never come again.

Other people view dolls strictly as a lucrative investment- they squirrel them away, out of sight, in the hope of cashing in on them when they go up in value. These dolls may be brought out only when their owners have company over, so the owners can gloat over their latest acquisitions!

The glue that holds all true doll collectors together no matter how their collections begin, is the pleasure that they bring into people's lives.