I belong to a couple of Facebook doll and toy groups which I enjoy because it is another way to share photos of our collections. Occasionally I buy dolls from other collectors. Mostly people post about what they bought, what they have to sell and share information much as we do here on this blog. The other day though a thread started that seemed to touch a nerve judging by the number of posts on the subject.
It seems that many doll collectors find that other people don’t understand their collections and even find their dolls ugly. I know that doll collecting is not everyone’s cup of tea but I found some of the things that people said quite shocking. Some collectors had been told that their dolls were “ugly and creepy” and even in one extreme case that they looked like corpses. Some said that their adult children did not like their dolls and had told them that if they were left them the dolls would be thrown in the rubbish.
This made me feel quite angry because there is no call to be so rude and make hurtful remarks like that especially to your mother. There are times when if you can’t say anything nice it is better to say nothing.
Fortunately others wrote about how much their grandchildren loved the dolls or that doll collecting was a shared hobby in their family.
Thank goodness for the internet which connects the community of collectors so we know that there are others who feel the same as we do about our treasures.
Dolls, Dolls, Dolls 
Yes, it is wonderful to be able to connect with like-minded people! I felt very strange when I first started collecting fashion dolls in my 60s! I’d collected and loved dolls as a child and as an adult have always had a collection of stuffed animals and cloth dolls. When I started collecting fashion dolls, which I had loved as a child, I thought I was getting a bit quirky but then I discovered that there is a whole world of doll lovers and collectors out there.
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I started when I was around 40 and was very furtive at first “Maybe they will think I’m buying for a child.” I didn’t mention it to workmates for example. Gradually I stopped worrying about it and now am happy to tell anyone “I collect dolls.”
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Well I think these people who make mean hurtful comments probably have little to share with anyone. They have nothing so they don’t want anyone else to have nothing. They make me very angry too. I really can’t see why some people are scared of dolls or find they creepy either. Some say they don’t like the eyes. Maybe they all watched Chucky. God only knows what people would think of me. My whole life practically revolves around collecting stuff. I have all my Kens and a few other dolls. I have heaps of teddy bears and other toys and all my retro household stuff. I’d be lost and bored without my stuff. All I can say to those who don’t like or understand collectors leave us alone to enjoy what we do and what we have.
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David used to say he felt like the dolls eyes were on him when he went in the doll room but he often used to show them to visitors if I wasn’t there so I think he kind of liked them anyway.
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Different people like different things or dolls. Different opinions keep a discussion interesting, but the opinions should be phrased respectfully.
The daughter threatening to throw her mother’s dolls in the rubbish probably doesn’t have much respect for her mother in general. So sad.
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That’s what I felt. It wasn’t so much the lack of interest it was the unkindness and bad manners that made me angry enough to write this post. There are more tactful ways of saying you don’t want them.
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So much ignorance still abounds, I’ve even shown my husband a catalog of a man who auctioned off part of his collection to make room for more.(when he was rolling his eyes last time) Lately though I rehome some duplicates, the old favorites get displayed more in the balance. I Talk freely about the history and folklore of dolls as I do family history. Wouldn’t it be fun to do a scrapbook or coffee table book of these sweet collections and memories, if for no other reason than to shed light on the creepy-doll stuck in the dark cinema rubbish. I was talking to someone today about this blog and how it celebrates these icons of our history. Not to mention the intreagues and just plain fun! so even as I thin the heard trampeading my hobby room, I can’t wait for the next story/blog/mystery and adventure!!
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I do find it hard to understand people who find all dolls creepy. Naturally the Chucky types are meant to be and that type of doll does seem popular with some collectors but how you could find a doll that children play with creepy is beyond me. However each to their own. I just think that it is unkind and unnecessary to make nasty remarks to a person about something they love. Luckily we collectors have our play place here on the internet where nobody will make fun of you for what you like.
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As a doll collector, I don’t like all dolls. In fact there are some that I find creepy. However, in dealing with someone who does like those dolls, I try to be tactful and just say that those dolls don’t appeal to me or fit into my collection. I do try to understand why they like those dolls, what they find interesting about them and appreciate their collection. We don’t all have to like the same thing but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to appreciate other people’s choices.
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