The Last Doll Show of 2026

   After trying to decide if I wanted to bother, Ken and I went to the last doll show of the season last weekend. It's a fair sized one. It's held at a sports center, and unfortunately carpeted with very thick astro turf, which is very difficult to push a wheelchair through. I have to say though, without having Ken's wheelchair to lean on I probably couldn't have made it around the show. My back has been getting increasingly bad lately, and I find I need something to lean on to spend any amount of time walking around most of the time. I recently had a back x-ray, and other than the arthritis I suspected, I was informed that I have a herniated disc. It's only a stage one though, so supposedly it can heal. It also explains the trouble I've been having with my hip and leg for the last million years. I am set to start  physical therapy. I don't see things improving though. I have to take care of Ken, which involves tugging him up from some seated positions, and up the stairs to get in  and out of the house, and also there is a lot of bending and lifting in my life. All are things people with herniated discs aren't supposed to do. I hope there is some solution though, because I have been telling Ken that I can't cope with this constant pain any more. I never even take anything for a headache, so if I'm ready to take something for this pain so I can function, you know it's bad. You might have noticed I don't do much doll photography any more, and most of what I do is not very arty. That's because I can't get down on the ground to doll level any more. Well, I might get down there, but getting back up is another story.

  In any case, here are some pictures from the show. It seems like a lot of pictures, but it would have been way more if my phone hadn't stopped taking pictures somewhere around halfway through. Ken wants everyone to know that he had solutions for me, that I wouldn't take because I'm paranoid something might get deleted off my phone. I also could have gone back to the car, which I had to park way at the other end of the parking lot because all the handicapped spots were full, and get my other phone, but my pain said no. So there are still plenty of pictures, but I usually feature Wendy L Creations and Bristol Park Studios. Both were there, and both had some really great stuff. Unfortunately my phone had stopped taking pictures before I came across either of them. If you're interested in seeing their marvelous creations, you can find WendyL Creations on Facebook and Instagram, and Bristol Park Studios on Etsy and Facebook, by clicking these links. 

  I always start at the side of the show where I enter the room. I realized that I usually buy most of the things I buy on the other side of the room. So I decided to start over there this time. The first thing I spotted that really drew my interest was on the first side though, so I made an exception. I headed straight for this girl.

She's Freckles by Uneeda. She was made in 1962, just like me! (Okay. If you want to get technical, I was made in 1961, but I was born in 1962!) I have been wanting one, and this one had bright orange hair! 

And teeth!

But she was a very big girl, and $30. The price was good for her, but she's so big. I've been trying not to buy anything very big these days. I think Freckles came in three sizes, the smallest being 12 inches and the biggest, which I think was this girl, was 32 inches tall. So she was gorgeous, just what I have been wanting, but I walked away!

 Well, not completely away. I did buy something from this dealer, but it was small! I'll show you everything I bought in an upcoming post.

  The same dealer also had this Old Cottage doll. He was beautiful, but more than I wanted to spend. Sorry the picture is blurry, but he was so cute I wanted to show him anyway.

  The dealer also had this wooden lady. She was very nice.

  And continuing with this dealer, this boudoir doll had a lot of personality. 

    I was very tempted by this guy.

He is the very model of a modern major general.

You know I love those little German dollhouse dolls. This little guy is dressed as a Russian.

  I might have shown this girl in a previous show post too. Hey. I like what I like. I'm consistent.

These felt dolls were cute.

This set of wooden peg dolls was nice, but expensive. I want the tiny one.

 

  Here are some pretty girls. The Mary Hartline on the right is a little scary looking!

The middle girl is very cute, but look at that Kewpie kid!

  This cute cloth doll was only $5. In previous times I would have been tempted beyond being able to refuse her.

  This piano baby had the crazy eyes!!

She looks like she just fell off a wagon and was saying, "Excuse me! You just dumped me here! Come back."

  This lady was very colourful.

  More cute kids.

  I must like this lady. I realized I photographed her at a previous show. Hey! Maybe Freckles will be at the show in the Spring...

  This little girl is quite realistic.

  These rod puppets by Loutky were cool, and they had their original box.

If you've ever read the Doll People books, maybe you will see Tiffany Funcraft in a couple of these puppets too.

  I loved these dolls. Such pretty, shiny faces. I think the one in the big hat is Deanna Durbin.

  I know I photographed the lid of this doll's box, but it didn't show up. The doll was about 6 inches tall. I thought the face was very familiar. I saw another doll at the show, a big, full sized doll, with this face. I was a Tonner, but this one wasn't.

  This dealer had several Kish dolls, including Creamsicle Lark! That's one of my unobtainable grail dolls! She was $150, which is why she's unobtainable. I didn't realize she was so big. and I had forgotten that she's jointed. The dealer wasn't taking very good advantage of that fact in displaying her.

 I loved these cute felt faced dolls.

  These Irish dolls were also very much my thing.

  Here's another Kewpie looking kid.

  The dealer with the dolls that had been donated to a museum was there again. She had these dolls.

   She also had this doll, made of cut paper.

  She also had this canoe full of the Lewis and Clark expedition. (And Dilbert.) I went to school with a girl who though Sacajawea's name was Sackjaws. These dolls would have gone well in my collection of cloth dolls from Colonial Williamsburg and children's books. Remember that reference for an upcoming post.

  These were fairly large dolls, being about 12" and 14" tall.  

She had this beautiful set of wooden furniture for an 8 inch or so doll. I would have loved to have it, (Don't need it!) , but her prices were so high on the dolls that I didn't even bother to ask how much it was.

 

There were some bisque dolls.

  

  This tiny lady with a spun cotton head was a Christmas decoration.

  These cute wooden dolls were by Renault. They remind me a lot of Lotte Sievers Hahn dolls. 

  A couple of tall girls.

  More Deanna Durbins.

  There were quite a few dolls at the show like the two flanking the blonde Shirley Temple look alike. I can't remember the name of that doll.

 A couple of chunky kids. The one reminds me of a dark haired John Candy.

  I'm not sure if these two were meant to be twins, or if the dealer just happened to have two of the same doll.

 This girl has Princess Leia buns.

  This guy was vey sweet, and a bit Hummelish.

 

 The last thing I photographed before the phone pooped out was this doll.

  I have talked many times about the Susie Slicker I had as a kid. I loved my big eye dolls. I would have had this doll in a heartbeat if I had found her as a kid...or even now! If only she weren't more than I could spend! She's the Black version of Susie Sad Eyes, and her name is Soul Sister. I knew they existed, but I've never seen one in person before.

  Well, that's it for the last doll show of the year. Maybe my back will get fixed and I'll feel more like going to shows and taking more interesting photos again! In an upcoming post we'll see what I bought at this show.

Another Doll Show and Guest Star Barb the Evil Genius

   This past weekend was the doll show in Strongsville. Strongsville is near Cleveland, and we all know who lives in Cleveland, right boys and girls? It's Barb the Evil Genius, of My Little Doll Corner! 

Barb, Tammy World, and me. Gotta stop taking pictures. I got two pieces of mail this week reminding me that I'm going to be 65 soon. Don't keep reminding me of that! 

  I met up with Barb at the show. Barb's husband, Mr. BTEG, was kind enough to put together a nice computer for me! Since this one has been turning to crap lately, I very much appreciate that! Thanks to Barb and hubby for the new computer. Now to just get somebody to help me put all my stuff on it. 

  The show is fairly big. I'm not sure there weren't a few less dealers this time though. I know my neighbour, China Cupboard Bears wasn't there this time. There were still loads of beautiful and interesting dolls though. Let's have a look.

The lady in the foreground had a nice dress, as you can see below.

  I liked this R&B Nancy Lee, but she was $425! Also, I tried, (Successfully!), not to buy anything big. I didn't even buy anything big when I found TWO 18" compo Shirley Temple dolls for $20 each. And they both had their original wig, in good condition. That's something I would have jumped on before.

 

  This is an Effanbee Whistling Jim. I think he's called that because of his mouth. I don't think he actually made any sound.

  I think these are all Deanna Durbin dolls.

  I liked this girl, and her clothes.

  Deanna Durbin again?

   $20 beauties.

  This one looks like she's going somewhere. I think she might be trying to escape the paparazzi.

  This was a beautiful German celluloid baby. Her colouring was so bright and new looking.

  As you can see, she was next to a Shirley. Two in fact.  

  These gorgeous kids look like Lenci dolls, but were labeled Nora Wellings.

  

They were next to these ladies, the one admiring herself in the mirror, and the other one who looks like she's condescendingly saying to the mirror girl, "Yes dear, you have put on a few pounds."

You know I have a soft spot for Raggedy Ann and Andy. These two are from the 1940's.

  This big girl is a Gotz doll. She was very nice, and only $25. There were some good prices at this show. And also some crazy ones.

  This weirdy was from Katherine's Collection. Katherine, what's the matter with you? Actually, I couldn't decide if I liked him or not.

  A whole shelf full of Ginnys,

  This guy had a jointed leather body, and a face that looks like he's seen some stuff.

  Some heavy duty make up on that little girl. 

  One table had three Dianna Effner dolls I've always admired from afar, but never seen in person.

  A Lil Dreamers...

...a Boneka...

                                                                             

              ...and a Heartstrings doll. I knew they were 8 inches tall, but she seemed so tiny.                                      

  I spotted this Baps doll. Pretty, but expensive. The dealer said she was Bo Peep, but she has a rake, and her tag says Mary Mary, Quite Contrary.

  Drowsy was one doll I always wanted as a kid, as you might know from reading the blog. It was cool to see this one in the box.

  She was next to a Dear One doll, a competitor to Baby Dear, but not as ugly!

                                                                                                                                         

  There were some real Lenci dolls too.

  This little girl with two teeth was cute.

 Baby Go Bye Bye has one of those classic Mattel Martha Armstrong Hand faces.  

  Betty's Beauty Parlor was made by Deluxe Reading in 1964.

  This was a pretty lady.

  These two were very unique hand carved wooden marionettes from Germany.

  This little Shirley or Shirley Temple type doll, was made in Japan. She was about  8 inches tall.  I'd never seen this one before.

  This Connie Lowe Steampunk Hazel doll was cute.

  These dolls were very unusual. They had wooden heads and chest plates, and wooden feet on some, but their bodied were some sort of thick straw type stuff.

  The puppet and the bunny were great. The Golly was cute. Ken still sees them as they were to him when he was a kid in England, just non human characters on Robinson's jam. I suppose if you think of them that way they aren't so bad. The dealer pointed out that in the original books, the Golly was just a playful scamp, and nothing bad. That's not the problem. 

  These felt dolls were made by an artist named Erica Daley.

  This little lady looks like a regular German doll house doll, but she's bigger, about 6 -8 inches.

This is Little Mister Bad Boy. He doesn't look like such a bad boy, does he? I found this description of these dolls online:  "a 1960s promo by the Bad Boy appliances and furniture stores, found across Canada - their slogan: Who's better than Bad Boy? Noooooobody!. The doll is made by Earle Pullan from hard plastic."

  Mr. Magoo was shadowing Snow White and the 7 Dwarves. ( I was taught that words ending in F, like dwarf, were supposed to be changed to end in the V sound when made plural. Like 'leaf' to 'leaves'.  What ever happened to that?

 Uneeda's Blabby is a crabby looking thing.

  This was a really pretty doll and dress. The colouring was wonderful.

  Aw. Isn't she cute? She's by Effanbee.

  This guy looked like he was trying to reach for something.

  I came across this big Betsy McCall.

  This doll in her original box looked brand new.  She's really a doll from the 60's named Celeste, and is a 'Portrait Doll'. I'm pretty sure this is the same head Horseman used for Mary Poppins.

  One dealer had this Triki Miki case. You mgith have seen my post on Triki Miki/Little Miss Dollikin. She was an articulated doll from the late 60's to the early 70's, about the size of a Dawn doll.

  I like the doll in green.

  There was a beautiful Dollikin right below her.

  An interesting bunch of older dolls.

  Okay, the girl on the right is Deanna Durbin again. But is the one on the back Jane Withers? Jane Withers was a popular child star in the 30's, a little older than Shirley Temple. She co-starred with Shirley in the movie "Bright Eyes", (The movie "The Good Ship Lollipop" comes from.), as the mean daughter of the family who take Shirley in after her mother is hit by a car, (On the way from picking up the cake for Shirley's birthday party no less!).  In one scene Christmas is being discussed, since it's near, and Jane Withers says, "I want a machine gun!" It was hilarious. Little Shirley was supposed to be the sweet one, so Jane Withers wanted a machine gun. In real life, Shirley was obsessed with the G-Men,(a G-Man being short for Government Man, especially the FBI agents), and wanted to be one when she grew up. J Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI at the time, made Shirley and 'honorary G-Man.' 

  I think the creepy gnome put the whammy on that poor  soldier.

  This poor lady has a receding hairline.

  The one in the straw hat!

  This one has some attitude.

  This one is doing her big number, apparently. 

  I don't think I had ever seen the smaller version of the Daisy Kingdom doll before. Ivy has the 18 inch

 

one, and I have a tiny one. This one is in between, at around 10 or 12 inches tall.

  Well, that was it for the show. Did I buy anything? Well, even though I was very good, I did buy a few things. But they were so tiny I could fit everything in a pocket...albeit a vary big pocket. Like, Captain Kangeroo size. Stay tuned. The next post we'll have a look at what I bought. 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm