Several people have had dolls when they were young and might have kept one or more of them over the years. Although i had some dolls to play with, i also had a whole collection of dolls i only had a look at, once in a while.
In the basement
I have absolutely no idea where those dolls came from. Maybe my Dad got them from a client as he was travelling a lot. I remember, however, that we had a big pink "box". It looked a bit like a hat box, but taller. It as full of dolls of different kinds. Not the type of dolls you would play with, but with porcelain heads, elaborate clothing, and so on. That big box was kept in the basement of the apartment in a storage area under the stairs. The door was locked most of the time, so it was just not an accessible place for me.
Many dolls
As i was not really allowed to play with those delicate dolls, i don't have many details on what they were. One of them was wearing a folkloric outfit, which had triggered some interest in me in typical dresses from different countries. I was always impressed to see dolls with porcelain heads. Obviously, my dolls never had such a fragile head! I can estimate that there might have been over 20 such dolls in that pink box.
Lost
When we moved, at age 10, i suspect that box was given away to someone as i don't remember seeing that big box at any point from then. Too bad. Maybe there were some antique dolls? I don't know. But for sure, they were pretty and i wished i had at least one of those dolls, but that is life, i guess.
Did you ever have a doll or another toy that brings memories or maybe an old toy that you still have to this day from your childhood? Share in the comments below.
1 thought on “Remember when…? – Dolls”
When I was about 5 I went into hospital to have my tonsils out. It was in December, and when I came home my parents told me that Father Christmas had seen what a brave girl I had been and so had brought me an early Christmas gift – a black “walkie-talkie” doll called Bobo. On Christmas Day I also got a carry-cot to keep her in. I was always careful with this doll and even when I was much older I wouldn’t allow my nieces to play with her unless I was there as well.
When I left England after I was married I left Bobo at home thinking it was too difficult to bring her with me on the ship. Three years later my parents visited me in Australia and guess what? They brought Bobo out with them as part of their hand luggage, even going to the extent of washing her dress and socks, cleaning her shoes and making a new knitted cardigan for her! I can’t imagine the conversation on the planes when my mum proudly announced she was bringing a doll to her 25 year old daughter!
40 years later I still have that doll, she must be over 60 by now. I have no daughters/grand-daughters to leave her to so she will probably have to eventually make the long journey back to England to one of my Great Nieces.