Print doll cabinet - Carmel Doll Shop

Today, anything Scottish or stories of Scotland instantlyseize my attention and with a career in dolls, the theme of the“Scottish doll” comes up often. Surely, just about everyknown doll maker, those responsible for early Englishwooden dolls, to the German papier-mâché doll, to the FrenchHuret dolls, to the Italian Lenci children of the 1920s and1930s, incorporated a Scottish theme in the costuming of theirdolls. They all have a deep appeal, as it is the colors and styleof the costuming that is so attractive to me as a collector,because finding a doll in original Scottish attire does give methe feeling that just maybe I’ve finally found my “clan”!My travels, which largely revolve around the buying andselling of antique dolls, have taken me over a fair part theworld. From setting up displays of dolls at fabulous Europeanhotels, to lovely country clubs, to regular old countyfairgrounds where you just know that in the exact spot youjust unpacked your prize Brus and delicate fashion dolls, theweek before, the Future Farmers of America had theirprize livestock on display. In all honesty, all of thesevenues are extremely exciting to me. For some collectors,it is the hidden treasure just around the corner thatkeeps their interest in the hobby. I am definitely of thatpersuasion. I want to find something whether it is asomething small and delicate or a something extravagantand beyond my reach. It is the search that keeps thispassion for collecting alive in me.About six years ago, I was participating ina show on the east coast, of the fairgroundsvariety. Of course, during the set up Ishopped the show looking for thesomething to make the three thousandmile trip worthwhile. I found nothing,not even a piece of ribbon and this was afairly large show. I went back to the boothwhere my partner David was setting upand I spoke those famous last words “Ithink this hobby is leaving me. I have nointerest in anything. There is nothing that Iwant anymore”. Even if I had all the money in theworld, the situation was so, so, depressing, that Iresigned myself to just be there as a grown upbusiness person, get to work and forget about findingany treasure, hidden or otherwise. I sent David out tolook around while I multi-tasked, simultaneouslymoping and setting up the showcases. He eventuallyreturned with three pieces of dollhouse furniture and Iremember that one of the tiny chairs had only threelegs where there should have been yes, four—it seemeddesperation had set in early at the show.A long time friend occupied the booth across from ours.She is well known for her lovely merchandise, trademarkBritish accent and for taking forever to set up her tables,which we always point out, but she takes our teasing like agood sport. As if to reward us for giving her a hard time, shesaid softly, secretively, to me, “Would you like to see one ofthe rarest wooden dolls in the world?” I blandly replied “Oh,why not?” still embracing my “I don’t get nothing” mood.Our friend reached into a carry bag, located her prize, thenproceeded to unwrap one of the finest English wooden dollsthat I had ever seen in life, what’s more, I instantlyrecognized the superb doll. I had dreamed about her since1989, and now here we were, meeting, face to face. Suddenlymy passion was back full force. There was something towant and for the first time in a very long time, this dollmade my knees shake. I didn’t need to ask the provenance,as I was quite familiar with the magical wooden doll. I didhowever, need to ask the price and although not reallyshocking, it was completely out of our price range that day.Throughout the weekend, I kept watch on the doll out ofthe corner of my eye and surprisingly to me, there were justa few collectors that even looked at her. I will admit, a littleguiltily, that if anyone did indeed look at the doll, Icountered their interest with a silent chant of “don’t buy her,don’t buy her”. Selfishly, I was thrilled when the woodenwas still standing on the adjacent table after the show closedon Sunday. I gleefully watched as she was packed up andput back in the hand carry bag, happy, because I still had achance—time was on my side.The powerful wooden doll stayed on my mind all theway home, and for days afterward, she was all I couldthink about, but finances had definitely not improvedsince the day we had met.Interestingly, within days of arriving home, thelatest issue of Antique Doll Collector magazine arrivedand included in the table of contents was an article byMary Hillier, with information on the wooden doll.As I sat down to read all about the dolls in thearticle, the phone rang and it was a pleasureto hear the voice of a favorite client and dearfriend on the other end of the line. I gaveher the “show report”, nothing terribly greatat the show, I related, except for thismarvelous wooden doll and I thencontinued to fill her in on the doll’sfascinating history, and this particularcollector is infatuated with doll’s histories.One week later, we were surprised toreceive a letter from our friend thatcontained a photocopied page from an oldauction catalog, with the doll of my affectioncircled. Also written on the page in black marker werethe words: “Is this the doll we both want? How aboutI buy it and leave it to you in my will?” I put down theletter, picked up the phone and made a quick call andmade arrangements to secure the wooden. I then calledour friend to tell her that the doll was hers, and thatalthough her gesture was lovely, it was not expected andour feelings were, under the circumstances laid out, thatwe hoped to never, ever, have the cherished wooden dollin our possession.The doll was shipped to me for hand delivery to her newowner. I very much appreciated the opportunity to examinethis rare specimen at my leisure.First of all, not only is the historical significance of thisdoll fascinating, it is a doll that is a part of the history of dollcollecting itself. For you see, in 1973, a group of twelve dollswas sent to London, to be sold at auction. The story isincredible—the group of dolls had shared a drawer in achest located in an English manor house. It seems that thedolls were stored together for over two hundred years andamong the esteemed lot was the soon to be famous pair ofwooden dolls Lord and Lady Clapham.38