My husband Ed and me in New England

My parents - the characters affectionately known as Foss and Papa

My mother and grandmother were avid doll collectors.  Mother would call me periodically to announce that she had spent some of my inheritance again.  I was tickled that she was enjoying her money, and I was less than thrilled that it was a doll and not a piece of jewelry.  I think the dolls are adorable and I have no interest in collecting them.  My sense of décor runs more to the formal oriental than to doll store.  I had only boys, who have expressed no interest in her collection either.

A couple of years ago, my husband and I started remodeling our upstairs hall bath.  We had gotten as far as removing the old toilet, getting a new low flush toilet, choosing the paint, new mirror, sink, and towel racks when “the call” came.

My parents, in their mid eighties, chose that moment to move down here from 90 miles away.  My mother had developed dementia, over time, and Dad wanted to be closer to us and our sons.  This is a story familiar to many of you and you can imagine how much fun we had sorting and packing accumulated possessions of a 65 year marriage.

Mother’s dolls and doll clothes, stands, books, and figurines, landed in the bathroom upstairs, which now resembles a closet, not a room for indoor plumbing.  We had the house appraised for a loan and I assured the appraiser that we do, in fact, have a toilet for that room.  It just resides, in its box, in the garage downstairs.

I am estimating that there are about 200 Madame Alexander dolls with their boxes, boxes of doll clothes, 100 doll stands, 15 doll collecting books and 15 Madame Alexander figurines.  It will take me a while to list all of the items so please keep watching!  You can help me get my bathroom back and I know that I probably have exactly what you are looking for!

My father’s contribution to the clutter is much smaller and, to me, more interesting.  Dad had adventures his whole life and collected an assortment of items. He spent 20 years in the Navy in communications, flying target drones, and generally having fun.  He went to Ryan Aeronautical after retiring from the Navy and later, he moved to Northrop Aircraft where he was the liaison between Northrop and the Saudi government.  As a result, we have the original desktop models of the F5 airplanes that were sold to the Saudi Air Force (the models have the Saudi Air Force insignia on them). We also have models of the Ryan Fire Bee drones, and the Fire Fish boat drone. There are also all of the company giveaways such as tie tacks, key chains and paper weights.   

If you are interested in commercial airline memorabilia, we have playing cards (many of them unopened), masks, toiletry kits, etc from airlines who no longer exist and from those who do.

Oh, and Mother is just fine.  She is as happy as a clam and living with Dad.  She still has about thirty dolls to look at and has forgotten the rest.  Dad is ecstatic to pass the dolls and other collectibles on to someone who will love and appreciate them.  He is much more interested in fulfilling his wish to die on the golf course.  He Marshalls for cheap golf and is out on the course five days a week, playing.  He says he is increasing his odds.

The items we have for sale were in a smoke free, pet free environment and some of the dolls were never taken out of their boxes.  We take care in handling and shipping so that items arrive in the condition we describe.  We also price everything as fairly as possible. 

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and to shop.  And thank you, especially, if you are one of those who bought an item, leaving me a little more space in my bathroom!

My parents are a hoot and I will share more about them, as I list more items.