My Mother's Doll

When my sister, brother and I were going through the folk's house, dividing up things, we took turns over and over as we went through each room. One thing that I decided to take, purely for sentimental reasons, was my mother's doll. I figured I'd just put in in a box and keep it because it had one major flaw. Only one of the two eyes that opened and closed would "open." The second eye had the white part and blue iris was either stuck facing backwards or the paint had come off. They look was rather creepy and I really had no idea what to do with it since I would NOT want to look at it all the time. But it was mom's and so I didn't want to have it thrown away.

About six months ago I was driving to visit a client in Bellevue when I drove by a sign that said "Doll Museum." In an instant I realized I should give them a call and see if they thought it could be repaired. A few days later I remembered and called. They referred me to a woman in Shoreline who repairs all kinds of dolls and she had time to see me right away. She thought it would be simple to repair and so I left the doll with her and waited to see how it would all turn out. Awhile later I was informed that she was all better! It turns out this this is a composition doll, probably made sometime after 1916. Mom was born in '23 so that seems to fit fairly well. The doll has the original factory clothing -- pink and orange. In this last photo, I have her sitting in my highchair. It's hard to believe how many years it has been since I sat in this chair! The woman who repaired the doll thinks that my photo of mom and her doll may not be the same one, but since I know mom did not have much -- they were pretty poor -- I shall just assume she was holding someone else's doll or it is the same one and it is just the glare of the lighting that makes it difficult to tell.

I am so pleased with how the doll turned out and enjoy looking at her now. I wish I had had this "brilliant" idea a decade ago and could have had it repaired for mom years ago. A million regrets, but millions more more moments of gratitude for my wonderful parents.