Lili, Barbie, Historical Women

I thought I would describe my next display of dolls and post some photos. I am doing the history of Barbie for a local museum, and will include dolls and pictures of Lili, Hong Kong Lili, Barbie, and all her ancestors. I will post my PowerPoint here when completed, so everyone may see it. I plan to use information briefly tracing ancient dolls and figures and their relation to Barbie, as well as the history of the fashion doll itself. The hard part is limiting myself. I have to transport everything, and The Museum could easily provide 1000 dolls. The PowerPoint will help limit transport issues, which is good. I put up and took down the last exhibit of Nutcrackers and German dolls, and that took me several trips. I took them down two weeks ago as the snow prefacing our huge blizzard began to fall. One of the dolls was a lifesized reproduction of an FG mannikin; I had to decapitate her to take her there, and then carry her around. She wears my clothes, and I think she's gained weigtht! There were several other very large dolls, decorations, large plastic boxes and accessories. It was spooky on one of the floors where I was working, and a perpetual film we play there depicting a pogrom was playing. In the dark behind me, there were frightened horses whinnying, dogs barking, screams, you name it. Then, there was a terrible crash two floors below me when I was on my last trip dowstairs, holding the huge mannikin. There were only two other people in the building, and I got very scared. I was sure I was going to die meeting the Friendly Neighborhood Serial killer, with this big doll in my arms. What would people think?! But, the two there were working on computers,and I think something fell or a door slammed. Both were fine and helped me by opening doors for me. I was covered in snow, and drove home with a car full of dolls and boxes, the big girl seated next to me, her head now on, and swathed in shawls and afghans. So, most of the Barbies and friends are small; I'm only taking one supersized doll, and one small house. Restraint, restraint,as Joseph Conrad writes.

In May, I am doing a talk on historical women dolls for AAUW. Again, choices must be made, but I can do that one quite nicely with my Nisbet and Alexander families, and with examples from our good friends at Uneek Designs. I will approach dolls representing historical women, dolls that belonged to historical women, and dolls that were made possible by historical women, e.g., the costuming/work of Mmes. Kestner, Jumeau, Bru, Huret, and Rohmer, to name a few. And of course, Barbie and Ruth Handler figure into the mix again.

The weather is better, more new dolls are out, the doll shows and yard sales are about to begin. Happy Dolling!