My grandmother was born in 1922. She was married at age 15 and at age 16 she had my mother. Her husband was abusive and an alcoholic. She left him, but had no marketable skills. In 1943, at the urgings of her family, she left my then five year old mother and joined the Army where she was trained to be a nurse. My mother lived with her Aunt, Uncle and cousins in rural Arizona, about as poor as a family could be. When the war ended in 1945, my grandmother returned with a new stepfather for my mom. This doll was a gift from them to her. It was the first doll she ever owned. She was seven years old. My grandmother worked so hard to make a good life for her daughter. This doll marks the beginning of a new life for their little family. I want to have her restored. I have been wanting to share this story for a while, but I had a new motivation today while surfing ebay. Look at this darling doll up for auction:
Isn’t she pretty? I think it’s the same face as my mother’s doll! Except that the seller says it is a hard plastic head. She created this doll from parts she picked up at a doll doctor’s estate sale. I think she did such an amazing job. I am really stunned by the resemblance! I am hoping that her doll head has some markings on it as I’d like to know who the manufacturer is. My doll has no markings. Seeing this pretty doll shows me just how pretty my special doll could be if she were restored. I honestly don’t think of myself as a doll person. Being surrounded by cabinets full of dolls kind of creeps me out. I know that’s a funny thing for a dollmaker to say, but it’s true! I try to sell most of my dolls and I don’t really collect dolls. But sometimes… something is special enough to keep. And this is one of those time.