http://newcastledollclub.yolasite.com/
http://newcastledollclub.yolasite.com/doll-fair.php
I'm not sure where I had been for the other 30 years, but in 2013 I found a leaflet on the counter at an Op Shop advertising that there was a local doll fair, Well actually I do know where I was, I had just not heard of this before then.
Newcastle and the Hunter Valley are north of Sydney, about 200km north. They have been running the toy fair for 33 years this year, this year it was at Lambton High School, in the school hall. I've been 3 times now, I know I took Marisol the first time, not sure now about the second, probably BFC ink Maddie, I was checking my blog posts for the last two Marches and failed to report, save for some vague reference on the April 1st 2014 post called "Cousin".
Anyway, so 2015 I took Mariana and Josefina. The girls wanted to see the big wide world of doll collectibles, Josefina was missing her dolls.
Mariana, I had the wierdest dream this morning, that we had camped out at the dollfair to try and beat the rush.
Hahahaha, must have been the banana split
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| was it a dream? |
Have we got enough time?
Sure do, it's only 9 o'clock.
Going, in, walk this way...
tickets were at the front door, $6.50 we paid to get in, we could also buy raffle tickets, with proceeds going to the Hunter Animal Rescue
This pretty girl was one of the prizes, along with the little blonde
and a baby, shhhh, don't wake the baby. Is this legal?
It's a doll.
Oh.
First stall, old dolls, I think they're by Pedigree
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| photo bomb |
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| this was a bronze dragon statue, a collectible, and very heavy. |
these are from the 1920's wow their nearly 100!!
Is that Susan Mary? Grandma's doll?
Mare, what's up doc. Baring ones teeth is not a new thing, Mariana's Kaya background got a little scared, actually we all were a little scared. Grandma's Susan Mary used to have teeth, I wonder if they were as bucky as these.
A very sophisticated lady.
Gene by Ashton Drake, I think it was Hello Hollywood
The dolls under the table
Would I like to collect dolls of he world?
Or miniatures
look how tiny they are, hmm any goats?
Wow, look at these furniture pieces
so tiny, and beautiful
Norma buys the bare furniture and then does all the covering/decorating
She said it was 1/12 scale. Wow, we are 1/3.
Buttons!
Bears!! This was from a shop in a little town called Morpeth. Morpeth is about 1/2 drive north of Newcastle, on the bank of the Hunter River. It still feels like an 1800's township, I will have to take the girls there soon, and Peggy for the teapot show.
I'm beary lovely
Steiff bears and other animals (German, first made in 1902)
Harry Potter missin an owl?
A little rest
Claire Bears, based in Queensland, an Ultimate Tour
Dolly Pegs by Shirley
and a very helpful stall holder. The Peg dolls are all hand painted and dressed, there was even doll furniture
and 3 wise men, slightly lost, Bethlehem is that way...
Chessington Dolls. These are mostly porcelain lady torsoes, that you make skirts for with fine cotton and beads, and display them. Very beautiful.
http://www.chessingtondolls.com/
American girl Kailey (doll of the year 2003), she was helping Margaret from Betty Chloe Dolls.
Wow, your human is so clever, and you are so lucky you can wear all those beautiful clothes.
I know. You can even buy one of the models, Margaret has given them new hair and new outfits, look at those shoes.
There was so much more, at the fair, we forgot to take pictures of, it was getting close to lunch time and the small amount of sleep was finally catching up with us.
We saw one other American Girl and that was a little blonde Bitty Twin, feeling a little awkward in a Bitty Baby outfit. She did come over to say hello with her very happy buyer (only $20 and in very good condition). The seller had thought she was a Bitty Baby, the buyer now has the awkward job herself to let the little girl know that she was missing her sibling.
We did not go home empty handed.
Josefina is not convinced that I did not leave them out overnight.
