Doll Collecting
A continuing series of interviews
with doll collectors.
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Meet Katrinna Lynna Pint, of Show Low, Arizona, who
owns 500 Barbie Dolls and 50 porcelain baby dolls. She says her doll collection,
"takes the mind back to the day of childhood, when stress was non existent.
It let's you relive your childhood, reaffirming the idea that fun is not
gone with adulthood. Most people allow their age to dictate their ability
to enjoy life, often settling into a routine that ends in boredom and
dissatisfaction with life in general. But I've found that with doll collecting,
I still have a little bit of that child still there, with all the excitement
and joy a child receives with a new doll. I couldn't give up that joy for
anything in the world."
How did you get involved with doll collecting? When I was about 3 years old, my mother refused to buy me a Barbie doll. So in the natural order of events, I asked my grandfather and he bought me my first Barbie. I just loved it and have been doing it ever since. What do you enjoy most about doll collecting? Why were you drawn to this hobby? The beauty of the doll, and at first, the representation of adulthood to a small child. It was a way of emotionalizing my feelings to becoming an adult, and preparing for it also. I still enjoy the beauty of the dolls, and the satisfaction I feel when I obtain one. I can look at them and see parts of my childhood that were some of my happiest. What criteria do you use when choosing the dolls you will add to your collection? What do you look for? Of course, liking the way they look is almost immediate. If a doll has unusual features, or a certain hair color, like red for example, I'm more likely to buy it than another. Collectability is another. I mainly purchased for pleasure in the past, but recently I have started buying for investment as well. But mostly it's the initial WHAM! That's The One! syndrome. How do your dolls make you feel emotionally? What do they give you and add to your life? They still let me be a little bit of the kid I used to be. I have a very stressful job, and at times I long to return to the time when all I had to worry about was what Ken doll my Barbie was going to date that night. Again, it relieves stress just knowing that they are there, and that the memories are refreshed every time I look at them. How many dolls have you collected? I have approximately 500 Barbies still in the box, about 250 out of the box and played with, and right at 50 porcelain baby dolls & figurines. What are your favorite dolls? Can you tell us about the dolls you are most proud of. I would have to say it's my Romantic Rose Bride Barbie. I've had her for years, and only took her out of the box this Xmas eve. I couldn't stand it anymore. Her beauty transcends beyond a mere doll. She reflects every dream I had growing up of what my own wedding and wedding dress would look like. Her hair is a beautiful bright red, and is done in a elegant upsweep. Her veil is full and gauzy, and her dress is a long straight skirt that is form fitting. She has an attached train trailing behind. Her dress is covered in lacework and elegant touches of glitz, and an iridescent glitter. She looks radiant and happy, just as I imagined I would always look. I just adore her. How is the love of dolls "life affirming and stress reducing"? It takes the mind back to the day of childhood, when stress was non existent. It let's you relive your childhood, reaffirming the idea that fun is not gone with adulthood. Most people allow their age to dictate their ability to enjoy life, often settling into a routine that ends in boredom and dissatisfaction with life in general. But I've found that with doll collecting, I still have a little bit of that child still there, with all the excitement and joy a child receives with a new doll. I couldn't give up that joy for anything in the world. Where do you find your dolls? Catalogs, retail stores, and direct mailings. I recently discovered the joys of internet shopping and Home Shopping Network. What are your ten best tips for new doll collectors who don't know what to look for when they go to purchase dolls? Buy what you like. If you don't like it, you'll begin to wonder, "Why did I do that?" Limited edition and collectors edition are always a good sign a doll may be worth something in the future. Designer dolls usually have a high price tag, but can be worth it in the long run. Don't buy what you cannot afford. Overspending is a sign that there may be a serious problem not having anything to do with doll collecting. Besides, you loos the fun aspect of it if you're worrying how to pay for an item, or if an items cost put you out of a month's rent. If a doll is highly purchased, it's collectibility may go down from so many being on the market. Try to stick to one area of collecting. For instance, if you decide to collect Barbie, don't start picking up Avon bottles. It can make a mess of your home. Catalog everything. Make sure to list what you buy so you don't buy duplicates, or if something happens to the collection, an insurance company will have a list of what you had and can recompensate you accordingly. Make sure you have plenty of room for your collection. Display them properly. But mostly, have fun. It's supposed to make you happy, so stop when it doesn't. Do you have a favorite doll maker? Of course. Mattel for that glorious creation started in 1959, BARBIE! As to a artist under Mattel, I would have to say Bob Mackie. His designs are nothing less than inspired. How he can make such beauty show like he does simply boggles the mind. What do you wish you knew about doll collecting when you first began that you know now? *grin* I wish I had taken better care of some of my original dollies, and made an effort to save up more money for the more expensive dolls, the ones I wanted but couldn't afford on a short term basis. Now I want them REAL bad and don't stand a chance in hell of ever getting them. The prices now are astronomical compared to back then. Where do you display your dolls? Do you sell dolls? I keep them at home, in my bedroom, in a case. At least, some of them. I have another room with shelves where I display all my beauties. I have just started selling a few of my dolls off to make room for some new ones. Do you give your dolls a personality? Are there certain personalities in dolls you are drawn to? I like long haired dolls for some reason. Probably 'cause my hair would NEVER grow beyond shoulder length. With the new My Design Barbies available on the internet, I got to choose where my doll was from, what she did, what she looked like, and what her goals were. I got a major kick out of that. What mistakes have you made in your doll collecting endeavors? Anything you can imagine. I've spent too much, too little, displayed improperly, bought duplicates, not listed them, on and on and on. I'd be here forever if I tried to list my boo boos. Doll collecting is just like most things. It takes a lot of mistakes to learn and get it right. It doesn't happen overnight. And the key is perseverance. Don't let one bad call stop you from going on your way. That's not just a collecting lesson, but a life lesson. |
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