The collection began in 1990.
Louis Dean taught second grade for 18 years and used 'The Little House on the Prairie'
in his unit studies. His wife, Ellen, would gift him with a doll for his birthdays and Christmas.
Who would have thought a great big 6' 2" 200 pound man would love DOLLS!!
Louis Dean does!!
This shelf is his favorite!
He and Ellen were both very much involved with Karate.
The top shelf holds some of her favorite 'Gi's' as well as patches from the Karate Federation - founded by their son. LD and Ellen were both on the board of directors.
His son and Ellen designed the patch.
The collection of Oriental figures were among Ellen's personal favorites.
One shelf features Louis Dean's Indian dolls. He is a bona fide Native American!
He put the John Wayne cup Amber gave him for Christmas with the dolls....
AND his Alamo belt buckle!
(The Leopard dressed angel is mine!)
An 'I Love Lucy' collection with a 'Job Switching' doll that has never been out of the box!
Some elegant Dolls.....
and a couple of Royal Doulton Petites (which belong to my daughter, Summer)
Then there is the odd and end pieces........
Coffee cups that belonged to Ellen
A bottle of white sand taken from White Sands National Monument where Louis Dean and Ellen went on their honeymoon.
(They collected this before it was illegal to take!)
A silver cup from their first born
The old Mammy doll an elderly friend gave me which had belonged to HER mother!
Lots of memories are to be found here.
Louis Dean and I often sit in the living room with our coffee, tea or wine -
looking at the dolls and talking about happy times.
I have these resin paper weights I made many long years ago of my oldest daughter and son tucked away safely in a corner by the dolls.
When LD and I married, moving these cases with all the glass shelves and doors....
not to mention the heavy cherry wood - was one of the HARDEST things we did!
But we DID it! And not one thing broke!
Thankfully there are glass doors on both sides to protect the dolls.
All I have to do is dust everything a couple of times a year!
I love it that Louis Dean has a soft spot in his heart for all his DOLLS!
now that is an impressive collection...
ReplyDeleteI love it...that he has a soft spot for dolls. What a great collection.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such a great collection, many many years in the making and so many memories.
ReplyDeleteYou all have quite an amazing collection. Those cases hold so many memories, it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love that LD has a doll collection. I love the Lucy dolls and Ricky with his drum! How sweet you have displayed his late wife's mugs. I love it that your are lovingly caring for his things, but then I wouldn't expect anything less from you! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Fantastic post!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd the two of you, are fantastic!!!
I love his unique collection, and yours.
I love it, that you display things from his past life, in your home, along with things from your past too.
I think you must be one-in-a-million, in being able to do this. And I am in awe of you, for so doing. Just wonderful, my Dear!
And I'm sure LD appreciates what a super, wonderful, amazing, sure-of-herself second wife, he is blessed with!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lots and lots of gentle hugs...
"Fiction is life
with the dull bits left out"
~Clive James
He got the most precious doll by his side.
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful. I think a man who has a doll collection is one very sure of himself kind of guy. Did you know Ellen? You two would have been great friends I think.
ReplyDeleteI bet you're his favorite "doll".
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful collection. WOW!!
Well, we never thought he'd like cats so some things are just a surprise with LD!
ReplyDeleteSounds like he is a sentimental guy. That makes for a good husband! I think that it's nice that he has so many things that he treasures like that. My SIL loves the Madam Alexander dolls and has an impressive collection. She and your husband could probably talk about dolls forever!
ReplyDeleteThey are so WONDERFUL!! thank you for sharing this Linda!
ReplyDelete