A Sentimental Journey

Gone, But Not Forgotten

This feature will take you through a collection I received from Janet.  While Janet still loves her childhood toys, she felt it was time to pass them along.  The feature will entail the discoveries I found in her toys.  It's not really about what you find or the value.  It's discovering how much love is involved!

The memory is an old one, but never forgotten.  When the memory is freshened, it is a time to reflect.  Many non-collectors will eventually come across their childhood toys when they become adults.  By trying to recapture their lost memories, many will become collectors themselves.  A part of their cherished toys will be lovingly stored away by their parents.  A large bulk of it will be passed down, donated, or disposed of.  Parents play a big part in determining which toys to keep, and seldom do they seek the child's advice.  They already know which ones to keep.  It's a process parents and grandparents make through generations, as children grow out of their toys.  Somehow, parents usually make the right choices.  Though the memory of a favorite childhood toy will eventually escape your mind, the memories they make are the things that make you whole in adulthood.

There may come a time, as a collector, that childhood toys are passed along to you.  It's an unselfish act by the original owner or parent, and a very difficult one.  By giving their toys to you, they are encasing their memories.  Knowing their toys will be well loved and cared for puts them at ease, and makes the transition easier.  It can also bring joy and peace of heart by knowing that someone else will love them as much as they did once, and still do.

LEFT:  Unknown Skipper doll wears a genuine Mattel fashion "Rainy Day Checkers" #1928 from 1966.  The outfit is complete except it is missing the tiny plastic black and red checkers.   BELOW:  This non-Mattel outfit "purrrs" for attention.  I have still not determined if a manufacturer made this outfit, or if it is indeed a hand-made creation.

Genuine Mattel:  Determining whether the items are genuine Mattel items can be very difficult.  Looking for the "Genuine Barbie, Ken Skipper etc. tag is you first clue, but some tags come unstitched, and some knock-off outfits and accessories are pretty close to the genuine articles.  I find that reference books and websites are the best source for identifying and then matching clothing with accessories.

Other manufacturers:  Depending on what era your dealing with, there was a lot of competition dolls out there with fashions of their own! This category is the hardest when trying to identify pieces, mostly because labels are not included inside! Post some pictures of your pieces on bulletin boards and ask for identification help! Someone in the collecting circles will have the answer you are looking for.

LEFT:  FQ Barbie doll wears a hand-made wool sweater ensemble  that is in pristine condition.  She looks toasty and fashionable! 

Hand-made:  Probably the easiest items to identify are the items made at home for the doll.  Just because they aren't the genuine article or manufactured, don't discredit the hand-made items.  You can find a lot of high fashion and accessories!  I find the heart in a collection from the hand-made items, simply because someone took the time to make them.  You will find many levels of tailoring in these items from exquisite to the inexperienced.

As the keeper of a gifted collection, it is up to you to decide what steps you'll take to continue to care for it.  Just remember that this gift was given so you could get as much love out of it as the original owner did.  Give back this love by restoring it to it's former glory or using it to make your personal collection shine!  And most importantly...start making some new memories!