Doll's hospital

Fancy a Cuppa
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I’m packing ready to move and in the loft today I found four dolls I had as a child, so they are all about 50 years old.

My favourite was Suzie Smart, she used to talk, but doesn’t any more, her eyes have caved in where the elastic has perished, and when I picked her up this morning her leg fell off where the plastic has become brittle and broken! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry (did both in the end), and then I made up my mind to let her go. But hubs came in for his lunch and said don’t throw away anything if it’s making you cry and now could be the time to see if you can get her restored.

I have always said that I would love to get the talking mechanism fixed at a doll’s hospital, but there’s never been spare money for things like that in the past, but now I could afford to do it.

What do you think? Am I being over-sentimental? I’ve tried googling some dolls hospitals, but they seem to be geared more towards antique dolls than 1960s!

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I’m a doll addict, and don’t think I could part with my favourite old dolls, even though they are a bit worse for wear lol!

There are people who restore more modern dolls, I know there are ones out there who do Tiny Tears (she started in the 60s), Sindy, Pippa, Barbie etc. so I’m sure there will be people who do your type of doll :slight_smile: It might be worth looking at some doll forums to get suggestions for restorers.

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I have a Suzie but she is a rag doll,she used to model jewellery at the craft fairs,she got to wear all the bling and did a very good job.but she was born in 1991 and showing her age now.

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Do get your Suzie restored - she was obviously very dear to you. I loved my 6 special dolls as a child (I swore I’d have 6 children when I’d grown up … managed 2!). Among my 6 were Tracy’s Tea Party and Penny Puppy Walker - anyone remember them? My sister had Katie Kopy Kat whom I absolutely adored and I see there are still some floating around on ebay. Seriously tempted to purchase one!

Elaine

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I’ve still got all mine in the loft from the 60s (including a Tiny Tears and another similar one who sports a crew cut fringe that I cut!! I couldn’t understand why Mum was so cross with me as I thought it would grow again!! I’m hoping I was only about three at the time! But I won’t be parting company with them anytime soon :flushed::flushed::flushed:

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I still have my old doll up in the loft, ‘Wendy walkie talkie doll’, but my baby doll has been lost, used to call her ‘sucky thumb doll’. :blush:

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I don’t think it’s being sentimental to send the favorites from your childhood to the hospital. I’m sure if you ‘got rid’ you’d soon regret it and forever say 'I wish I’d kept Suzie’
I haven’t got any of my old toys but I do have a couple of my childrens from the 70’s.

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Thanks for your replies. I don’t feel half so silly now that I’ve heard your stories too, and especially now that I know there are doll forums! Once we are settled in our new house I will look for someone who can repair Suzie for me. I suppose we have been together for 50 years, we might as well go the full distance!