Dorothy Coleman Doll Club Meeting - Saturday, January 25th, 2025

I recently just joined the Dorothy Coleman Doll Club at the encouragement of one of my doll club friends, Allison. This doll club is a UFDC doll club so when you join, you attend at least two meetings to see if it is a good fit for what you collect , and usually you have to become a member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs 

The UFDC, as it is referred to, has a doll convention, with workshops, a doll sponsored by the convention, vendors, and more each year as well as a magazine that comes out four times a year for your membership dues. On my third meeting here in January, I was voted into the club along with another member. 

At this meeting there was no program, just a type of doll sale and business for the upcoming convention. The club president was having a sale  / estate sale of her mother's dolls and clearing out alot of doll magazines, fabric, and books. 

I found the Franklin Mint Princess Diana in the 'Elvis' dress - a doll I have been looking for - for $35 ! She even had her stand and her crown box and purse. I was also able to pick up the 2 Doll News magazines for free, - as well as some of the Barbie items for Free too- I was really thrilled to get these. My friend Allison found some great Barbie items and sewing items too. 

I got the vintage 1993 Barbie High Stepper Battery operated Palomino walking horse- I havent purchased any batteries to see if he walks yet. Also, the little vintage plush Honey with the pink bow in its fur. And lastly- a vintage 1993 Bedtime Barbie soft body Slumber Party Barbie! She has her nightgown and slippers intact. Her hair is intact too! 

We had our Va. Fashion Doll Club meeting on Sunday -- the next day! So it was 2 doll club weekend! I will be posting  about that tomorrow! So I am now a member of 2 Doll Clubs! Enjoy!

 

Franklin Mint Princess Diana - The People's Princess

She finally arrived! Franklin Mint's Princess Diana, The People's Princess

 Here she is de-boxed with her purse and bouquet of flowers in the blue Chanel suit. I always loved this simple outfit. 

She is truly stunning. I found her on Poshmark at a great price , where I also sell. You can sell more than clothing and shoes on Poshmark, I sell china, glass, dolls, toys, books. Other places I would have had to pay twice the amount of shipping, Poshmark charges flat shipping- $7.95 and sometimes when sellers make you an offer it can be less. I have been watching prices for this doll on eBay, Mercari, and Poshmark and finally got an incredible deal I just could not pass by. 

There is a story- an indirect story with this doll and why I wanted her. My mother had this doll- boxed. She loved Ashton-Drake dolls and especially Franklin Mint celebrity dolls- and saved for this doll, making payments for her. In the 80's and the 1990's Franklin Mint came out with many of the celebrity dolls such as this one and she also wanted the Jackie Kennedy doll. She always said, if something happens to me- I want you to have this doll. She was never a de-boxer of her dolls. At her death, inadvertently, my dad let one of her 'friends' and her daughter come in and take all of her dolls, who were also doll collectors. At the time, so soon after her death, which was a few months, I just did not have it in me to go through her collection so soon. We had been sorting through other items. It broke me , to say the least when this doll and another one I had given her, were taken. Though I was given one doll back, this one was never returned, nor were the others. Though I have moved on, I decided to go ahead from that point on and purchase the doll for myself. I love Princess Diana, so it is not a hard doll to add to my collection. I am now looking for her in the 'Elvis' dress, another one I thought was lovely. 

From then on, I have discovered a new collecting sphere- Franklin Mint dolls- thanks to my mother's love of them and through collecting Gene Marshall. The quality of the clothing is the equal to that of the Gene Marshall dolls and I have seen scenes with the dolls and they mesh together. 

*On a side note. I encourage people not to leave your dolls to chance. If you are not a de-boxer, put a sticky note on the bottom of the box who you wish to leave the doll to, it will not harm the integrity of the box/doll. Leave a list with your intentions/ wishes in a safe place and copy with your will/ lawyer. Also a value and price guide to how much you paid, etc. Those in your family who think dolls are of no value and 'just want to get rid of them' like my dad or have no sentimentality or before a collection can be properly sorted. *

I hope you have enjoyed the photos!

Lisa 

Below are a few photos I snapped after unpacking it- of course Queen Fluffy had to know what was going on! She loves my dolls and had to jump up into HER chair and get into the photos!