DOLLS
OF YESTERDAY & TODAY
OLD DOWNTOWN
Marilyn Dundon
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you have questions
about anything on our web site, you can email us at: support@dollsoldandnew.com. We can not respond to requests for
information, identification, or evaluations about other dolls not on our web
site.
Dolls of Yesterday and Today is a family owned and operated business, located in
historic Old Downtown
Here are our answers to questions about
buying old dolls, appraisals, doll clothing, repairs, and boxes:
BUYING OLD DOLLS
Q: I have some older Alexanders
that I'd like to sell. Do you buy them, or do you know of anyone who does?
A: We are not currently in the market to
purchase any retired Alexanders at this time. You
might try visiting the Madame Alexander company web site (http://www.madamealexander.com) and check their listing of dealers around the
country. There might be a dealer in your area that could assist you with
finding a local market. Doll shows and online auctions are other possibilities
for selling older Alexanders.
APPRAISALS
Q: How much is my doll worth?
A: Obviously, there is no quick and easy
answer to this question. For Alexander dolls, we recommend the Madame Alexander's Collector's Dolls Price Guide #28 by Linda Crowsey. This
guide has a complete listing of just about every Alexander ever made, including
values and other useful information. We have the guide for sale for $12.00
(plus $5.50 postage when ordering the price guide only).
We also offer an appraisal service for
evaluating Alexander dolls. You will need to know the name, size, approximate
year, and condition of the doll in order for us to do the valuation research
for you. Click here to see our Appraisal Request Form. Our fee is $5.00 per doll.
For other types of collectible dolls,
your best bet is to try and locate a doll dealer in your area that can do an
appraisal in person. Fees vary from dealer to dealer.
DOLL CLOTHING
Q: How can I get clothing for my doll?
A: We have a limited number of new
clothing items available for Alexander dolls, listed on our Doll Clothing page. For other dolls, there is not much available from the company.
Most often, the best option is to visit a fabric store and
try to find a pattern and make replacement clothing yourself (or find a
skilled seamstress).
REPAIRS
Q: I have an older doll that is in need
of repairs. Any suggestions?
A: We are not accepting any doll repair
work at this time. There are a few businesses across the country
that specialize in doll repairs and restorations. We would recommend
trying to find someone in your local area that does this type of work, so you
can inspect examples of their work to be sure that you will be satisfied with
the job. The Madame Alexander company does have a
BOXES
Q: How important is it to keep original
boxes for my dolls? My closets are brimming over!
A: I think the importance of keeping
original boxes is exaggerated. It is unrealistic to store dozens of boxes
throughout many years of collecting unless you have your own warehouse. One tip
that will save space is to fold the boxes flat like department store gift boxes
and tie them in bundles with string. The tissue can be folded, too, or pressed
with an iron (low heat, no steam) and rolled into gift wrap tubes. But if you
simply can't store your boxes indefinitely, don't be too concerned. The box
itself may add only a few dollars to the value of your doll, but after a number
of years, it will become shabby. The important thing is a fresh, bright,
complete doll that someone else will be proud to display, should you decide to
sell it. The exception is, of course, the presentation box that is unique to a
specific doll such as the Little Lady's picture frame box. This is the type of
box that would add value to the doll it presents and positively should be
retained and even displayed.