Day Two at National Doll Convention: Doll Education and Doll Fun

Day Two at the UFDC National Doll Convention started bright and early at 7am with doll themed breakfasts, and didn't end until the last few die-hard doll collectors were thrown out of the official doll sales room at 11:30pm.

In between, there were additional doll events, and doll education including lectures, seminars, and hands-on workshops. The photo is from one of the very well attended seminars, the Revlon and Glamour Dolls of the 1950s taught by the legendary Robert Tonner of the Tonner Dolls Company. At the seminar, Mr. Tonner shared his passion and knowledge about the dolls, and showed examples of the dolls from his collection. He also gave wonderful tips on how to restore the dolls.

My day started early when I taught two Dynamic Doll Dialogues on how to get the most from Doll Collecting at About.com and also how to research dolls on the Internet. After that, I was treated to a local treat--tea sandwiches overlooking the amazing early 20th century pipe organ at Lord & Taylors during the daily noon pipe organ concert. During lunch, I reminisced with other doll collectors about the German and French bisque dolls that were sold at that very building (when it was Wanamaker's) as early as 1905, and about the even earlier dolls that were sold at that location in the earlier Wanamaker's building at the site.

Right after lunch, I attended Mr. Tonner's seminar. I then tried to buy the convention t-shirt and pin which were sold out (!!). In all fairness, there are 4 versions of the pin and only the version I wanted was sold out..but its only the second day of convention. All t-shirts, all sizes, however, were gone.

Early evening brought the gala Grand Opening with the UFDC Awards of Excellence. Two of the notable awards given were the Award for Meritorious Service, a lifetime achievement award given to Betty Anne Twigg, a former UFDC President, and the award for Doll Display, given to Michael Canadas and Davie Robinson from the Carmel Doll Shop for their amazing display of French Fashion dolls at last year's convention in Kansas City.

Then...the moment that everyone had been waiting for all day...the grand opening of the sales room! I'm always a lilttle afraid of a doll-induced stampede getting into the sales room after the grand opening ceremonies--but generally the crowd is urgent, a little over excited, but orderly. At the opening of the doors, I ran into my favorite doll dealer's booth, proceeded to elbow several people out of the way, found an amazing doll and then managed to clutch doll to breast, glaring menacingly at anyone else who showed any sort of interest in it, until the doll could be safely purchased. Now...that was nice and orderly, wasn't it?

I was one of the people to close down the sales room, and then, not knowing when to quit, I stayed up talking to three other collectors (including two of the authors of the must-have The Art of Patti Playpal until 1:30 in the morning. Just another typical day during a week of doll nirvana.