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Step into Pat Lundin's home and you'll be greeted by 500 smiling faces of dolls.Lundin, 82, describes herself as “doll crazy”.And she's not alone.
As a member of Timeless Treasures Doll Club of Largo, she frequently meets with 25 other women who share her hobby.Once a month, they gather at the Palms of Largo to show off their latest finds and catch up on news in the world of doll collecting.
On Saturday, the club will hold the Palms of Largo Fifth Annual Doll Show.The program will include 37 vendors(賣主)with both classic and contemporary dolls for sale.
“Timeless Treasures is a club that's open to doll lovers regardless of the age of the doll,” said Judy Smith, president of the organization.“Some doll clubs require members have a certain number of antique dolls, but we don't.we make sure we are not terribly formal.”
Smith, 71, is a retired schoolteacher who owns Judy's Doll Hospital, a part-time business she operates out of her home.She will have a table offering repair and appraisal(鑒定)services.
Smith firs began studying and collecting dolls in her early 20s,in Glassboro, New Jersey, she does not know how many dolls she owns, or how many repairs she has made over the years.But she does know the age of her oldest doll.
“She's 129,” Smith said.“It is a German-made doll that belonged to my grandmother, and it sits in my living room.”
The show is for both the beginner as well as the experienced collector, said Anita Munson, one of the show's organizers.
Over the years, Munson, 82, has learned how to identify a valuable doll.“Generally speaking porcelain(瓷制的)dolls are the most valuable,” she said.“But the porcelain will not be shiny.”
Smith believes many people will attend to find out how much their dolls are worth.She wants them to know more.
“Because the dolls reflect what the children were wearing and doing at a particular period of time, they can be a great history lesson for children now,” she said.