How did people buy and sell paper dolls before eBay? They relied on flea markets, garage sales and paper doll newsletters. I've discovered some old newsletters at parties and online sale lists. "Paper Playthings" was published by Joan Carol Kaltschmidt from her home in Flushing, Queens from the 1960s through the 1980s, I think. I have copies from 1971-1986--the May 1971 issue is No. 85, so there are many others I haven't seen from the early days of publication.
Joan Carol's newsletter is like a letter from an old friend, filled with news--good, bad and in-between-- about her family, including son Matthew and daughter Mary Lou (M'lou, as she called her). I've no doubt that if Joan Carol were still alive, she'd be blogging about paper dolls--certainly outdoing anything I could possible do--and organizing one fabulous convention.
The May 1971 issue, shown here, also has news about Carol Carey's baby shower--she's one of the members of the NYC paper doll group.
You can imagine my delight when I found "Laura," a handmade paper doll by Joan Carol at a convention sales table a few years ago.
4 comments:
Do you have any of the newsletters containing Pat Stall PDs inside? I'm a big Pat Stall fan and in some old articles I read about her, she used to publish her PDs in the newsletter.
Galen,
I collect the newsletters as a record of the paper doll collector community, so I wouldn't break up an issue to sell a page or two. The convention salesroom will likely have Pat Stall's art work, so I hope you'll join us in August!
I can't come in August but I did register as an absentee this year
for the first time. I didn't want you break the newsletters up but I was wondering if you did find any, that you could photocopy them for me. I would pay for shipping and supplies. It would go for both Paper Playthings and the Midwest Paper Dolls & Toys Quarterly. Thanks
I thought that was you! I think you'll be pleased with your souvenirs.
I took a quick look in the Paper Playthings box, and didn't see any Stalls, but I will look more thoroughly in the days ahead, as well as in the Midwest quarterly.
Those pds are quite collectible, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were removed long before I got a hold of these issues.
Post a Comment