Welcome to Deborah's Doll Shoppe

It seems I have always loved dolls. As child I had many dolls and cherished them all. My mom and I carefully packed them away when I left home, they were treasures after all.

When my own children were older and I had a bit of time for myself, I gathered my childhood dolls from my parent’s home and cleaned up my poor dollies who were a bit dirty from those years of storage.

I also frequented a doll shop in Waukesha, Wisconsin quite often on Saturdays with my own little boys in tow. It was here that I got to meet some doll experts who invited me to attend a UFDC doll club meeting. That was about fifteen years ago.

My experience with restoring dolls started as trial and error, as I experimented with my own ideas and those from collectors. I also read books and articles on the subject. Ten years ago I took an extensive two week class from a well-known doll expert in Portland, Oregon. This was a significant period of growth in my knowledge of doll repair. More recently I have continued classes and have just joined a group of national and local doll doctors. This is a fantastic way to continue learning about restoration.

above:Springtime by Madame Alexander upper left: Queen Anne by Judy Brown

I specialize in "doctoring" composition and antique dolls. I believe in doing minimal work to these dolls to retain authenticity. Antique or vintage clothing is found when necessary.

Restringing and cleaning are a large part of my business for newer dolls as well.

I sell at area dolls shows several times a year. Please check my selling schedule. This is also a great time for us to meet.

So if you have a doll who needs some care whether antique, vintage, collectible or modern, I will be happy to look at your treasure. And if you are thinking about purchasing a special antique or vintage doll, I might be able to help with that too.