There are dolls for children to play with. Then again, there are dolls to collect. Dolls that are pieces of art; dolls that appreciate with time and are an investor`s joy as well as a wise place to put his or her money. Those are the dolls you will find at, or through, The Guild Room in Glen Ellyn.
Doll collecting ”is the second biggest collective area in the world,”
owner John T. Young said. And a major goal of Young and his staff is to educate their clientele, guiding them into dollar-wise purchases, as well as to match them with artist dolls that fulfill personal taste and fancy. Young doesn`t recommend a doll that doesn`t measure up to his knowledgeable criteria.
”Just because it is a beautiful doll doesn`t mean I will carry it,” he said.
One would be hard pressed, however, to find a doll in The Guild Room that isn`t beautiful; many are near breath-taking. There are dolls by doll artist Brenda Burke, who works in wax and porcelain dolls and is the artist to the British Royal Family; dolls manufactured by Gorham, a company Young himself created the Gift of Dreams concept for; collector doll pieces by artist Pat Thompson, who works in very rare antique fabrics and creates one-of-a-kind magnificents; and dolls and lithographs by world-renowned artist Edna Hibel.
Feathers, velvet, muffs, lace, tiny satin flowers, alluring eyes and graceful mouths that seem to whisper, ”I will enhance your life. Take me home.” Figurines and other pieces of art to complement the dolls. Dolls of innocence; dolls of grandeur.
But make no mistake, The Guild Room deals purely with contemporary artist dolls: no antique dolls, no toys. ”There is very little in the store under $350,” Young said, and prices can run up to $10,000.
Catalog sales are also available through Young`s American Doll Guild Ltd. A free copy of ”The Doll Lover`s Christmas Catalogue” is available by phoning 858-2115. The American Doll Guild, Ltd. will be holding a contemporary doll auction Saturday. Phone for details as to time and location.
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The Guild Room, 536A Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday by appointment. Phone 708-858-2115.
