Date: Fri 03-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-12

Quick Words:

doll-show-Furse-Fireside

Full Text:

[Eighth Annual Newtown Doll Show, Fireside Inn, October 29]

Dolls Show Their Stuff At Aunt Mary's

(with cuts)

By Shannon Hicks

Sales don't come any easier than this one did for doll dealer Jeannie Nespoli

of New Milford, or for anyone else.

When Paula Brown entered the banquet hall at the Fireside Inn in Newtown

Sunday morning, October 29, her eyes landed on Ruth, a 28-inch hard plastic

doll by the Paris Doll Co. Paula had been searching for. There she was,

standing in a box in Nespoli's booth just inside the show's main entrance.

Paula told her elderly mother to wait at the main door, she had some

investigating to do.

It didn't take very long. As soon as Ruth was in Paula's arms, it was a done

deal.

"I'm delighted!" Paula squealed as she cradled the delicate doll in her arms.

"I have a blonde one, but I have been looking all over for a brunette Ruth."

Another satisfied customer, Paula was one of hundreds who attended the Eighth

Annual Newtown Antique & Collectible Doll Show, presented by Aunt Mary's Doll

Hospital.

This year, organizer Mary Furse, owner of Aunt Mary's Doll Hospital in

Hawleyville (which is soon becoming Aunt Mary's Dolls), arranged the banquet

hall of the Fireside to accommodate 38 dealers. She has had as many as 60

dealers in the hall, but previous commitments and other conflicting interests

kept some dealers away this year. It did not stop the crowds, however.

"We had a little over 450 people attend," an exhausted Mary said after the

show. The last full week of planning, arranging and running around had finally

caught up with "Aunt Mary." She was beginning to feel the onset of a cold and

needed some serious rest.

"It was great, but I'm glad it's over. I had a long weekend," Mary said.

Before she began working full time, Mary was able to fit planning the show

into her schedule more easily. Now a member of the full-time market, she needs

to take a vacation from work just to finish the show.

Newtown has hosted this particular doll show for eight years, with the last

five being held at the Fireside Inn's spacious hall. The show is sponsored by

the Newtown Woman's Club, which receives part of the door proceeds.

Dolores Gilbert offered verbal doll appraisals at a table set up opposite the

show's main entrance. At $3 per doll, people were bringing in dolls non-stop.

"Dolores did not stop all day," Mary said. "It was incredible how many people

came in. They were still there at 4, when the show closed, waiting to have

dolls appraised."

A doll hospital was also offered. This year, Pam Conroy of Woodbury was on

duty. She also was kept busy throughout the six-hour show, leaving after the 4

pm closing with a trunk full of patients she would work on at home.

"Repairs is a funny thing," Mary Furse said. "If you are any good at it, it's

a lot of you and when you send the doll home, it's like sending a part of you

with it because you think long and hard about what you're doing with it.

"You try to do as little as possible to deter from the original doll, while

trying to make the doll look presentable again," she continued. "Aunt" Mary

Furse has been doing doll repair for nearly nine years, but she has decided to

put away her surgical gloves and needles for a little while.

"There are not a lot of people who do it. It's very time consuming, and you

really have to be devoted in order to get it done."

Also at the show was a raffle for an 1890s china head doll. It was won by Miss

Erin Delohery of Newtown. Erin wasn't at the show when her ticket was pulled,

but her parents immediately drove her back to the hall to pick up her prize.

"That was fun," Mary said. "When you know somebody is really excited about

winning, it's fun.

Although Aunt Mary is changing her shop from a working doll hospital and shop

to solely an antique and collectible doll shop, the annual Newtown show isn't

going anywhere. With Mary resigned to strictly buying and selling, the show

may be called Aunt Mary's Doll Show or the Ninth Annual Newtown Doll Show, but

there is no doubt the show will be back next fall.

"I already have the Fireside reserved for next year," Mary said.