DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am hoping that you or your readers can help me find someone who repairs china/bisque and leather antique dolls. I have one that was given to me by my great-grandmother that is ready to be passed on and she needs some work done to get her ready for her new home. She needs her blinking eyes repaired, a good cleaning and her hair styled. Also, is there a seamstress who could make a new outfit for her? She is about 23 inches tall, has a bisque head, hands and feet, and a jointed leather body. Thank you! — Cindy, Raymond.
ANSWER: A business that is not local but which you can consult via email and telephone and coordinate safe shipping, is Jenny Baby’s Doll Hospital in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. It can be reached at 617-980-6642. The owner, Janice McIntyre, restores vintage and antique dolls. She can restring, repaint, give new wigs, eyes, clothing, etc.
Sun Spots was unable to confirm whether it is still in operation, but, A Special Place for Dolls, in Wales, specializes in antique doll repair, including but not limited to restringing, wig washing, cleaning and modeling missing pieces. For more information, call 207-375-7255. However, the owner, Linda Tibbetts, is not available year-round.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Rumford Historical Society and the Rumford Center Village Improvement Society are sponsoring a joint summer yard sale, to be held at the Rumford Center Town Hall, on Saturday, June 3. Times will be announced at a later date. If you are planning to move, sell your house or are just doing spring cleaning, please think of us. Both organizations are in need of funds: The VIS wants to re-side the front of the Rumford Center Town Hall; the RHS uses its funds to support its activities at the Archives in Rumford Town Hall and the Lufkin School Museum at Rumford Center. Because of snow, pickup of large furniture items must be delayed until warmer weather. Contact VIS representative Winnie Barker at 364-7457 or RHS persons David Kimball at 364-9079 or Jane Peterson at 369-9288 to make arrangements for such pickup. We ask that smaller household items be delivered to the Town Hall at a time arranged by the donor and representatives. No clothing, please. — Jane W. Peterson, president, Rumford Historical Society.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Mechanic Falls Historical Society will meet Wednesday, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the Anglican Church, 64 Elm St. Plans are underway to organize with the church members a community supper in May, a yard sale for the spring/summer and a quilt show on Mechanic Falls Community Day in June. The Historical Society would also like to acquire the video recording talents of someone in the area. If anyone is interested, please contact Eriks Petersons at 345-3134 or email nepesons@myfairpoint.net. Society members would also like to thank Barry and Elaine Vaill for their organizational skills with the historical data and documents in the society’s possession, making it easier to begin cataloguing this material. The meeting extends an invitation to any person who seeks to join the society in preserving the documents and artifacts of this community as well as suggesting ideas of further community involvement. — Eriks Petersons
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