Finding new homes for thousands of dolls
FOX 13’s Ariel Plasencia shares the interesting story of one Tampa woman’s porcelain doll collection and the search for new ownership after her she recently passed away.
TAMPA – “You know, there’s certain people that love dolls — and I get it — and there’s some people that don’t like them — I get it. They just think they’re haunted or something,” Fritz Peltonen told FOX 13. “I just want them to find a home. That’s what I really want to do.”
The backstory:
The Tampa resident has fond memories of helping his mother, Mary Elizabeth Peltonen, make some of these porcelain dolls, a skill she taught herself.
Mary Elizabeth Peltonen died two-months shy of her 99th birthday in 2023, but her son, Fritz, only recently got possession of all the dolls.
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She was known for the intricate faces she’d paint. She had her own studio and taught classes at her Michigan home. She also had her own porcelain doll company, called M.E. Dolls.
“She had a widow class, and every time somebody lost their spouse, they would all bring them in and help her transition to being single again,” Fritz Peltonen said.
Some of her lifesize dolls were used as mannequins at clothing stores. She also sold dolls: At one point, they were going for $300 to $400.
Local perspective:
While he’ll keep the memories forever, Fritz Peltonen told FOX 13 he’s had a tough time finding a market for these dolls, and they’re not really selling.
He has several of them at his Tampa home, but there are nearly 2,000 more at his mom’s house in Michigan.
“There are some dolls I can remember that there’s stories — and I did it with my mom — but I’d rather see them with somebody that enjoys them,” Peltonen added.
He recently posted on the Nextdoor app and is now looking for advice: He’s hoping someone can point him in the right direction regarding what he can do with the dolls.
“I would like to re-purpose them somewhere in society. It doesn’t have to be hard, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s just find the right place – museums? — something like that,” Peltonen said.
What you can do:
Got an idea? Send a message to [email protected]
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Ariel Plasencia.