Doll Collecting
Photo by Ann Cook
When we moved to Pakistan, we spent a few days in Tokyo. Dad had lived there during the Korean War and wanted to show Mom the Japan he loved. Before we left, Mom let me choose a Japanese doll and a lacquer box as souvenirs. I picked out a red and gold box right away, but choosing the doll was harder. I wanted a delicate Geisha in a pink kimono, holding a parasol with cherry blossoms. But Mom, who studied design at Berkeley, chose a simple wooden doll for me instead. I was disappointed. It didn’t even have arms or legs!
I always wanted to collect dolls from different countries. There were a few girls in Tarbela, Pakistan, with large collections from their family travels. I acquired a few souvenir Pakistani dolls as birthday gifts, draped in colorful saris. Instead of shelving mine for show, I played with them like Barbies, creating villages by using picture books as houses and my wooden camel and rhinoceros as livestock. When I left Pakistan, only the Japanese clump of wood survived my childhood.
I still have that Japanese doll. She’s called a Kokeshi doll. As an adult and a graphic designer, I get why Mom picked it. She had good taste. She saw its simple design as timeless, showing off Japanese craftsmanship and culture. Plus, Kokeshi dolls are said to bring good luck and protect the home. Thanks, Mom.
When I visited Thailand in 2023, I looked for a souvenir doll, thinking of the gold-clad dancer that girl in Tarbela had. None of the dolls in Bangkok felt special; they all seemed too commercial, so I didn’t buy any. Back home, I found the perfect Thai dancing doll from the 1970s on Etsy and added it to my collection. Now I had two dolls.
Last year, while browsing the Habitat for Humanity store in Bakersfield, I spotted an old Kokeshi doll among the knick-knacks. It looked out of place, and I guessed it was probably an antique. Now my doll collection has three.
There’s a fun junk store in Bakersfield called Junktique. It’s kind of like an estate dumping ground, and the money supports missionaries worldwide. I’ve often looked at the doll collections that came and went, but I never bought any. It’s a little sad to see travel memories end up in a store like that. However, this past Thursday, while I was there, I discovered a genuine Russian nesting doll. It reminded me of Tarbela again, so I bought it for $5.99. I think I’ll stop at four.
I know I should be downsizing, but I’m not quite there yet. My little doll collection brings me joy, reminding me of my childhood, travels, and Mom.
