The bittersweet, yet awesome, announcement came out recently, that Shirley Temple's childhood collection of dolls and memorabilia would be auctioned in July by Theriault's.

Here is the announcement from Theriault's.com, in their own words:

 

While the dimpled-faced childhood sweetheart danced and sang and smiled her way into hearts throughout the Great Depression years of the 1930s, her mother was busy preserving the memorabilia that attended Shirley Temple’s more than 25 films of the decade. Film costumes, props, celebrity gifts, dolls, toys, playthings, all were cherished and saved in a private climate-controlled, case-lined room for nearly 80 years...until today.

Now, several hundred of the memorabilia from the private family archives will be traveling to museums around the United States through the months of May and June 2015, under the sponsorship of Theriault’s. You are invited to attend.

More dates and locations of the Love, Shirley Temple exhibition to be announced soon. Visit www.theriaults.com for up-to-the-minute details.

The Auction – July 14, 2015

The entire personal collection of Shirley Temple, comprising nearly 500 costumes, dolls, playthings and memorabilia from 1928-1941, will be presented at auction at The Little Theatre in Kansas City. For more details or to order the commemorative hardbound book, visit theriaults.com or call 800-638-0422.

 

I should probably address this to the late Shirley herself, and call it, "Love, Ellen."  Since the age of 8, I have loved all things Shirley. My first collectible was a blue glass mug with her image. Later, I read an article where Shirley said that when she received one of the famous mugs, she put it in her dishwasher, and soon had a lovely collection of blue glass.

  I hope she was joking.  In November 1988, I was just out of school and living in San Jose.  I was lucky enough to get her signature on my copy of "Child Star."  She also admire the sweater I was wearing, a Jennifer Moore number with a little Inuit girl appliqued on it.  She asked me where I bought it, and I could barely croak out "Macy's!"

As I said,  first Shirley Temple item was the little blue mug with her image on it.  Later, I was given a little girl vinyl doll resembling her.  It was not a Shirley, but my mom styled her hair, inspired by the famous banana curls.   I wanted to wear my long, brown hair like Shirley's more than anything!  Later, we found a composition Shirley with original dress, but the curl had gone out of her hair. I later learned to restyle her wig, and dressed her with an original button and Shirley skirt and blouse. My mother love a look-alike-Shirley when she was little, but alas, had to leave her with cousin in Greece.  Her family had gone to visit in 1938, and was caught in the war till they escaped in 1946.  We have photos, but dear Cousin VeVe, if you are reading this, we'd like the doll back :)

When I was 11, many of the dolls sent to her by fans were featured in an issue of  "Photoplay." They were to be displayed in the lobby of Stanford Children's Hospital.  That summer I saw them, and my Uncle Tom, an artist who brought me a doll every week, photographed them. In 1990, I saw the dolls there again, and took my own photos.  Soon after, Ms. Temple took them home.

Now, as featured in ads in the April 2015 issue of "Antique Doll Collector", dolls, costumes, and memorabilia belonging to Shirley Temple will go on exhibition, with an auction of the entire personal collection to be auctioned by Theriault's July 14, 2015.  For exhibition dates and more information, check out our April 2015 issue of "Antique Doll Collector Magazine" and go to theriault's.com.  Phone: 800-638-0422. Don't miss this opportunity to dance one more time, on the deck of The Good Ship Lollipop!!