A Manly family is selling antique porcelain dolls, which have been collected by three generations of mothers.
Nem Stevens inherited the dolls from her mother and grandmother, and has added a few herself over the years – there are around 30 in the collection.
Somewhat reluctantly, Nem put some of the dolls up for sale last month to raise money for a computer, which is needed by her children for school.
She says some of the dolls are very old. Her mother, Pat TeWiata, loved the collection and began giving Nem the dolls around 10 years ago. The children had to wait to play with the dolls until they were old enough to do so without damaging them and some have been boxed and never played with. The delicate dresses and hats have to be carefully cleaned.
“Some of the family, particularly the boys, think of them as ‘dust collectors’ – or even a bit scary – but they are a precious heirloom. Not all will be sold, so that I can pass the collection on to my daughter in due course,” Nem says.
Info: look for Nem Stevens on Facebook.
