Extensive collection of antique dolls from Alberta museum up for auction
Linda Schuler loves dolls. It started as a childhood passion, and eventually turned into a 15-year business venture.
In 2006, Schuler and her husband were driving down a Saskatchewan highway and saw a sign for a doll museum. They decided to check it out.
"I was totally in awe of the whole thing. It was just fantastic to view that museum, and (we) just totally fell in love with it right off the bat," she said.
After returning to Drumheller, Schuler said she couldn't stop thinking about the museum.
"Finally my husband said, 'Why don't you ask those ladies if they'd be interested in selling it?'"
Schuler said she got up the courage to ask, and to her surprise they were ready to part with their business.They packed up the doll museum on Mother's Day and drove it back to Drumheller.
Valley Doll Museum opened on June 6, 2007.
Over the years, Schuler added more dolls to the museum – which she ran while also helping her husband with his locksmith business.
"The Ralph Klein dolls [of the world] that he had in city hall in Calgary when he was mayor, I acquired those as well, those were donated to me," she said. "The Glenbow Museum in Calgary and Heritage Park, they didn't want them, so they found a home in my museum."
Fifteen years later, Schuler is retiring from the doll business, and is auctioning off her inventory with the help of an Edmonton auction company.
"I love my dolls but I just got to the point in life where I have health problems and can't do both jobs at the same time," she said. "One of them had to go and the doll museum is really a lot of work for one person so that's the one that unfortunately had to go."
'JAMMED TO THE RAFTERS'
The museum's inventory was moved from Drumheller to Beck Auctions' east Edmonton location in preparation for Wednesday's auction.
"We've sold many collections, but this is the most extensive collection, probably. It's literally jammed to the rafters in here with dolls," said Beck Auctions President Clinton Beck.
Beck estimates there are more than 1,000 dolls to auction off, as well as furniture, clothing and other museum items.
"We have dolls that are cultural dolls, we have dolls from different countries, we have Victorian dolls, we have antique dolls from the 1920s," said Beck.
Many collectors will be looking to fill the missing pieces of their collections, Beck predicted.
"We've had calls from the United States, from Europe, from all over Canada, there's tremendous interest in this auction tonight."
The entire collection is available to view and bid on online.
The first lot of items in the doll auction will close at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with the auction ending at midnight.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Joe Scarpelli
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.