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
'The root cause': Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Michael Cohen testified Monday that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from his ex-boss Donald Trump’s company, an admission defence lawyers hope to use to undermine Cohen’s credibility.
Red Lobster probes 'endless shrimp' losses after bankruptcy filing
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
'Next man up': Canucks coach, teammates bracing for Game 7 without Brock Boeser
Questions about how the team is going to handle the absence of star winger Brock Boeser from a do-or-die game seven dominated pre-game interviews with the Vancouver Canucks coach and players Monday morning.
Katy Perry sings goodbye to 'American Idol'
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.