A man with a collection of vintage dolls worth $4,000 says people find it “creepy” but he feels it is his “calling” to look after the “misunderstood” toys.
Chris Henrie, 26, grew up surrounded by dolls but bought his first vintage one — Crusty Marge — aged 16 and became obsessed.
The content creator felt collecting the “old, creepy” dolls was his “calling.”
Now he boasts a collection of around 250 — which he estimates are worth $3,000 to $4,000 — and has a room dedicated to displaying them.
Chris, from Paramus, New Jersey, said: “I have a large collection of dolls.
“For me it felt like a calling.
“When I would tell someone I was into dolls — they’d think it was creepy and they were scared of the dolls.
“In my mind they were misunderstood and I grew up misunderstood.
“I felt it was my calling to take care of these dolls.”
Chris grew up loving dolls — playing and collecting Disney dolls and American Girl dolls with his sister.
At aged 16 he spotted a doll in an antique store in Massachusetts and felt drawn to her.
He said: “I saw this old, creepy, cracked doll and I fell in love with how it looked and the happiness it brought me.
“It felt like I was looking at something historical.”
Before he knew it Chris had amassed a collection and has now grow it to around 250 — finding them in thrift stores and occasionally online on eBay and Etsy.
He said: “I usually buy them in person so I can feel the energy with them.
“I like them to be a match with my collection.”
Chris collects mostly composite dolls from the early 1900s up to the 1950s — which cost anywhere from $50 to $100.
He said: “I just love the way they look.
“I have a whole glass cabinet full of them.”
He also likes Raggedy Ann dolls — and has one which is 4 feet and another which is just 0.4 inches — and has a few clown dolls.
Chris loves to travel — and has been to 20 countries — and tries to collect a doll for every place he visits.
He has dolls from Ghana, South Africa, India and France.
Chris doesn’t collect with the aim of selling the dolls on but estimates their worth.
He said: “I estimate the collection is worth $3,000 or $4,000.”
Chris has his collection on show in three large cabinets in his office — but says they are also littered throughout the house and in the closet.
His partner, Robbie, 30, who works in food production, loves Chris’ passion and has his own — collecting house plants.
Chris said: “I often receive comments like ‘OMG I could never go in your house — that’s so scary.’
“I think it’s a way to value history and to express yourself.
“I think they are so special and priceless.
“If you have any inkling to thrift or collect dolls that people find odd or traditional do it — there is a community out there.”
