New Friends in Berlin

I was very fortunate to meet some new friends in Berlin.

My Portland pal, Rachel, had lived in Berlin

15 years ago for a few years and

made some close friends, who she graciously connected me with.

I was able to meet up with Wolfgang and Marie,

and several other dear people, who I am blessed to now

know as new friends.

Rachel had told me that Marie had a very special workshop

that would completely delight and enchant me.

After meeting Marie briefly,my first evening in Berlin, she invited me to visit her workshop/laboratory.

I liked her immediately, such a lovely and kind woman.

I hightailed it over to the Mitte area of Berlin the next day, to her workshop:

Marie Louise von Mallinckrodt

Restaurierung Antiker Puppen

(Restoration of Antique Dolls)

Please click on the link, to see Marie's website, it is a

visual feast, beautifully done. Her workshop space, the

building, the dolls, all of it, beautifully done. Even if dolls

are not your thing, this enterprise is a museum really,

and worth a visit. Her website was created by Udo, another

new friend who I had the opportunity to meet.

He is a gifted photographer

and web designer, and as soon as I can obtain

his website address, I will post a link to it.

And so...

Anyone who knows me well, and even not so well,

knows by now that I have a thing for discarded dolls.

I walked into Marie's charming workshop,

and I was TRANSPORTED!

I had just entered my first antique doll hospital!

Hundreds of dolls and all their parts in various stages of

restoration. Marie has an astounding collection of not only

antique dolls but clothing and body parts, all catalogued

and stored in wonderful vintage/antique cabinets.

I was DIZZY with excitement!

She gave me a tour and could barely breath, I have

never seen anything like it.

The only experience that came close was visiting

Isla de la Munecas with my buddy

Michael de Meng.

To go there with me, click here and here and here.

But, back to Berlin and Marie's Doll Hopital.

A drawer of antique doll glass eyeballs-WOW!

I spent about an hour with Marie in this extraordinary

museum really, and I have to say, this doll below was my

favorite.

There must be something going on in my psyche that I'm working thru to always be drawn to the most damaged dolls...oh well, a future session with my therapist if I ever feel like figuring it out. For now, I don't much care.

Marie, thank you for a most wonderous time with you and sharing

your art, your work, and yourself with me.

It was a fantastic experience,

I am most grateful!