To Joan Howard with apologies to the list - but someone else may want to chip
in...
If you plan to send them to an auction house, send photos first, and ask for
an appraisal (actually it would not be a bad idea to have them appraised by a
recognized appraiser - get names in your area from ASA, in Washington, DC the
number is 800 272 8258, or, the International Society of Appraisers in
Hoffman Estates, IL 312 885 2480). You will have to pay shipping to the auction
house.
If you find a museum to give them too, they will in all likelyhood prefer to
choose the ones they want - if they already collect dolls, then they will
have ideas about the gaps and strengths in their collection.
Yes museums do display objects that do not belong to them.  These are usually
in the form of long term loans, again, they choose what they want to display
and it is usually against their collections management policy to store things
on loan to them (storage space is *very* expensive.  If they want the stuff
bad enough they will usually pay for shipping, but won't pay insurance in
transit unless they have the stuff packed.  They will pay for insurance on
premises (at least the larger museums will) If the museum insures, you will
have to provide fair market insurance values - they can't do this (conflict of
interest).
Good luck in finding a home for them - there are 32 toy and doll museums
listed in the 1994 Official Museum Directory, at least two in New Hampshire.
Hope this helps,
Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar
Detroit Institute of Arts
313 833 0261
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