Montville man seeks collector for his late wife’s 4,000 dolls

A 92-year-old man from Montville is hoping to find someone to take his late wife’s collection of 4,000 dolls.

News 12 Staff

Nov 15, 2019, 3:49 AM

Updated 1,617 days ago

Share:

A 92-year-old man from Montville is hoping to find someone to take his late wife’s collection of 4,000 dolls.
Bud Ballentine says that his wife Donna loved collecting dolls, and would buy as many as she could.
“We have three floors and she utilized every freaking corner,” he says.
Most of the dolls are in their original boxes and many are full sets. There is a Rocky Balboa doll, a Freddy Kruger Doll and even a doll of Bill Clinton. There are also many, many incarnations of the most famous doll of all – the Barbie doll.
"The few times I accompanied her to do some shopping, she headed right toward the Barbie counter first,” Ballentine says.
Bud and Donna were married for 62 years. Donna died about 10 years ago.
"My mother used to take our dolls when we were young and put them in cases and that's what started her collecting them and she just started collecting and kept going and going and going,” says Debbie Marowitz.
Ballentine and his daughter decided to start cleaning out his home last year so that he could move. They were surprised to see just how many dolls were in the house.

"I thought she would never stop bringing down dolls. And she says she can't believe it, they're under the bed, they're in closets, they're everywhere,” Ballentine says. “It was frightening.”
Ballentine says that he doesn’t want to just get rid of them since his wife loved them so much. He and his daughter spent a year counting and cataloging the dolls and are now looking for people to sell them to – people who will cherish them as much as Donna did.
"What money we get from it will go back to charity,” Ballentine says.
The family says that they are thinking of donating what money they get from the dolls to a children’s hospital – something that was close to Donna’s heart.


More from News 12
1:42
Police: Marlboro teacher accused of inappropriately touching student faces charges

Police: Marlboro teacher accused of inappropriately touching student faces charges

2:19
Scattered rain showers overnight; sunshine returns Saturday afternoon

Scattered rain showers overnight; sunshine returns Saturday afternoon

0:32
Man who lit himself on fire outside Trump trial has ties to New Jersey

Man who lit himself on fire outside Trump trial has ties to New Jersey

0:56
Graffiti of former Palestinian militant Leila Khaled found spray-painted at Rutgers University

Graffiti of former Palestinian militant Leila Khaled found spray-painted at Rutgers University

0:09
Police: 2 men critically injured in Newark shooting

Police: 2 men critically injured in Newark shooting

2:16
Public warned to keep their dogs away from seals at the Jersey Shore

Public warned to keep their dogs away from seals at the Jersey Shore

0:59
Jersey Proud: 3 men running the length of New Jersey for ‘Dylan’s Wings of Change’ charity

Jersey Proud: 3 men running the length of New Jersey for ‘Dylan’s Wings of Change’ charity

0:35
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

1:01
New Jersey water companies make plans to adapt federal ‘forever chemical’ guidelines

New Jersey water companies make plans to adapt federal ‘forever chemical’ guidelines

1:54
Authorities: 2 children at Port Reading school become sickened after ingesting marijuana gummies

Authorities: 2 children at Port Reading school become sickened after ingesting marijuana gummies

2:45
Business owners say they are losing business due to Route 71 bridge being stuck in up position

Business owners say they are losing business due to Route 71 bridge being stuck in up position

1:42
Prosecutor: Remains found at Wall construction site were of ‘advanced age’

Prosecutor: Remains found at Wall construction site were of ‘advanced age’

0:27
Prosecutors: Atlantic City’s Central Pier bursts into flames; 1 man dead

Prosecutors: Atlantic City’s Central Pier bursts into flames; 1 man dead

0:25
Boil water advisory issued for parts of Monmouth County

Boil water advisory issued for parts of Monmouth County

0:48
Ridgewood mayor shares photos showcasing renovation of former Warner Theater

Ridgewood mayor shares photos showcasing renovation of former Warner Theater

1:37
Officials: Some Marlboro schools, Trenton Board of Ed receive bomb threat 2nd day in a row

Officials: Some Marlboro schools, Trenton Board of Ed receive bomb threat 2nd day in a row

0:31
Start of Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial is delayed a week to mid-May

Start of Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial is delayed a week to mid-May

0:35
How to get rid of unused or expired medications

How to get rid of unused or expired medications

2:51
EPA: Elevated levels of lead found at multiple East Trenton homes, parks

EPA: Elevated levels of lead found at multiple East Trenton homes, parks

Show off your team spirit! Share your photos with News 12

Show off your team spirit! Share your photos with News 12