Living with over 1,000 dolls keeps Elizabeth young at heart

Free Malaysia Today

15-06-2025

Elizabeth Chrysostom has cabinets full of dolls in her Petaling Jaya home. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
PETALING JAYA : At 67 years old, Elizabeth Chrysostom is living the dream of every little girl – a house with over 1,000 dolls.
In Malaysia, there is no one who knows dolls better than Elizabeth. She has it all: Barbies, Sindys, Robert Tonner dolls, celebrity dolls, baby dolls, and even dollhouses.
And for World Doll Day today, FMT Lifestyle visited Elizabeth at her condominium here, where her staggering collection is on full display.
Coming from a family of six daughters – Elizabeth being the youngest – it's no surprise that dolls were a big part of the household.
Elizabeth has over 1,000 dolls, including limited edition barbies. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
'I loved playing with dolls as a child. I remember my mother would crochet clothes for them and hang them as accessories in the car,' she recalled.
But her real interest in doll collecting was triggered at seven years old when her sister brought home a child-like red-haired doll from overseas. Lovingly named Fergie, the doll now sits safely in its glass case atop a high cabinet.
Stepping into her home, the dolls are the first thing that catches the eye. Cabinet upon cabinet filled with dolls line the living room. Even her wardrobe in the bedroom is mostly dedicated to dolls.
'In this wicked world I think you need pretty and fun things, something to look forward to each day, to make yourself happy,' she said, smiling broadly.
One of Elizabeth's favourite pastimes is dressing up her dolls. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
Having worked in media publication before retiring, and never marrying, her dolls have long been her closest companions and most treasured possessions. She even makes sure her sister's grandkids don't lay a finger on them!
She shared that many of her dolls were sourced from overseas, particularly the UK and the US, where doll collecting is a much more prominent culture.
'People think this is child's play but it is not. It's a grown-up passion. If you can't afford it, don't go for it. But if you can, it gives you a lot of joy.'
She added, 'When I try to sell them, my heart goes with them as well.'
Elizabeth has a collection of vintage baby dolls, some dating back to the 1970s. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
And pro-tip, never ask who her favourite doll is. 'Do you ask that of your kids? Which one is your favourite kid? Every doll is my favourite, there's a piece of my heart in all my dolls.'
And, she doesn't discriminate. Whether it's plastic or porcelain, big or small, each doll is special to her. She has given names to every single one of them, and even remembers the stories behind how they came into her life.
'When my sister got married in 1977, I insisted we have a doll on the bonnet of the bridal car. Nobody does that anymore. I took the doll to the tailor that was doing her wedding dress and we dressed up the doll in the same material as the bridal outfit,' she recalled with a smile.
'Her bridal outfit is now destroyed but I still have a piece of the outfit.'
Elizabeth hopes that one day her dolls will be exhibited for the public to enjoy. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
One of her favourite activities for relieving stress is dressing her dolls and giving them a fresh makeover.
'People like to say you're playing with dolls, you're so old. Many have called me strange.' But none of these comments have waned her spirit.
'One of my neighbours came when I first shifted in, and he looked around and he said, 'you've got a lot of dolls that belong to old humans who have passed on. He said, 'It's not good at all, because of the spirits in the doll.' I said no way, they're dolls to me.'
While she worries about the fate of her dolls when she's no longer around, her dream is for them to be exhibited for public viewing and to live on, long after she's gone.