Sasha Festival 2024 Day 3: Rosie Shortell Dolls and a Busy Sales Room

The sales tables gave Day 3 of the Sasha Festival a personal edge: alongside outfits and accessories, collectors could find dolls with stories attached to them. I came away with a 1973 pumpkin stringed blond girl that had belonged to Rosie Shortell, while my daughter made her first Sasha doll purchase at a festival. The room was busy enough that I didn’t stop to photograph the stalls; I was concentrating on what was laid out for sale.

A Rosie Shortell doll finds a new home

Before the sales opened, we waited in the refreshments and lobby area as sellers arranged their wares in the conference room. Once the room was ready, everyone moved in to browse. Gayle had told me that dolls belonging to Rosie Shortell would be among the items for sale, so I went to see which ones were still available.

Janet helped me compare two blond girls. I chose a 1973 pumpkin stringed girl with long, two-tone hair. That description offers a useful set of details for remembering this particular doll: the year, the pumpkin stringing, the blonde coloring and the distinctive hair. I named her Katie, after Rosie Shortell’s daughter.

My Rosie Shortell 1973 pumpkin stringed girl wearing Dollydoodles jump suit and Jean Jenson shoes

I bought a jumpsuit from Judith Dollydoodles for Katie, then stopped at JoAnn’s stall for a coat and a flag shirt. Monica’s table had Sasha logo sandals in two sizes, one pair for a Sasha and another for a toddler, plus two belts that I knew my daughter would like. These small additions gave me plenty to think about after the first doll purchase: outfits and accessories can shape how a doll is displayed and help distinguish one collection piece from another.

Close up of my Rosie Shortell girl - named Katie after Rosie Shortell's daughter

A first festival purchase for my daughter

My daughter was drawn to a blond waif on Rosie B’s stall. The doll’s bobbed hair and painted freckles caught her attention, as did her tartan outfit and sweater. I told her she would need to buy the doll herself if she wanted her, and carried on browsing. Before long, my daughter returned with the waif: her first Sasha doll bought at a festival.

She had already saved for toddler Edmund over a period of time, with some help. This time, she chose the doll herself at the sales tables. The new doll is named Aurelia. Her gently painted freckles are a particularly memorable detail, and the short hairstyle gives her a different look from Katie’s long two-tone hair.

Blond waif named Aurelia purchased from Rosie B by DollMum's daughter

Close up of Aurelia's gently painted freckles

I didn’t take pictures of the sales tables themselves. There was too much to inspect, and I was busy making choices. The day’s purchases also show why a festival browse can feel different from looking at a list: you can compare dolls in person, notice their individual features, and see clothes and accessories alongside them. Katie and Aurelia ended up with distinct appearances and stories from the same afternoon.

From the sales room to the evening gathering

After the tables were packed away, some of us went out for a meal and then returned to the conference room to socialise. A film featuring Sasha Morganthaler speaking about the creation of her dolls played on the big screen. After a day focused on handling dolls and choosing pieces, hearing her speak about their creation offered a fitting change of pace.

The gathering also brought together an enlarged lineup of Sasha dolls that attended the 2024 festival. From left to right, the dolls were Aurelia, Katie, Nicholas James (Colin), Miranda (Mary), Timothy (Dickon), Trudi, Laura (Fair Rosamund), Trendon Elliott, Louisa, Melanie, baby Nina, Edmund, Florence and Reuben.

Our enlarged line up of Sasha dolls who attended the 2024 festival

It was a long, busy and interesting festival day, with new finds, familiar faces and time to talk after the sales room cleared. Katie’s name connects her to the doll’s previous owner, while Aurelia marks my daughter’s first festival purchase. Those personal details are what I’ll remember when I look back at the dolls from this gathering.