A Gothic artist has transformed an entire room of her home into a 'shrine' to more than 300 'creepy dolls', spending over £19,000 on what she describes as an 'addictive' hobby. Victoria Grossman, 53, a single mother from New York, began collecting Barbie dolls in her 20s but shifted her focus after watching the horror film Annabelle in 2014. She now collects and creates dolls with 'porcelain with Gothic painted features', hoping people will think they are 'haunted'.
Victoria's collection includes a hand-painted Wednesday Addams doll, which she says is her favourite. The dolls typically feature 'mysterious eyes', Victorian-style clothing, and 'menacing expressions'. Despite their frightening appearance, her son Blake, 21, and other family members are 'big fans' of the collection. 'My son has grown up with it so doesn't think much of it, but he loves them,' she said.
Victoria has sold over 400 of her handmade dolls, each priced at around £118. Her creations have even appeared in the film Dementia 13 after a producer approached her at a doll convention. 'It was amazing to see them on screen,' she said. Alongside her doll collection, she also owns celebrity memorabilia worth over £78,000, including jewellery worn by Madonna on the Like A Virgin album cover.
Victoria's passion for collecting extends beyond dolls. 'Collecting just makes life so much more interesting and fun – I could not see a life without collecting,' she said. 'I love the hunt, and love displaying them – I want people to see them and get inspired.' She keeps the majority of her dolls on display in her studio, which she calls her 'doll shrine'.
