Dan Willinger
was born in 1949 in Brookline Ma. and at a very young age was stricken
with antique bug. He would go out on trash days with his little red wagon
and find great objects that he would bring home much to his mother's
dismay. On one particular summer day Dan found a rather large lot of old
books that were being disposed of by one neighbor and of course he grabbed
them up and carted them home in his red wagon. Upon arrival home his
mother scolded him about the musty and smelly condition of the books and
made him go to get rid of them. He was gone around an hour and returned
home with a K&S Danny Talk ( Dummy Dan ) Ventriloquist figure that was the
same size as him. His mother again asked where this wonderful doll came
from. Dan told his mom that he had traded the old books with a kid down
the street. His mom took him and the doll by the hand and brought him to
the kids home and made him give it back.
Through the years Dan continued to buy and sell antiques and concentrated
on antique clocks as a specialty. He traveled the country from the late
1970's through the mid 1990's buying and selling clocks. With the advent
of the internet Dan continued doing clock business as dwclocks.
Dan one day reminded himself of the ventriloquist figure he had traded for
as a 5 year old and typed into the computer search engine CHARLIE MCCARTHY
FIGURE. Well the world opened up and he found the doll he had originally
traded for. That is a K&S Figure Danny Talk ( Dummy Dan ). Dan continued
to buy and sell ventriloquist figures upgrading as he went along. He found
that his love for the ventriloquist figures far outweighed any other item
he had ever bought or sold and became a true passion. He just could not
find enough figures. He concentrated on Frank Marshall figures but all
antique figures are his love. There are some modern makers that Dan feels
belong in his collection such as Ray Guyll , Bill Nelson , Brant Gilmer ,
Conrad Hartz. These makers still do figures in the traditional manner and
therefore Dan loves their work.
Dan thought that finding a McElroy figure would never happen but in his
quest for the holy grail of vent figures, he has acquired a Marshall/
McElroy and also Cy Leonard's "Happy" McElroy figure.
Dan's wife and best friend is Helen who for the past
30 years has been right by his side in all his adventures in buying ,
selling and collecting. She has said she can't believe her grown husband
is playing with dolls but understands his passion and encourages him in
his quest and has even shared in the expense of purchasing some of his
great figures. Many times she has come home with great outfits for the
figures. She has only made one request and that is that the figures must
remain in their room and not invade the rest of the house. Dan has
complied and all the figures are out and on display in his pool room.
Dan's collection of ventriloquist figures now numbers over 160 figures of
which there are 60 plus Marshalls. He is still looking for more and his passion
has never waned. He is a true collector/dealer and is always looking for
that next figure which will turn his head. |