Thaian’s Timeless Gallery

Thaian’s timeless gallery has the most unique jewelry that is the envy of all my friends. She makes most of the necklaces so they’re one of a kind. Every time I come there is something new and if I don’t see somethingI like she’ll make it.

She sat there on a chair in the corner, looking quite neglected. I remembered her from my grandmother’s house. There she had reposed on a satin chair, looking like a fine lady. But the years had not been kind to her and she clearly needed some one to treat her with the kindless and respect that her 80 years had earned her.
But how does one restore a «boudoir doll» of the 1920s? This is not a project to be undertaken by an unskilled amateur. Fortunately, we discovered Thai-​An who had recently opened a small shop in an antique mall in Newton Upper Falls. Dolls had been a passion for Thai-​An for many years and the shop was a second career and an attempt to turn that passion into a business.
According to a small story in a local community newspaper, Thai-​An had come to the United States with her two small children in 1975, escaping Viet Nam just as American forces evacuated. She worked in the high tech industry for 27 years before embarking on her venture selling and restoring classic dolls.
Although she earned a masters degree in the management of information technology, he love has always been for the arts. And, using her talents, she has amassed an inventory of beautiful and amazing dolls, most of which she personally restored from varying degrees of decay and neglect.
Her shop contains dozens and dozens of dolls from all periods. There are porcelain dolls and rag dolls, modern dolls and antique dolls, dolls made for display and dolls who have been played with by children in past generations. The shop is small but there is something of interest everywhere you look.
But to finish the story of my grandmother’s boudoir doll: Thai-​An examined her carefully and suggested a restoration which would keep the major elements of the doll’s costume and appearance. The doll’s dress would be carefully hand washed, repaired and the lace restored; major cracks at the sides of her face would be patched and carefully repainted; her hair, which was all but gone, would be replaced with a new wig; and her hat would be repaired and the missing trimmings replaced; and she would get a new pair of earings.
Thaian not only explained this restoration process, but provided a wealth of information about this type of «boudoir doll» which was popular in the 1920s to prop up on the pillows and coverlet of a well-​decorated lady’s bedroom.
I cannot say too many nice things about Thai-An’s artistry, care and diligence in restoring my grandmother’s doll. She completed the restoration in a little over a week and charged an extremely modest fee for what must have been a lot of work.
If you are a doll collector — or if, like me, you have a family heirloom which you would like to bring back to its past glory — Thaian’s Timeless Gallery is well worth the trip to Newton Upper Falls.
You can read the community newspaper story about Thai-​An at