I am a doll-lover & -collector, also creator, since childhood. By education I am an artist, having a BFA in painting; however, my work comes in many different media. My main problem in life is having FAR too many interests! XD
The Peek-a-Boos are a kind of cheat because technically they are under the Barbie umbrella; but not really as a brief examination easily reveals the fact that stylistically they have far more in common with Bratz than with Barbie (could it possibly be the same designer? They came out at about the right time)!
These diminutive dolls (about 2 1/2") come in a bewildering array of styles; the one I show here is a necklace. (Yes, they do seem to be attempting the Kiddle ground - but oh they are SO not Kiddles! :( )
I won't so much as attempt an enumeration of the various types here; suffice it to say that there are probably hundreds! They are a great deal like modern Polly Pockets; they have accessories and play-sets galore.
These dolls are the first in the blog to be truly in any way controversial. They have very exaggerated heads, with huge lips; they do show a post-pubescent female body, certainly, and the clothes that have been put onto these bodies have stirred up a great deal of controversy.
They are supposed to appeal to the working-class, multi-ethnic market that the rarified world of Barbie has never seemed to properly hit. The clothes have been called "trashy;" so have the dolls.
Apparently the creator was working for the maker of these dolls, MGA Entertainment, and Mattel at the same time. Mattel solved this problem in the approved 21st-century fashion: Within the past 2 or so years, they bought out the original producer and are now the sole proprietors of Bratz.
The dolls have plastic removable feet (you can switch out "shoes" this way), removable fashions and rooted hair. They have a kind of slyly beguiling quality in the case of some that appealed to me enough to get two examples of the 6" size "Li'l Bratz" - they come in 11", 6" & an even smaller size (not certain exactly how large) which size I resisted (I am a "tinies" collector) due to the fact that they have pop-on-off plastic clothing.
With the '80's, we are now entering into the truly modern era (as opposed to vintage) - and also into the time of dolls which - alas!! - I am just a tiny bit too old to remember personally from my own childhood, though I was still young enough at this point to remember the commercials for these during Saturday morning cartoons, and be at least a little bit interested.
See Wees, manufactured by Kenner, were officially debuted in 1979. However, their candy colors and style of painting are very quintessentially 1980's in style.
First came the See Wee mermaids, with combs for their rooted nylon hair. They were next produced with small "babies" which were entirely molded. They came in shells with sponges. They were intended for the bathtub.
The next phase saw the production of so-called "Shimmers," which had the distinction of being painted with shimmery colors in place of the flat colors of the Sea Wees. This category had mom-and-baby combos of mermaids, but also centaurs, butterflies, deer and bird hybrids. All came with their own combs.
These are quite collectible, and are going for a respectable price in the collectible doll market.
Polly Pocket
These tiny modern versions of the ancient "peg"-type of doll were released in 1989, though invented in 1983 by an Englishman; they were first brought out by Bluebird in 1989 in England. These were produced through 1992 or 1993; they were very much a late-'80's kind of concept, as they were bought out by their distributors Mattel in 1993. That was a turning-point for Polly, who thereafter was totally revamped; the concept of the doll changed considerably from the original versions.
The originals are now highly collectible; they were produced in large numbers though but for a limited time.
These peg-dolls are hinged in their middles; they are only slightly more than 1" high. They have tiny round bases which peg into the indentations and rings in the compacts that are meant to hold them. One can position them in many different places in the compacts.
They have many tiny accessories, etc. that also peg in place. There were Polly necklaces, palaces, houses, workplaces - just about anything you can imagine!
My own little examples light up. (Yes, they still work! ;) ) The one pictured is the heart-shaped Princess' palace, with her Prince Charming, `a la Cinderella. The other I have is a star-shaped one, rather larger, which contains a tiny party palace, with a working Ferris wheel in the "grounds" in front.
I'm not much of a fan, personally, of pegs, or of the new idea of snap-on-snap-off plastic clothes, which one can find with the modern Pollys and also with certain of the smallest Bratz; I like real hair and clothes, myself. But the winning combination of diminutive scale plus lighting won me over in the case of my two. (Off to eBay to find MORE light-up ones... XD )
Dawn is one of my fondest childhood memories - even the only two actual "Dawn" Dawns I ever owned managed to be identically factory-defective - both snapped apart at the waist when I tried to rotate them! :(
The one I managed to preserve from childhood was that then rarity, an African American model whose name was Dale.
These diminutive fashion dolls (at 6", among the smallest modern fashions to be found) were manufactured by a small operation called Topper Toys in 1970. They went bankrupt in 1973; but in that short time, they managed to produce a big collection of these small fashions.
Dale, Angie and Dawn herself were the first dolls. Then came other "friends;" these were presented as models living the "high life."
The Modeling Agency dolls came out later; there were six of these.
They had a huge collection of fashions, from complete everyday outfits through elaborate evening ensembles. There were a couple of wedding ensembles produced as well, one of which is of considerable rarity now.
The fashions all had fun names, such as "Pink Slink," "Furry Flounce" and "Mad About Plaid."
They also had boyfriends (and potential grooms) who went by the names of Gary, Kevin and Van, a very rare early African-American male fashion. (I find him interesting in particular due to his very ethnic appearance, which sets him apart from dolls whose head-molds are the same as the Caucasian males - which give them the appearance of Caucasians in "black-face," so to speak, rather than the appearance of a genuinely ethnic type.)
My Dale is still with me (I found her to be the coolest of the collection at seven years old!); she suffers from non-bending leg syndrome, but is otherwise in very spiffy condition.
These dolls also, unfortunately, suffer from that malady, copper gangrene. Again, a packaged example is not a guarantee against this, since moisture gets in depending upon how and where the dolls have been stored. (The ethnic dolls have less of this problem due to the dark shade of the vinyl.) The spotless examples are the most highly-coveted doll specimens to the collectors, once again.
Also as in the case of Kiddles, there were many accessories and peripheral paraphernalia to be had; there was a beauty parlor, an elaborate fashion-show theater complete with moving catwalk mechanism, a penthouse, furniture, various props (such as her tiny white poodle) and clothes, clothes, clothes.
I now have a pretty complete collection of the dolls I always wanted so badly as a child. They are all now waiting to be installed in their permanent display, a large white shadow-box which I have lined the back of with a vintage '70's hot-pink-and-gold-glitter paisley chiffon fabric (the box and fabric are both white in background color). The only thing holding up the project as of now is the lack of a single pair of tiny gold shoes for my Jessica, whose golden ensemble, named "Glimmer Glamor," is missing this single item. Frustrating! ;)
I was a child myself in the late '60's through the '70's; my passion for dolls started early! These tiny treasures I remember well - though as a child I only really ever owned three, my sister another two - both of which were lost by me - and my "little dolls" included a so-called "knock-off" manufactured in Hong Kong; Mattel was at the time manufacturing out of Japan.
Starting in 1965, diminutive characters were produced, portraying different professions (in the vein of "When I grow up I want to be..."), and other situations of childhood. They were 3"- 4" in height, made of soft vinyl, and unfortunately jointed with copper wire, which over time usually corrodes and causes the vinyl around it to turn a moldy-looking green. The specimens without such stains are highly desirable by collectors, and priced accordingly (even a "mint-in-package" Kiddle can be subject to this discoloration, so non-use is no guarantee of its lack).
The original editions produced were of the character type; they were closely followed by fairy-tale figures, including Sleeping Biddle, Cinderiddle, Peter Paniddle, and Liddle Middle Muffet, who came with story-books. These fairy-tale characters complete with books are among the most highly-priced collector's-items in this category.
There were others of the 3 1/2" type to follow, namely so-called Skediddlers (who were outfitted with a mechanism and gadget to facilitate running movement), and Tea Party Kiddles, elaborately-dressed ladies with their own teacups and saucers. They came housed in large, clear plastic bubbles.
Many accessories were provided for the line, including pop-up houses and towns, and peripheral items such as a toy puppet theater which came with a record, coloring books and even Color-Forms sets.
I had a coloring book featuring this size of Kiddle's very first edition; of course I wanted all the dolls I saw on the covers (except possibly Bunsen Birnie, an icky boy!), an unattainable dream; I did have Lucy and Charlie Brown Skediddlers, as Peanuts was brought into the realm of Kiddledom. (There was also a Snoopy and a Linus.)
The next size down - 2" Kiddles - were brought out in 1967. These tiny dolls were charmingly and amusingly packaged, in a very early example of the now-well-known marketing ploy of packaging-as-accessory.
The first in the line of the middle-sized Kiddle were called Lucky Lockets; rather large plastic bubbles containing the removable dolls were decoratively framed in gold-colored plastic curly-cues. They had a chain by which to wear them. One of these was a rare thing - an African-American example, Lois by name. (There was also an example of this in the larger-bodied dolls.)
After these came Kologne Kiddles, a lovely selection of flower-themed dolls in their very own little plastic bottles, even being scented to match (my sister's was of this type, a Honeysuckle - I can't smell honeysuckle to this day without going back to my very early childhood!).
There was also a highly amusing line of this size Kiddle with an outer-space theme, called Kozmic Kiddles; they had tiny plastic flying saucers with wheels on the bottoms, which when rolled caused the doll inside to gyrate back and forth. The bases for these were plastic "rocks." They came in a variety of "Martian"-inspired colors.
These were soon joined by Kola Kiddles, who likewise were contained in little hinged pop-bottles. The last of all (circa 1970) were the Sweet Treats, who came in their own little treat-themed plastic containers (there was a short-lived revival of these and of the Lockets around 1973, but the quality is very markedly downgraded in these later examples).
Also in 1967, there were produced some of the tiniest non-dollhouse, vinyl dolls ever made, the Jewelry Kiddles. These, as their name suggests, were tiny (7/8"-1 1/16") dolls with real hair and tiny clothes, encased within various wearable baubles outfitted with tiny doors through which to remove the doll for play. (This particular kind of doll was, and still is, very much an obsession for me as a collector!) There were even three of these tinies with their own pop-up buildings! They were folded together in the form of a "story-book;" the doll was located in a clear plastic bubble that folded into an aperture in the front board, and had a door to take the kiddle out through (it had to be punched with a sharp instrument by Mom or another adult when new, however). Their liddle and adorable stories were told in a few words on the back of the package.
My own few Kiddles consisted of, first, a Pop-Up Castle with a wee green-haired Princessa (as she was called in her story), whom I managed to lose in the front yard - a thing that makes me quite sad to this very day! This same Kiddle - the Princessa with green hair - was also the flower-ring Kiddle; this was pink and orange with green leaves. I had that one until I lost it when traveling as an adult; however, I have replaced it with a lovely NM example of my own from the one marketplace that is sure to provide them, namely of course eBay!
Between those two, I also acquired through an older neighbor a Kozmic Kiddle; this one was Purple Gurple, with googly eyes and a tiny green curl on her purple forehead. I had the saucer for her but not the base, and I believe that the plastic bubble at the top was missing when I got her.
My sister's were, as I have stated, the Honeysuckle Kologne, and also she had a flower pin, who contains one of the slightly larger dolls. She has a tiny orange sausage-curled lock of hair, and tiny flowers on her dress. After having lost that one long ago, I replaced this pin; she is my current favorite of my Jewelries (which I have a good many yet to go to make a complete collection of!).
The rarest of alll the Jewelries - and possibly Kiddles in general, other than the 1-off unreleased prototype specimens, particularly of Jewelries - are the two necklaces. These were released in a limited number of sets, containing flower-themed and heart-themed jewelry pieces. The heart has within it a wee girl with bright fuchsia hair, dressed in "Princess Leia"-type cinnamon buns. The other is the Flower, with a green and white-lace dress. Her hair is yellow.
They just don't seem able to grasp "cute" in this era the way it was captured for posterity by these little gems of the mid-to-late 1960's.
Produced by the Vogue doll company, and created by Jennie Adler Graves, this popular little hard-plastic doll was named after its creator's daughter, Virginia. She is manufactured to this day by Vogue (and the modern versions have a nostalgic, "retro" kind of quality).
She came with many different shades of hair, which is an early example of modern nylon hair. She most often is found with golden curls.
Her dresses are, again, flouncy and circular, as small girls' dresses were still then; she came with many outfits to create a wardrobe.
My own aunt had one of these, now belonging to my sister; she is in her original box with an original yellow dress complete with black velvet sash and faux yellow rose.The box is very full, however, of my aunt's very own childhood attempts at doll-clothes sewing!
This little '50's sweetheart is highly collectible, with original editions selling for well over $100. Even the most modern versions are avidly collected, promising to accrue value in the future.
Another hand-painted composition doll, this WWII creation was aimed at the largest possible market; they were reasonably priced, came in great variety, and were of a good size to be toted about by their owners (approximately 12").
They came in many forms: Characters, portraits, ethnic, professional and bride dolls are among the many specimens to be found.
They were an early mass-produced doll. They are most often unmarked, however the style of the head and face may be the best clues for determining a doll to be a Dream World.
These are highly collectible, and as ever, also highly affordable!
Though she grew up to become a U.N. ambassador (by then Shirley Temple Black), this tiny tyke charmed millions of people all over the world in her child-star days. In the 1930's her name was synonymous with dimples; these and her blond curls were so famous that every child wanted a Shirley Temple doll, which was manufactured by the Ideal toy company.
They were created of composition; their faces were hand-painted. The dimpling smile was invariably portrayed with parted lips, exposing tiny white teeth. The larger dolls (and some few, rare small ones) had green glass "sleep" eyes with "real" eyelashes; they were dressed in the short, wide skirt so typical of the dress of little girls of the 1930's era.
Versions of Shirley continue to be produced to this day.
Founded in 1919 by Madame Lenci, later taken out of her hands by partners who became sole proprietors by WWII, this company originated the felt doll; by the early 1920's, their so-called "boudoir dolls" were all the flapper rage.
This doll was the first to feature a cigarette in the doll's mouth (obviously, this was in no way a doll for children!). The artistry of Lenci is very apparent in the highly collectible specimens that have survived. The faces are hand-painted and very charming; they are elaborately dressed in silks, satins and velvets, beaded and bejeweled in the manner of their intended flapper owners. They have rippling mohair wigs.
Lenci only stopped production in 2002; it is one of the longer-lived doll manufacturers.
Raggedy Ann has the distinction of being among the first (if not the first) commercially-produced rag dolls.
This character dates from 1915 - Johnny Gruelle, a writer, drew upon an old handmade rag-doll for his daughter who later died after receiving a smallpox vaccination, a fact which inspired her father to use the doll as a symbol for an anti-vaccination movement (which ultimately failed in its goal). The writer wrote and illustrated children's books using this character.
Since her sad beginnings, this doll's popularity has been consistent. She has been commercially manufactured and also adapted for handmade versions.
This design is now considered a public-domain property.
This doll was produced in its creator's sleep in the form of a dream! Irish-American Rose O'Neill was educated strictly in the arts from early childhood due to an eccentric wish of her very unusual father. One day, upon the demise of her second marriage, she was sleeping. She dreamed of tiny Cupid-like baby angels playing about in her room. Upon waking, she drew what she had seen in her dream - and Kewpie was born!
The illustrations of these little imps took place in 1909; by 1910, they were in production as bisque dolls (originally - and later, celluloid, an early form a plastic made from the cellulose fibers of trees). In 1949, Effanbee produced the very first hard (or modern) plastic editions.
These little treasures have been popular in all the decades since; one may still find them in very recent editions. The bisque ones are naturally the most collectible; they come in a range of sizes, from tiny (about 1'') all the way to 3' in height. They take the form (most often) of the so-called "frozen Charlotte" - a figurine, essentially, with no moving parts, although occasionally they will have arms jointed at the shoulders (strung).
My content will be all about dolls, my collection, my creations, and tons of interesting info. My first section is going to be a look back at the past century through the medium of dolls - choosing a single example of a doll that in some way typifies the decade (which for the past century have been self-contained eras) to which it belongs, up until 1980, where I will include two kinds, one for early in the decade, one for later.
Please enjoy - and if you have any questions or interesting things to report on this subject, let me know.
