fbpx

Author: DOLLS Magazine Contributor

Everybody’s Talkin’ Barbie! 

The big news in toys back in 1968 was the release of a talking Barbie! This had been on the drawing board for several years — Mattel’s 20-inch Chatty Cathy from the early ’60s could say several different phrases. But it was hard to adapt the talking mechanism — a miniature record player, complete with speaker — to fit inside Barbie’s 11.5-inch body.

Read More

Antique Q&A: Kling & Co. All-Bisque

I found a pair of little all-bisque dolls at an antique shop. They are about 4 inches tall and are marked 31-10, no maker’s name. The seller didn’t know anything about them except that they were in a box of vintage handkerchiefs at a house sale. None of my doll club members could identify them. Can you help me?

Read More

LuLu Tatum’s Creations Are a Kaleidoscope of Creativity  

Artist LuLu Tatum’s mind is vibrantly kaleidoscopic, bursting with an endless swirl of ideas just waiting to evolve into delightful reality. Her body of work encompasses original one-of-a-kind (OOAK) dolls, bears, and other animals; paintings in watercolor, oil, and mixed media; limited-edition prints; clothing and jewelry designs; and extreme primitives, all springing from the fertile wonderland in her head to inhabit the real world.

Read More

House of Nisbet: Snapshots Back in Time

House of Nisbet Dolls got its start in 1952 with a doll commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and grew to encompass a wide range of dolls, many celebrating British royals and other celebrities, along with traditional British costumes and traditions. Founded by British businesswoman Peggy Nisbet (1909-1995), the company grew to become one of Britain’s largest doll manufacturers. As Britain prepares to crown King Charles III May 6, after the death of Elizabeth II in September, a look back at Nisbet dolls reveals how they served as a chronicle of the changing tastes and tempos of their times and of their British roots.

Read More

Curious Collector: 1960s Madame Alexander Renoir

I had a chance to buy two 14-inch Madame Alexander vinyl and hard plastic dolls mint in the box. The dolls are identical, both are tagged “Renoir,” and both are in marked boxes with the name Renoir on them. However they have different wrist tags and illustrations of Madame Alexander that are slightly different. Do you have any information on these variations?

Read More

Shows of Note: Resin Rose BJD Expo Preview

Resin Rose BJD Expo is the Pacific Northwest’s largest BJD show, held at the Monarch Hotel and Convention Center in Clackamas, Oregon. Resin Rose is a nonprofit organization run by a team of volunteers. Their love of BJDs brought them together to start Resin Rose in 2015. We are now on our seventh show, which will include over 50 vendors, including invited BJD artists.

Read More

1950s Ginger: The Darling of the Doll World

Nearly every American doll company around in the 1950s tried to capitalize on the stellar success of Ginny, Vogue’s charming 8-inch toddler doll. Ginny reigned as queen, but Cosmopolitan promoted 8-inch Ginger as “the darling of the doll world” because she was also made from high-quality plastic and wonderfully dressed. Today, Ginger has finally come into her own among collectors after taking a back seat to Ginny for many years.

Read More

Discovering Reborns Leads Veronica Lale to New Career

A summary of Veronica Lale’s background gives no clue that she would become a talented reborn artist. She worked as a freelance journalist for a local newspaper for a few years and is now a part-time employee for the regional government of her country. She lives in a small village in northern Italy, on the border with France and Switzerland, with her husband, Stefano, and her two children, Corinne and Joel. Rounding out her family is their cocker spaniel, Maya. Nothing in her early life served to guide her to the craft she pursues now; she had no background in art — but she did have a passion for dolls.

Read More

A Well-Turned Ankle: Madame Alexander’s Elise Could Wear Shoes for Any Occasion

By 1957, Madame Alexander’s fashion-doll lineup had never looked better. The 1957 dolls had a new peaches-and-cream finish to the faces with a perfect blend of blush — the com­pany’s offerings were indeed spectacular. One outstanding new addition to the legendary company’s designs that year was Elise, a 16.5-inch fully jointed doll.

Read More

Free Digital Issue + eNewsletter

Read a free issue, plus get doll-collecting newsletters.

 

CLICK HERE NOW

You have successfully joined our E-mail List!