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.
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Q: I found this sweet antique boy doll and just fell in love with him. He is a wonderful change from the usual antique girls that I collect. There are no marks on him. Is this a parian doll? Can you tell me anything about him?
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I got into an online bidding war with someone over this 1971 Mattel Francie because I had looked for years for one and have not been able to find one. Why is this doll so rare and expensive?
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In 1956, Madame Alexander issued Lissy, a 12-inch doll with a stunning face and sleep eyes. Her body was jointed at the elbows and knees. Her age was not precisely defined.
Lissy was a perfect fashion doll for a lower price than the 21-inch Cissy.
For many years I have been exclusively making Dianna Effner porcelain dolls, particularly the Little Darlings and dolls of similar size, eventually branching into Effner’s beautiful vinyl LDs by repainting factory painted convention dolls, Bonekas, and Ashton-Drakes. I was always hoping to emulate the masters (Dianna and her Doll Dreamers Guild, whose artist stylings were so incredible). I wanted to be one of them ever since I knew there was such a thing!
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A friend found this doll among some old linens when she was helping her mother downsize to a smaller home. I mostly collect china dolls, so don’t know where to start looking for information about it. Can you help? It is about 14 or 15 inches long and looks quite old. It seems to be in very good condition with just some fading and minor soil.
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Many people in the 1960s (including doll collectors) thought that Ideal’s Tammy doll was a wholesome representation of a teenage girl — more so than the apparently sophisticated Barbie doll by Mattel. These people would be somewhat correct, however there is a lot more to the story.
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Award-winning ball-jointed doll (BJD) artist Rose Lacefield of bbflockling is bringing out a special limited edition of her doll Abrielle in five different skin tones, available exclusively through DOLLS magazine. This exclusive edition of Abrielle will go on sale via the DOLLS website at 11 a.m. Central Time Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
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As far as the history of dolls is concerned, baby dolls are a fairly recent type, having first appeared on the market in 1909 — a little over 100 years ago.
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I recently purchased this very unusual Madame Alexander 21-inch doll that is a portrait doll of Tony Curtis from the movie Some Like It Hot. The name Cissy is on the certificate, but obviously it is a male doll. The doll came with an amazing saxophone, complete with case, and a metal lunch-box-type case. I had never seen anything like this before and wondered what you could tell me?
Read MoreThis exclusive edition of Abrielle will go on sale via the DOLLS website at 11 a.m. Central Time Tuesday, March 7, 2023.The BJDs will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, as there are only five in each resin color. Dolls...
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The Sound of Music, first released in 1965, has proven to be an enduring movie classic. Generations of Americans have viewed the multiple-award-winning musical, whether on the big screen, as an annual televised special, or as a recorded or streamed movie. So it should come as no surprise that Sound of Music collectibles, and particularly Madame Alexander’s Sound of Music dolls, are still popular with collectors today.
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Q: Can you explain what a Frozen Charlotte doll is? I have some stiff one-piece “Made in Japan” all-bisque dolls with molded clothing. Are these Frozen Charlottes?
A: No, they are not Frozen Charlotte dolls. Beginning in about 1850, an unjointed doll made entirely of china (glazed porcelain) was developed in Germany.
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I have been a lifelong doll collector and I have a special attraction to composition celebrity dolls. One doll that has eluded me is the Texas Ranger Shirley Temple doll. Recently I was able to find this example in the rare 11-inch size totally mint in the box.
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Claire, from 1992, was released in an edition of 35. By A. Glenn Mandeville With a reputation for...
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This is a sneak peek at Emperis Dolls’ upcoming new generation male sculpts. By Wil Peterson...
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I found an unusual 22-inch cloth doll at an estate sale. It is stamped in black ink on the body and the clothes, “Milwaukee WPA Handicraft Project #7040 sponsored by Milwaukee County and Milwaukee State Teachers College.” Do you know anything about this doll? I have never seen anything like it.
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The desire to have a doll to love and to hold is not confined to children alone. Many adult collectors yearn to own a special doll that speaks to them in a unique and personal way. Knowing such an intimate bond exists between collector and doll, Brenda Mize has stepped in to help the connection grow stronger, sweeter, and more self-directed.
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Q: I recently bought a box lot of dolls at an estate sale and among them was this just fabulous composition doll in near-mint condition with knitted all-original outfit and wooden skis and ski poles. She is 14 inches tall, all composition with sleep eyes and a mohair wig. She is marked “Mary Hoyer” on her back. Can you tell me more about this doll and perhaps a value?
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Q: I am new to collecting German bisque girl dolls. I saw one in an antique mall and wondered if I should buy it. I looked up the mark on the internet, and it was made by the Goebel factory. I’m estimating she will be about 20 inches tall. The strings were broken, and the doll was in pieces, but they were all there. Two fingers were off, and she had no wig or clothes. There was no damage to her head. She was $45.
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