Most of us are quite familiar with fine European porcelain dolls but I doubt many people realize just how old the tradition of doll making, even porcelain dolls, is in Japan. Ancient temple records indicate small grass dolls were used in a religious ceremony and placed in the river even before the birth of Christ….
The story of German wooden doll-making can be broken down into three phases. Crèche dolls, proper wooden dolls and Grodnertal dolls. Crèche dolls are Catholic religious figurines that are most commonly associated with Italy for obvious reasons. However Germany has a strong and vibrant Crèche doll tradition as well. What separates a crèche doll from…
Unlike other more intricate dolls the English established a solid presence in wooden dolls. Evolving from primitive carvings into actual well-crafted works of art as early as the 17th century. This trend of constant improvement lasted for over a century well into the 18th century. As these dolls improved there was a direct correlation between…
Unlike most vampires Draculara, or Ula D to her friends, has embraced the sweeter side of her personality. For example her favorite color is pink and she refuses to suck any else’s blood. She has even embraced a totally vegan life-style to make sure that she never hurts anyone. Imagine the surprise of her father…
What can you say about Monster High’sCleo de Nile. She is arrogant, stuck up, self-centered, spoiled and that just a few of her personality traits. But what can you expect from an ancient princess who is accustomed to getting her way. You really can’t blame her anyways, I mean she is almost 6,000 years old…
During her coronation in 1952 it would have been impossible to predict what impact the now legendary Queen Elizabeth would have on history and her subjects. Although her legacy was still undetermined the historical significance of this event certainly couldn’t be overlooked and a marketing opportunity just couldn’t be wasted. One such opportunist was the…
Clawdeen Wolf is the 15 year old daughter of the warewolf and head fashionista at Monster high. All you need to know about Clawdeen Wolf is that she loves fashion and gold and hates Cleo de Nile. Although all the young ladies at monster high consider themselves stylish none take it as seriously as Clawdeen….
Madame Alexander had many wonderful traits as both a doll maker and a business woman. Perhaps none as integral to her success as her far-sightedness. In 1964 she launched the Brenda Starr doll based on the comic strip newspaper reported which continued her tradition of using fictional characters as inspiration. The Brenda Starr doll was…
‘Kins’ is the name given to the beautiful 8in dolls made by The Alexander Doll Company starting in early 1953. The ‘Kins’ were a departure from Madame Alexander as they were made from a hard heavy and durable plastic instead of her usual composite. Although the material had changed, Madame Alexander’s strict demand for high…
By 1954 Madame Alexander was already quite successful in the 8 inch doll market when her attention turned to the bible. At the time it would have been impossible to fathom the legend that would surround these dolls. Soon these bible characters rank amongst the most valuable 8 inch dolls in the world. Years past…