About Dolls

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


One of the most lasting icons of modern times for young girls almost definitely has to be that of the massive range of Barbie dolls that grace toy store shelves. Debuting to the world on March 9 1959, Barbie’s legacy still lives on.

Barbie has a fan base of women spanning nearly 50 years, from the time the Barbie dolls range of fashion dolls was launched to the present day. Although Barbie could be suffering a decline in with the advent of other popular fashion dolls in to the scene, it can’t be denied that Barbie dolls are still highly popular with young girls in western countries especially.

Women who have found memories of playing with their own Barbie dolls when they were young, go out of their way to not only get their own daughters Barbie dolls of their own, but if truth be said, it is these first owners of Barbie who scour the world looking for vintage Barbie dolls, which are admittedly collectors items.

As with anything that has as much popularity as Barbie does, there are detractors aplenty of the many different Barbie dolls and their accessories. One of the main bones of contention however, seems to be the fact that Barbie is and always has been an unrealistic role model for young girls to look up to. Many factors have been cited for this, with the unrealistic figure of the entire range of Barbie dolls being one of these factors.

Many people feel that it sets unrealistic goals for young girls to aspire to, and might even lead to these children suffering from eating disorders or other medical problems, including psychological problems. to counter these detractions the creators of Barbie dolls have given Barbie a much needed face lift to speak.

Whereas the Barbie dolls of earlier times had unrealistic body proportions the new Barbie is designed and built so that it has a body shape that is similar to that of a real life woman. These Barbie dolls are also portrayed as having career goals to which girls can share.

While the previous dolls were merely fashion models, actress dolls and hostess of glamorous parties the newer Barbie dolls have exciting careers which have the potential to inspire girls to dream of high dreams.

Even though many girls choose to buy other types of dolls there is still a portion of girls who are drawn to this doll with many lifestyles to her name. Unlike most of the dolls that you can find in the toy market only Barbie dolls have managed to achieved the status of an icon.



Lydia

Tom Littlepage - Galaxyofstores asked:


Dolls are believed to have been around since prehistoric times, and may well have been the earliest type of toy used by man. These dolls were certainly made of natural materials such as clay, wood, and fur. Many of them may have been used as children’s toys, but it is believed that they were often used to represent a deity, and likely played a key role in religious rituals and ceremonies.

None of these ancient dolls have survived through the ages, but dolls have often been found in Egyptian graves dating back as far as 3000 years. Some of these dolls were made of pottery, but most were made of flat pieces of wood painted with different designs, and with hair made of strings of wooden beads or clay. Dolls have also been found in the graves of Greek and Roman children, some with movable limbs and removable garments.

Later, Europe became a major producer of wooden dolls. Some of these dolls were made from tree stumps, while others were ‘peg’ dolls, made with simple peg joints and resembling a clothespin. Composition dolls, which were made from mixtures of pulped wood or paper that were molded under pressure, were developed in the 1800s. These dolls were durable and could be mass produced. Dolls with wax heads were also popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Porcelain and bisque dolls became popular at the beginning of the 19th century.

The French “bebe” dolls were popular in the 1880s. Up until this time, most dolls represented adult figures. The bebes were different, because they represented younger girls. In the 1900s, realistic German bisque dolls were introduced and became very popular. These started an ongoing trend of creating realistic dolls.

Rag and cloth dolls have been hand made for centuries. ‘Rag’ dolls are made of any fabric, while dolls made specifically of linen or cotton are considered to be ‘cloth’ dolls. Commercial production of rag dolls was started in the 1850s in England and America.

It was not until after the Civil War that doll making became an important industry in the United States. Most dolls were produced in New England, and were made of various materials such as papier-mache, leather, cloth, and rubber. Celluloid was developed in the 1860s and was used in the manufacture of dolls until the 1950s. Although these dolls could be mass produced very cheaply, they were extremely flammable, and would fade in bright light.

Hard plastic dolls were made in the 1940s, and dolls of vinyl, rubber, and foam rubber were made in the 1950s and 1960s. The use of vinyl allowed doll makers to insert hair into the head, rather than having to paint the hair on, or to use wigs.

Modern dolls have traditionally been toys for children, and ‘action figures’ representing ’superheroes’ are now very popular with boys. There are even ‘virtual’ dolls available on the Internet which can be designed, dressed up, and played with on web sites. Most dolls are now manufactured using modern materials and mass production techniques. However, dolls are also now collected by adults, and some manufacturers use the same kinds of materials that were used in the past, to create ‘vintage-style’ collectible dolls. But whatever the type of doll, they all trace their roots back to prehistoric times. They are truly ‘toys from antiquity.’

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Audrey

rioranchogirl asked:


I decided that last Christmas to get my daughter a My Generation doll vs. the American Girl doll. Just to see how she would take care of it before getting the $90 doll. The question I have is how is the hair on these two dolls different. I find that the My Generation dolls hair is very dry, frizzy and thin where you can see the scalp on any hair style (from day one). My daughter is very frustrated by this and was wondering if the quality of the hair on an American girl doll is much better. Otherwise she loves playing with her doll. So I was wondering if anyone out there has experience both dolls and what there opinion is? Thanks!

Andre

Karen Hoffman asked:


One thing I remember most about Jenny when she was still in her very young years is that she is very fond of dolls. You will always catch her grabbing dolls of other young girls and then would try to own them. And whenever her birthday comes, or even Christmas season is up and coming back then, all you will hear from her is that she wants dolls and nothing else.

Her parents love her so much so have given her what she wanted – dolls. On her 4th birthday, her parents gave Jenny her first ever doll, an American Girl Doll with a name of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was in a rich berry-red dress made from a brocade fabric when Jenny got her. The dress looked very nice to Jenny most especially that it was highlighted by a contrasting gold panel then on. Not to mention that there was also delicate cream-colored lace with a metallic gold detail that spilled down the bodice and trimmed the sleeves. There were also the ruby-colored faux jewels that sparkled against the lace and a cream lace cap with a berry-red ribbon which have really lighted up not only Elizabeth’s look but also Jenny’s face.

Jenny took care of Elizabeth very well and her parents have seen this so they gave her another American Girl Doll on Christmas day following her 4th birthday. They bought Samantha as a Christmas present to her. Samantha was just a perfect doll for Christmas as she was wearing then on a velveteen coat with faux trim. She was wearing as well a wide brimmed hat with matching velveteen band and black knitted mittens. She looked very gorgeous back then. Not to mention that she was also holding flowers. Jenny felt so delighted having Samantha in her hands; her second doll.

Before Jenny turned 5, her parents got some financial problems so can’t afford to give her another doll present so instead just gave her a simple birthday bash. Jenny wasn’t upset at all as Elizabeth and Samantha were already there around.

Christmas time came but still her parents was in a financial trouble so still can’t give Jenny present. But Jenny as a loving and understand kid she was, didn’t still mind not having another doll but instead just took care of her two dolls, Elizabeth and Samantha.

On her 6th birthday, she wasn’t already expecting any doll but then surprisingly on the morning of her birthday, she woke up having another doll beside her in her bed. She ran as fast as she could to her parents’ room and then thanked them by kissing them on both cheeks on and on.

Name of the doll she got on her 6th birthday was Julie. She was in a casual dress and got a doll trunk wardrobe. Julie got a bag, hairbrush, and accessories. Julie seemed like perfect for travel. Jenny was so happy back then having Julie, another addition to her pretty doll collection.

Now that Christmas time is again up and coming, then her 7th birthday follows, Jenny is still hoping to get additional pretty dolls. But if her parents can’t afford them for some reasons, for sure Jenny will understand. Most especially now that she already have pretty dolls in her care – Elizabeth, Samantha and Julie.



Jacqueline

lauradutoit asked:


Buy what you love.

As long as you love each doll that you buy you will love doll collecting. Doll collecting is a passionate pastime and choosing what type of doll to buy is a personal choice that should come from the heart. If you cannot walk past a baby doll without feeling it has your name written all over it, then buy baby dolls. If your passions for dolls dates back to childhood memories of playing with wooden dolls and you have a sentimental attachment to these dolls then collect these dolls. Do not let anyone influence you in your choice of dolls as a doll collection brings responsibilities and you do at least want to enjoy fulfilling these duties.

Collect within your budgetary limits.

Most serious doll collectors would love to own a whole collection of OOAK (one of a kind) collectible dolls. Very few of us can afford to own even one. Decide what you can afford to buy and start a collection in this price class. There is nothing to prevent you from upgrading your collection at a later stage should your financial position improve.

It is Quality and not Quantity that counts.

You will be adding more value to your collection by purchasing one quality doll per year than adding a number of mediocre dolls. Doll collections can so easily get too big to really appreciate and doll collecting is a marathon not a sprint. Be selective and appreciate each doll when you do manage to buy it.

Do sufficient research.

Making an informed decision always gives us confidence in our actions. Read as much as possible about a particular type of doll and get as much background information on the doll artists whose dolls hold a particular attraction for you.

Do not let price guides rule your decisions.

The Blue Book is every collector’s Bible, but this book is a point of reference only as there are numerous factors that can influence the value of a doll. Always use your own judgment in conjunction with price guides.

Buy from a reputable dealer.

This is of particular importance when purchasing antique dolls. Member of NADDA (National Antique Doll Dealers Association) must adhere to a strict code of ethics and membership requirements include at least five years experience in buying and selling antique dolls. All dolls must be guaranteed as to age, attribution, and physical condition in writing upon purchase. With modern new collectible dolls a reputable dealer will have a good after sales record and be knowledgeable about market trends.

Join a doll club.

Doll clubs are a great way of expanding your knowledge of the doll collecting world and a great way to share your ideas and aspirations. There is so much to learn from other doll collectors and these clubs often organize doll shows and other events that can bring a new dimension to your doll collecting.

Realize that you may want to upgrade your collection at some time.

Tastes change as we develop new ideas and are exposed to different types of dolls. Never feel guilty about wanting to change the direction of your collection. The money you get from the sale of your collection can be used towards your new-found doll collecting interests.

Enjoy yourself!

Remember that doll collecting is a pastime and it is meant to be enjoyed. Never let your doll collecting habits get in the way of family and friends and treasure the dolls that you are lucky enough to acquire. Always appreciate the doll friends you meet along the way even more than the dolls and you will find that you will always enjoy yourself.

Happy doll collecting!



Sam