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1950s Ginger: The Darling of the Doll World

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 20:12:35 +0000

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.

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Tammy: The Ideal Teen

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 18:16:56 +0000

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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Käthe Kruse Christmas Editions Are Worthy Additions to Any Collection

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 15:16:19 +0000

By A. Glenn Mandeville With a reputation for producing high-end, high-quality dolls for well over a century, Käthe Kruse dolls continue to find favor with collectors in both Germany and the U.S. Early examples in excellent condition, made with molded cloth faces hand painted using oil paints, can command thousands of dollars. Even more recent […]

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Curious Collector: 1934 Ideal Shirley Temple

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 20:01:37 +0000

Q: I am an avid Shirley Temple collector, and when I had the chance to buy this mint 22-inch composition Shirley Temple doll in the original box, I was just thrilled. I got her for a very good price because she needed to be restrung, which was easy. Any more information would be greatly appreciated.

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World of EPI Pioneers New Techniques to Make Authentic ‘Black Panther’ Dolls

Joyce Greenholdt — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 18:24:56 +0000

Doll and toy manufacturer World of EPI is set to release Series 1 of its Fresh Dolls Fierce collection Oct. 1. The dolls depict the powerful characters Shuri, Okoye, and Nakia from the upcoming movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, arriving in theaters Nov. 11. Dr. Lisa Williams, the company’s founder, said that working with Marvel Studios to create the licensed dolls is “truly almost unbelievable. Even though we’ve been working with them for about a year, it’s still one of those ‘pinchable moments’ — you want to pinch yourself to make sure this is real, that I didn’t dream this.

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World of EPI: Dedicated to Entertainment, Publishing, Inspiration

Joyce Greenholdt — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 19:26:01 +0000

Entertainment, Publishing, Inspiration: Those three words are what the “EPI” in World of EPI stands for. Dr. Lisa Williams had already built a stellar career in academia before she founded the company in 2003, having earned her Ph.D. in marketing and logistics, and becoming a tenured professor at Penn State University’s College of Business. Then she saw something that changed the course of her life — researchers were replicating a famous doll study originally conducted in the ’40s by Kenneth and Mamie Clark.

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Madame Alexander Prepares for Centennial Celebration

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 14:28:13 +0000

For 99 years, Madame Alexander Doll Company has made beautiful dolls for children, families, and collectors. Madame always said, “Love is in the details,” and we could not agree more. Every doll we make is crafted for generations of play.

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Curious Collector: Mattel Barbie RN Repro

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:55:08 +0000

Q: I am a retired nurse and I remember the original Barbie registered nurse outfit. I learned that a Barbie doll and the outfit had been reissued, but I didn’t know it at the time. Fortunately I found one on eBay. I was very pleased with it. There were a few listed, and prices varied considerably. I was wondering if you could comment on this?

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Dianna Effner: Prolific creator influenced a generation of doll artists

DOLLS Magazine Contributor — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 16:23:05 +0000

The doll world lost one of its brightest lights Oct. 14, 2020. At age 75, Dianna Effner lost her battle against cancer and passed away at her daughter’s home in Rolla, Missouri. An undeniable force in the collectible-dolls arena, Effner was a talented artist, successful businesswoman, and valued mentor.

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Madame Alexander announces partial new lineup for 2021

DOLLS Magazine Staff — Tue, 18 May 2021 15:09:34 +0000

Since Madame Beatrice Alexander founded the Alexander Doll Company in 1923, the Madame Alexander name has been a force to be reckoned with in the world of dolls for children and collectors alike. Today, the company continues to follow in Madame Alexander’s footsteps in creating quality dolls, and makes that dedication clear in their 2021 catalogue:

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