A History of Dolls

Did you know that the very first paper doll that was manufactured by a company was Little Fanny? This was a doll that was made in London during 1810. The company that made this very successful item was S&J Fuller. During the 1830s, a paper doll representing Marie Taglioni, the famous prima ballerina, was created. This was the first paper doll that was actually modeled after a celebrity.

During the 1840s there were some other very famous faces being shown on paper doll bodies. These were Fanny Elssler, who was another famous ballerina, and Queen Victoria. These dolls are hunted for by collectors who frequent rummage sales and boot sales. Although they are very rare and unlikely to be discovered, the thrill of doll collecting is all in the search.

Very early dolls were made of wood and had painted or carved features on the faces. These dolls were relatively simple but are  eagerly sought by many collectors today. Other materials began to be used in the construction and these new dolls had china faces. Sometimes the dolls would have china hands and feet. The early china dolls had painted hair and facial features and leather bodies.  These were very treasured childhood possessions, and even though some of these dolls would suffer cracks and breaks, many little girls would still not part with them.

During the 19th century, doll making began to be very popular, especially during the latter part of the 1800s. There were many designers and artists who spent months crafting heads and bodies for dolls of different sizes, shape and colours. Some of the rarest dolls are those that are black or brown. The dolls at this time were most commonly made from porcelain and bisque, although there were some other materials still used. Not only was great effort put into the doll’s head and face, even the wig placed on her head was done with skill and care. These dolls had colored glass eyes and the head was topped with wigs that were made from human hair. Today, a Bru doll in excellent condition might fetch as much as £40,000.00

Many English, German and French doll makers vied to see who could create the best dolls, and today you can still see the beauty and craftsmanship in these antique dolls. Some of the finest examples of dolls from the 1800s are in museums, but collectors are amassing some astonishing private collections too. The Bebe Bru and the Jumeau dolls are two of the most desirable dolls of this time. These dolls would often come with complete wardrobes of beautifully hand worked garments including hand tatted lace collars and sleeves, gloves, hats and gowns.

This is an original news article © The Kids Window

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