The Ancient Hobby of Doll Collecting

by Marty Weil

 

 

My Aunt is an avid doll collector. Her vast collection of dolls is on display in her living room—housed in several large glass cases. Like many doll collectors, she prizes her collection for its nostalgic value. Because dolls have such a long history, however, dolls are much more than a trip down memory lane for most collectors; they are coveted for their beauty, historical importance, and financial value.

 

Dolls are one of the oldest categories of collectibles. Since the dawn of civilization, people have fashioned dolls from a wide range of materials—from wood and stone to porcelain and plastic. In ancient times, dolls were used as idols and played a role in religious ceremonies and pagan rituals. Think of the Voodoo Doll, for instance. Even today, lifelike dolls are used in the medical field to train doctors, nurses, and others on various procedures or as investigative tools in cases of child abuse. Further, artists use dolls as an aid in their work.

 

Doll collecting has been at the center of several pop culture crazes in recent decades. For instance, the Cabbage Patch Kids, a brand of doll created by Xavier Roberts in 1978, was a ‘must have’ toy that attracted the attention of Coleco, who began mass producing them in 1982. At the height of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, parents across the U.S. flocked to stores in a frenzied effort to obtain one.

 

While most men consider dolls to be a hobby for women or young girls and boys, the Bobblehead doll (a.k.a., nodders) has become a popular item among male collectors of sports-related memorabilia. Bobbleheads are often closely associated with Major League Baseball. The first baseball team to offer a bobblehead giveaway was the San Francisco Giants, which distributed 35,000 Willie Mays head nodders at a 1999 game. The variety of bobbleheads on the market rose exponentially to include even relatively obscure baseball players (as well as figures from the world beyond sports).

 

As you can see, the world of doll collecting is varied and diverse. So much so, that a myriad of books have been written about the hobby. A few popular titles on the general subject of doll collecting include, 200 Years of Dolls: Identification & Price Guide; Doll Collecting with Tina: Classic Dolls from 1860 to 1960; and, Life Like Dolls: The Collector Doll Phenomenon and the Lives of the Women Who Love Them.

 

Recently, many collectors and consumers of dolls are concerned about the recent toy company recalls of dolls made in China. Because most the world’s dolls are now made in China—even the higher-priced examples—it is difficult to find alternatives to Chinese-made dolls. While the future of doll manufacturing may be in doubt, the future of the hobby appears as bright as ever with new categories of dolls emerging every year and a new doll craze potentially as close as this coming holiday season.

 

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