Children of Japan

Children of Japan
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Hinges and Hearts

Hinges and Hearts
An Exhibit of our Metal Dolls

Tuxedo and Bangles

Tuxedo and Bangles

A History of Metal Dolls

A History of Metal Dolls
Now on Alibris.com and In Print! The First Book of its Kind

Alice, Commemorative Edition

Alice, Commemorative Edition
Courtesy, R. John Wright

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Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory

Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory
Her Grace wishes us all a Merry Christmas!

Annabelle

Annabelle

Emma Emmeline

Emma Emmeline
Our New Addition/fond of stuffed toys

Cloth Clown

Cloth Clown

Native American Art

Native American Art

the triplets

the triplets

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby
Bought Athens on the street

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Sand Baby Swirls!

Sand Baby Swirls!
By Glenda Rolle, courtesy, the Artist

Glenda's Logo

Glenda's Logo
Also, a link to her site

Sand Baby Castaway

Sand Baby Castaway
By Glenda Rolle, Courtesy the Artist

A French Friend

A French Friend

Mickey

Mickey
From our friends at The Fennimore Museum

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll
British Museum, Child's Tomb

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll
Among first "Toys?"

ushabti

ushabti
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Popular Posts

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase
Courtesy, Antique Daughter

Judge Peep

Judge Peep

Hakata Doll Artist at Work

Hakata Doll Artist at Work
From the Museum Collection

Japanese Costume Barbies

Japanese Costume Barbies
Samurai Ken

Etienne

Etienne
A Little Girl

Happy Heart Day

Happy Heart Day

From "Dolls"

From "Dolls"
A Favorite Doll Book

Popular Posts

Jenny Wren

Jenny Wren
Ultimate Doll Restorer

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Baby Boo 1960s

Baby Boo 1960s
Reclaimed and Restored as a childhood Sabrina the Witch with Meow Meow

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum
L to R: K*R /celluloid head, all bisque Artist Googly, 14 in. vinyl inuit sixties, early celluloid Skookum type.

Two More Rescued Dolls

Two More Rescued Dolls
Late Sixties Vinyl: L to R: Probably Horseman, all vinyl, jointed. New wig. R: Effanbee, probably Muffy, mid sixties. New wig and new clothing on both. About 12 inches high.

Restored Italian Baby Doll

Restored Italian Baby Doll
One of Dr. E's Rescued Residents

Dolls on Display

Dolls on Display
L to R: Nutcrackers, Danish Troll, HItty and her book, Patent Washable, Mechanical Minstrel, Creche figure, M. Alexander Swiss. Center is a German mechanical bear on the piano. Background is a bisque German costume doll.

A Few Friends

A Few Friends
These dolls are Old German and Nutcrackers from Dr. E's Museum. They are on loan to another local museum for the holidays.

Vintage Collage

Vintage Collage
Public Domain Art

The Merry Wanderer

The Merry Wanderer
Courtesy R. John Wright, The Hummel Collection

The Fennimore Doll Museum

The Fennimore Doll Museum

Robert

Robert
A Haunted Doll with a Story

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

The Cody Jumeau

The Cody Jumeau
Long-faced or Jumeau Triste

German Princesses

German Princesses
GAHC 2005

A Little PowerRanger

A Little PowerRanger
Halloween 2004

The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls
Shrine to Dolls in Mexico

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death
Doll House murder

Popular Posts

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A lovely dress

A lovely dress

Raggedy Ann

Raggedy Ann
A few friends in cloth!

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI
Pixar Animator's Collection

Little PM sisters

Little PM sisters
Recent eBay finds

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Really old Dolls!

Really old Dolls!

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Japanese Girls/Doll Festival

Happy Japanese Doll Festival March 3d. Once, it was hard to find Hina Matsuri festval dolls, now it is easier Mitsuwa Shopping Center in Arlington Heights offers miniature food and other items to celebrate the Girls Day or Doll Festival. Read Miss Happiness and Miss Flower by Rumer Godden to learn more. Huguette Clark also had a wide range of Japanese Doll Houses made for her. See also previous post on this blog.

Monday, February 19, 2024

American Doll and Toy Museum: Our Purpose

American Doll and Toy Museum: Our Purpose: The more I run the American Doll and Toy Museum, the more I realize a lot of people of all ages have no clue what a museum is. “What is the...

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Pinterest

American Doll and Toy Museum has many new pins of our museum. See also boards on Dolls around the World and African American Heritage Dolls. These last two are new.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

A Life in Dolls; my Resume

Here it is October, the month I live for all year. We’ve had at least two months of assorted disasters which have detracted from writing and from the museum. Sometimes, I sit and ponder how long I’ve been involved with dolls. I thought I would give you a timeline of my life with dolls and toys. I hope you enjoy it, as it is also sort of my resume.
• My fist doll is a Dreamland rubber bunny with a human face, wearing bare bottom yellow pajamas. • Age 3, my mother hands me two Greek dolls that were part of her family’s collection. I sat on the Kitchen floor holding them, and declared I would collect dolls. • I see my first antique German bisque doll at Fantasy Land, Gettysburg, PA. • Age 5, we visit Edison’s home, and I see my first Edison Phonograph doll. Years and years later, I get one for the museum collection. I begin collecting dolls and related objects on family road trips all over the US and Canada. • Age six, my babysitter gives me a bisque Nancy Ann Storybook doll, my first vintage doll. My first grade uses life sized dolls to portray Dick, Jane, and Sally, but she makes me a sock doll for my collection. • Age 7, my mom and I begin attending the local antique show. We find my first antique doll, a frozen Charlotte. That year, I also attended the San Jose Flea market for the first time. • Age 8, I give my first talk on dolls for the Girl Scout’s collecting badge. I did dozens of talks on dolls and toys between ages 8 and 22. My Aunt Rose begins making porcelain reproduction dolls for me. Her husband, Uncle Tony, buys me vintage dolls from auctions. • Age 9, we visit Europe; lots of dolls come home. • Age 13, our first doll show comes to the area. I’ve been attending them since. • Age 22, my first article on dolls was published in National Doll World. I received the prestigious Tweet Award, carved by my teacher, mentor and friend, Dr. Roald Tweet. • I’ve written by now hundreds of articles on dolls online for About.com, Flossie’s Newsletter, and Ruby Lane. I have written articles for Western Doll Collector, Hope and Glory; Midwest Journal of Victorian Studies, Doll Reader, Antique Doll Collector, National Doll World, Doll Designs and other publications. • Circa 2014 to 2018, I worked for various employers creating Pinterest boards and blog posts, as well as curating descriptions for objects on eBay. • I’ve set up at doll shows and had an Etsy shop. • Worked antique shows and in antique shops. • Appeared in podcasts, radio, and in local TV news shows, been interviewed by Irish talk show host, Shawn Moncrieff. Was approached by The Today Show and Inside Edition. Interviewed by Atlas Obscura. Had a story done on me for my work network by a reporter who worked for Newsweek. • Have written several books on dolls, including works of fiction that include them. I have an author’s page on Amazon, and a page on Facebook. • I’ve worked as director of social media for a doll magazine, and created numerous blogs and social media accounts on dolls. • I spent twenty years bringing this museum to fruition, not an easy task. • Still give talks and do displays at other museums, at libraries, for clubs and groups. • We are nowhere near finished. • It isn’t just a hobby; this is my vocation, and it’s been my whole life. • Also make dolls and paint them, repair my own not others’.
and, I developed courses and mayerials on dolls. Also presented several papers on dolls at the Midwest Modern Language Association conventions. Happy collecting folks. But it doesn’t just pop up overnight.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Review, The Christmas Reindeer by John Donald O'Shea

The Christmas Reindeer by John Donald O’Shea tells the story of two children who set out to save Christmas by finding Santa’s lost team of reindeer. Lest anyone wonder, Rudolph is definitely one of the reindeer, and he would lead the sleigh. The book alludes to the tradition of stories where toys come to life, often to save the day. The author has channeled such classics as The Velveteen Rabbit, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Pinocchio, Toy Story, and The Dolls’ House with his blow mold Christmas characters who live in Santa Land and who come to life after hours. The two heroes, Jack and Mary, are six year old twins. As modern children, they email their letters to Santa. Mary receives a reply from Santa that Christmas is cancelled because his reindeer have disappeared. Santa’s reply refers her to an app and their heroic journey to Santa Land to find the reindeer begins. Along the way, they encounter the cleverly named Poo-lár-is, who is a small talking polar bear, a wizard named Warnock, and an evil witch named Maladonna, who is, perhaps, just an ancient, misunderstood child. Dragons and elves, even pirates take part along the way as well. The plot alludes to timeless Christmas TV specials, but incorporates the modern world of email and computers. The illustrations are colorful and engaging. Their primary colors will attract juvenile and adult readers, but also enhance the story. They have the glow of Christmas bulbs. The dialog is skillfully done and fast paced; it seems to increase the action that drives the plot. Here, it takes a Christmas community to save Christmas, and with other stories of its genre, The Christmas Reindeer shares a heartfelt message that Christmas is more than “stuff”, that its spirit of generosity and happiness is truly worth saving.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: Fall is Coming

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: Fall is Coming: Fall is Coming It’s in the air; even if it’s 90+ degrees, the breeze is cool, the days shorter. Some trees have already started changing l...