March 8, 2026, Meeting

Member Myrna Loesch did a program on dolls modeled after celebrities and famous people. She explained that "celebrity" refers to someone who is a recognized public figure in the media, often in the entertainment industry, while a famous person is generally known for an achievement, skill, or historical importance.  As early as the 1830s paper dolls were created in the images of famous performers, such as the renown ballerina, Marie Taglioni, as well as historical figures and royalty With the advent of silent films, companies such as Louis Amberg began producing celebrity dolls based on movie stars like Charlie Chaplin. Dolls were also made of sports figures, such as the early doll produced by the Ideal Toy Company modeled after the baseball player Ty Cobb. Movies inspired ever more celebrity dolls, as did the coming of television. 

Myrna said that from 1934 through 1938, Ideal produced composition Shirley Temple dolls. The child actress was so popular that almost a third of the dolls produced in the United States were Shirley Temple dolls. Numerous companies also made Shirley knock-offs. This vinyl Shirley by Ideal is from Myrna's childhood and dates from the late 1950s to 1960s.

The doll in the blue dress, Myrna said, is a composition Shirley knock-off.  The doll in pink next to her is another vinyl Shirley. Behind them is a hard plastic doll based on the actress and model Roxanne from the television show, "Beat the Clock;" the dolls was issued in 1952 by Mona Lisa Dolls, a subsidiary of Valentine Doll, Inc.

Another television personality, this cheerful child represents actress Angela Cartwright from the show "Make Room for Daddy" and was introduced in 1960. 

This trio of lovely ladies represent the skating and movie star Sonja Henie. An Olympic medal winner and a world champion, Henie retired from competition in 1936 to star in movies and ice shows. She transformed figure skating by incorporating dance moves intro her routines and wearing short skirts and white figure skates. These composition dolls were made by Madame Alexander in the 1930s and 40s.

Puppeteer and ventriloquist Shari Louis had her own show on television from 1960 through 1963, performing with puppets such as "Lamb Chop." The show was a hit and Madame Alexander made a number of dolls based on Lewis. 

Myrna ended her presentation with a more contemporary example of celebrity dolls, five male dolls modeled on the boy band "New Kids on the Block," introduced by Hasbro in 1990. 

Jenell Howell brought this  doll by Peggy Nesbit representing actor Bob Hope from the movie, "The Road to Morocco."

Jenell also displayed this Jane Withers doll by Madame Alexander. Withers was a child star in the 1930s and 40s, and in her adult life collected dolls. Jenell purchased this doll when Wither's collection was auctioned off and discovered that it has a note from Withers pinned under her clothing.

Produced by Ideal as part of its bendable Flexy line, this doll represents singer and comedienne Fanny Brice as her character "Baby Snooks."

Visitor Pam Matthews shared this example of a celebrity doll based on a cartoon character, in this case, Betty Boop. All original, this composition cutie is "Baby Betty Boop," made by the Cameo Doll Company in the 1930s.

She also brought this all-original doll representing the child actress Margaret O'Brien by Madame Alexander.

Elaine Jackson shared this Davy Crockett doll carved by Helen Bullard. Crockett was the star of a 1950s television series by Disney and was played by the actor Fess Parker. Elaine told the club that Bullard made only 40 of these dolls. 

Davis Craig displayed this Madame Alexander doll from the 1990s representing the television actresses Lucille Ball. He said that he had bought the doll for his mother, who was a big fan of the red-headed comedienne, but that it was given away. David later found the doll on eBay and was able to repurchase her; he said that his mother's initial's were on the doll's box.

Bette Birdsong told the club that in 1952 she saw a Madame Alexander doll representing Queen Elizabeth in a store. She asked for the doll for Christmas, but Santa failed to deliver.  Bette was able to purchase this example years later from Jenell.

Sylvia McDonald shared her childhood Shirley Temple doll in a dress made by her mother.

She also brought these Madame Alexander dolls dressed as Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabela.

Sharon Weintraub displayed this all-bisque doll based on the famous English clown, Joseph Grimaldi. Grimaldi is considered the father of the modern clown, as in the early 1800s, he performed in white face, dressed in colorful costumes, and was known for his acrobatics and exaggerated facial expressions. Today, in England, clowns are still known as "Joeys."

 

February 8, 2026, Meeting

Elaine gave a program on cowboy and Indian dolls. She talked about growing up in the 1940s playing cowboys as portrayed in popular culture, but explained that the way the cowboys were depicted in Hollywood is a myth. Elaine said that the cowboy traditional began in Texas after the Texas revolution, when Hispanic ranchers and farmers abandoned their cattle as they were forced to immigrate to Mexico. Hands were hired to round up the stray cattle and drive them to market. However in 1883,  Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show created the myth of the cowboy as a noble savior of the wild west. Elaine noted that although 40 percent of the cowboys were Black or Hispanic, on television and in the movies cowboy stars such as Tom Mix, Gene Aubrey, Roy Rogers, and the Lone Ranger portrayed cowboys as a white man protecting civilization from savage Indians. By the 1940s, every American composition doll company had introduced a cowboy doll.

Elaine displayed a number of cowboy dolls from her collection. The composition boy in the back row wearing a red checked shirt and chaps is "Baby Grumpy" by Effanbee. Just to his right in the front is a yellow and white oilcloth doll by the Atlanta Novelty Company and the little tan doll is "Wild Bill," a cloth chew toy. To the far right of the picture, the cloth doll in the front with the checked shirt and red bandana was made from a commercial doll pattern first issued in the 1940s. Just behind him, in the blue shirt and straw hat, is a cloth cowboy made from an Edith Flack Ackley pattern. The tall cowboy in the brown vest and checked shirt behind him has a cloth body also made from an Ackley pattern, but he has a painted wooden head. To the right of the Ackley cowpoke in the blue shirt is a cowboy in brown and tan with a head made from a nut. Behind him, handsome in blue and white, is an all-wooden cowboy carved by Austin artist Nancy Grobe. In front of the pair is a Hitty doll carved by Connie Hardt and dressed as Davy Crockett. One can't play cowboys without Indians, and Elaine shared a number of dolls representing Native Americans. To the far left of the picture are two painted cloth Native American dolls created in the 1930s under the Work Progress Administration, or WPA. In front of the is a tiny bisque nodder doll by the German firm of Hertwig and Company.

 Elaine explained that Native American dolls were often made either as play dolls or tourist souvenirs.  The two cone-shaped dolls on the left of the picture were made by the Seminole tribe out of cloth and palmetto fibers. Elaine said that the older dolls have clothing made from appliqué, while newer versions are decorated with rick-rack. The cloth doll in blue in the center is dressed as a traditional Navajo woman and in front of her is a tiny birch bark canoe. The wooden doll, representing a Native American child, was carved by Connie Hardt.

On the left of the picture are two dolls with carved wooden heads that represent Northeastern tribes. Behind them is a cloth doll that may have been made from an Ackley pattern. The composition baby in yellow felt was from Madame Hendren, a trade name used by the American Averill Manufacturing Company. Next to him, in orange cloth, is a Native American character by the British doll maker, Norah Wellings.

In this picture, the flat colorful cloth doll is actually an oven mitt modeled after a Hopi Kachina. The two seated clay figurines are Pueblo storytellers and the porcelain Indian in the feathered headdress is a bell that was made in Japan. The brown doll captioned "Alice's Baby" was commercially made as an early teething toy for infants.

Members shared some of their Western-themed dolls. Jenell Howell displayed this cute 1955 cowgirl outfit made for Ginny by he Vogue Doll Company, 

as well as this 1952 Ginny in her original Native American outfit.

She also shared this Mary Hoyer hard plastic doll in a hand-knitted outfit representing a South American cowboy known as a "gaucho."

Bette Birdsong brought two Gene dolls in glamorous cowgirl garb.

Sylvia McDonald brought several dolls. The man in the horned headdress in the back represents a Plains Indian doll and dates from the 1930s. The plastic doll in the blue velvet blouse and red skirt was given to Sylvia by her brother in the 1950s and represents a Navajo woman. To her right is another Navajo doll, made out of cloth. In the front is Woody from the "Toy Story" franchise and a Seminole doll that Sylvia told the club is around 75 years old.

David Craig told the club that he didn't have any cowboy or Indian dolls, so he brought two dolls decked out in red and white for Valentine's Day. This blond belle is by JAMIEshow USA and is dressed in an outfit for Gene.

This lady in red is by the Phoenix, Arizona company of D.A.E. Originals.

Lynda Eitel displayed this Navajo woman doll that she had made, 

as well as a number of Western miniatures.

Ann Meier shared these Skookum dolls. Designed by Mary McAboy, these Native American souvenir dolls were from 1913 through the 1960s. They are known for having blanket-wrapped bodies with no arms and molded composition or plastic faces with side-glancing eyes. 

Sharon Weintraub displayed several German bisque examples. This all-bisque cowgirl and her little Indian companion are by Hertwig. 

This all-original Native American character doll is by Bahr and Proschild. The head is incised “244” on the back.

Created by Gebruder Heubach, this doll is based on a real Native American woman, popularly known as "Princess Angeline." Her name was actually Kikisoblu and she was the eldest daughter of Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish peoples on the West Coast. In 1855, when the Duwamish Indians were forced to leave their land for reservations, she insisted on remaining in Seattle, living in a small cabin and supporting herself by doing laundry and selling handwoven baskets.

January 11, 2026, Meeting

Pam Hardy gave a program on baby dolls. She told the club that she has loved baby dolls since she was four years old. Pam displayed her "last" doll, a Babeside Reborn Baby that was her Christmas present.

Another baby from her collection is this bisque-head Bye-Lo baby, designed by American artist Grace Storey Putnam in the 1920s. Pam said that she had long wanted a Bye-lo baby, but was waiting for one in excellent condition with its original button. She finally found this beautiful babe.

Pam Hardy brought this porcelain doll by artist Donna Rupert. . . 

. . . as well as this vinyl doll by Effanbee named Lisa.

This composition baby was a gift to Pam. It is believed to have been made by Arranbee.

Another early doll from Pam's collection, this all bisque baby is by the German firm of Hertwig and Company and has its original clothing.

Kenneth Reeves brought this composition "Mama" doll (so named because the sound box in her cloth body once said "Mama" when the doll was moved) and a Baby Ginny in a bright bathing suit.

His doll in the yellow outfit is also a Ginny while the tot in purple is an unmarked drink and wet doll. The boy in the white jacket was made by Italo Cremona. Kenneth told the club that he bought this doll because it resembled one that his brother had received as a child.

Elaine Jackson shared a trio of all-wooden Schoenhut dolls. She told the club that Harry Schoenhut had designed the baby head in 1911 and the company used this head until it went out of business in 1935. This doll is a walking model.

The doll in white wears a dress made by Elaine's mother in the 1940s. The boy has an open mouth with metal teeth and sleep eyes. Elaine told the club that this was an attempt by Schoenhut to compete with popular composition dolls and was among the last of the dolls produced by the company.

Sharon Weintraub display this bevy of all-bisque babies. The largest doll is by J.D. Kestner. It has the plump bent limb body first introduced by Kammer and Reinhardt in 1909. On its lap is an all-original Bye-lo Baby. Sharon told the club that the Bye-lo was so poplar that it was called the "million dollar baby" and was made in a wide variety of sizes, including little all-bisque dolls like this one. The happy toddler in pink is "Bonnie Babe" designed by artist Georgene Averill in the 1920s.

These two bisque-headed babies on composition bodies are also from Sharon's collection. The smiling Black doll is by the German company of Heubach Kopplesdorf and was marketed as "South Seas Baby." The other doll is "Hanna" by Schoenau & Hoffmeister. Both wear their original outfits with "grass" skirts..

Myrna Loesch brought two vintage drink and wet babies by Madame Alexander, This is Baby Wendykins.

Also pretty in pink is the 1957 Little Genuis.

This trio of adorable infants were Myrna's childhood dolls. They are by American Character.  This is Tiny Tears from 1959 to 1960.

This doll is another Tiny Tears,  from 1963 to 1964.

Myrna told the club that this doll is from the Toodles line. 

She also shared this all-original Teenie Toodles by the same company.

David Craig shared this fully-articulated doll by Ruby Red Galleria. 

Sylvia McDonald brought this doll that she received when she was seven years old. The doll has a "magic skin" body made of latex that was advertised as feeling like real skin, but Sylvia noted that this material darkened and deteriorated over the years. She made this doll a body suit to try to preserve it.

Sylvia brought a batch of babies. The brunette in the back is Thumbkin by Effanbee. The babe in the bonnet is an unmarked composition copy of the famous Madame Alexander Dionne Quintuplet doll and the bisque-headed baby in the sweater is mold number 750 was made by the German company of Armand Marseille.

Also shared by Sylvia is the composition baby in the print dress; it has tin sleeping eyes and is circa 1919. In front is Baby Thumbelina by the Ideal Doll Company.

Ann Meier displayed this porcelain-headed baby. The head turns, displaying different faces.

This big German bisque-headed baby brought by Better Birdsong has quite a background story. Bette told the club that when she was in college she traveled by plane to Paris with her mother and sister. There she bought this doll in an antique shop and it flew home with her on her lap. Her doll collection was at her parent's home when the house caught fire, but this baby survived, although her composition body was covered with soot and her hair had been singed.

Nancy Countryman could not recall where she got this baby doll, but has had it since 1977.

Nancy also brought this selection of doll fashions, still in their original packaging.