By Judy O’Gorman Alvarez
Hard to imagine a child’s toy chest without a doll. The favorite toy that sparks imagination, nurturing skills and more for both girls and boys has certainly evolved over the years.
Children have played with and cared for dolls throughout history, from carved wooden paddle dolls found in ancient Egyptian tombs to modern-day robotic dolls programmed with artificial intelligence.
Among the classics are Raggedy Ann and her brother Andy, the red-headed rag dolls from the early 1900s. According to Publishers Weekly, in the first 100 years, more than 60 million Raggedy Ann books, dolls and other branded products were sold globally.
Then came the glamorous and voluptuous Barbie who made her debut in 1959 and went on to morph into a woman with over 200 careers, from nurse to Olympic athlete to astronaut.
G.I. Joe was the first “action figure” geared for boys; a generic U.S. soldier representing branches of the U.S. armed forces.
Cabbage Patch Kids, hand-sewn dolls that came with “adoption” papers, topped toy sales for three years in the mid-1980s, according to The New York Times.
American Girl historical dolls and their accompanying books launched in 1986 and became a phenomenon. Representing different time periods from the 1700s through World War II, the dolls came with the option of buying a host of period clothing and accessories and spawned stores, experiences and look-a-like dolls. American Girl now offers “historical” dolls from the 1970s and ’80s.
Nowadays dolls may still line a toybox but the competition for children’s attention is plentiful. According to Bruce Brach from Toy Utopia in Red Bank, baby dolls are still in demand for little girls. “We carry Corolle dolls,” he said of the soft life-like dolls made in France. “Most often it’s the grandmothers who come in to buy them.”
Toy Utopia also carries vintage Barbies, often bought by adult collectors.
“What kids go crazy for are Miraculous dolls, which are the same size as Barbie,” he said. Based on the TV show, the poseable fashion dolls are equipped with superhero outfits. Monster High dolls featuring characters inspired by monster, sci-fi, horror and thriller movies, are also very big sellers, Brach said.
If nostalgia beckons, take a step back in time to view a collection of dolls, most of them vintage, on display at the Monmouth County Public Library’s Eastern Branch, thanks to the Shrewsbury Historical Society.
The idea to pull together a collection of dolls came when former Monmouth County resident Marilynne W. Stout, now of Petersburg, Pennsylvania, thought her vintage “Susie” doll might be of interest to the historical society.
“She mentioned that as a youngster she had bought the doll in Red Bank and thought it appropriate to return it to a proper place,” said Don Burden, president of the Shrewsbury Historical Society.
“The doll arrived needing a little attention. Docent Judi Buncher took it upon herself to launder the dress and fix the hair,” he said.
Susie proudly sat for months in a Victorian-period highchair gifted to the historical society by the Borden family of Shrewsbury.
Then a visitor to the society noticed and identified Susie as a valuable antique doll made in Germany. Burden informed Stout of the discovery. She insisted the society keep the doll and even sent a donation to “keep the doors open for future guests to enjoy a visit with Susie.”
Last summer Stout donated additional dolls. When the society docents pulled out all the assorted dolls they realized they had enough for an exhibit worthy of doll lovers and history aficionados.
“Children are interested,” said Burden, “which is why we wanted it displayed next to the children’s room at the library.
“In the days of all plastic toys, most of the dolls (in the collection) are handmade and the craftsmanship is remarkable,” he added.
Burden said he has seen mothers and grandmothers come to view the exhibit with children. “They say, ‘I had a doll like that,’ and it’s an opportunity to explain history and share a memory.”
The article originally appeared in the January 26 – February 1, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
