Baby Dolls
When one thinks of dolls, oftentimes baby dolls are the first to come to mind. Baby dolls first rose to popularity in the mid to late 1800s by European dollmakers like Jumeau, producer of the immensely popular “BébéJumeau.” French bébés have a strong connection with high fashion, often wearing handmade designer clothing. The dolls were not often modeled after babies (rather they were older girls), but they were often given to young girls as rewards for their “appropriate feminine behavior” (Almeida). Rewarding girls for their “appropriate” behavior was an effort to start teaching young girls to be gentle and caring, in preparation for becoming mothers. This attitude towards girls and dolls led to the production of more dolls that looked like babies. “As the representation of a child – an infant – the baby doll encapsulates concepts such as purity and cuddliness as well as dependence, companionship, and loyalty” (Almeida). These qualities were also desired in young girls, so the dolls were meant to help instill them. Bébé Jumeaus used to come with a letter in the box to her new owners, in which she would tell young girls that she is “obedient and sociable,” but also “not intelligent” (Peers). Similarly, the packaging for many modern-day baby dolls describes the kind of care owners will need to provide for their new baby, and therefore the nurturing qualities they will need to possess, such as changing its diaper or giving it bottles. These instructions on the boxes also often feature pictures of smiling young girls caring for these babies, reinforcing the idea that young girls still need to use baby dolls to practice being a mother (Almeida).
Baby dolls are also quite collectable; many collectors will spend large sums on early baby dolls like Jumeaus that are still in good condition. Other dolls marketed for kids, like Cabbage Patch Kids, have also become collectable due to their one-of-a-kind faces. Cabbage Patch Kids, who were also sold with names and birth certificates, were one of the biggest toy crazes in the 1980s, with over 65 million sold in that decade.
This bisque baby doll was produced probably in Japan during the mid-20th century, and sold by renowned New York toy distributor B. Shackman, Co. Bisque dolls are made of “biscuit porcelain”, or unglazed white porcelain, which gives them a life-like appearance. He (sex presumed by blue cord) is dressed in a christening gown and bonnet.
Cabbage Patch Kids were first introduced in 1982 and, shortly after, became a national phenomenon. Each doll is one of a kind, and adoption papers are included that give the name and date of birth. Today, Cabbage Patch Kids remain loved by both children and adults.
This antique Kiddie Joy “My Pet Dream” doll is from the German Armand Marseille Doll
Company, which was known for its bisque doll heads from about 1885-1930. Kiddie Joys date back to around 1920, toward the end of the Marseille Doll Company. This particular doll, with its signature bisque head, is stitched into a pillow that doubles as a puppet. The puppet feature of this particular doll suggests its target demographic was not necessarily collectors, but rather young girls. The young girls who were most likely to play with a doll like this were either wealthier European or American girls because of the doll’s fragile head and the elaborate silk and lace on the pillow.