Top of the Dolls

Posted on 25 apr 2008

The doll has turned into imprescriptible part of our every day life, a certain reminder about our childhood or just a nice accessory, an element of home design. The dolls meet us in theatres, shops, they look at us from TV screens or they are a part of advertisement.

In our TOP we offer you to follow the historic approach to the dolls civilization. Of course we cannot cover all representatives of the Dolls World. We emphasize the dolls that have influenced the development of this cosy world of childhood.

1) First Doll

No one knows exactly when the first doll appeared and what appearance it has. Archeologists only who discovered funny figurines made of kilned clay in ancient burial mounds’ pits can point out the age of their making. Obviously on the dawn of times wooden chocks or even stones could turn into a doll. The dolls were not only toys; they were a part of different rites and ceremonies. These unpretentious figures keep refinement and unique beauty.

2) Puppet Dolls

Puppets have been used by many cultures and personified different events and objects. They were very popular in Asia where many personifications of puppets have developed: shadow puppets, marionettes, hand puppets and rod puppets.

Puppet performances implemented a wide variety of functions. Puppets are still used today to educate, entertain and communicate. They have entertained with comedies, dramatic plays, opera performances and even during school lessons.

3) Theatre Dolls

Many dolls can and should be mentioned here. They are Japanese Kabuki dolls, Italian Comedia dell Arte dolls – Pulcinella, Arlecchino, and Pantalone, Russian Punch doll and many others.

These dolls have been mediators between folk people, higher society class and people of art. The theatre dolls are focused not on costumes but on speech and behaviour manner. They are an element of Farce and as usual these characters are grotesque.

4) French Bebes

Bébés, or dolls made to represent children, were revolutionary for the time they appeared in. It was the middle of XIX-th century. That period it was in common for the dolls to represent adults. These dolls, possessing composition bodies, fine bisque heads, and beautiful expressions, were expensive toys made for upper-class children. The most well known manufacturer of French Bebes was Jumeau.

5) China Dolls

China dolls are dolls made of porcelain. In Europe they were in fashion in the 19th century after Japan and China introduced porcelain techniques to Europe. China Dolls gained their popularity in the United States too. That period it was common to purchase only the head, arms, and legs and then make the body and clothes at home. They are also known as “Glazed China Dolls”.

6) The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer

The status of the First artistic doll got the wax statuette “The Little Fourteen-Year–Old Dancer”. It was executed in a single exemplar by outstanding painter Edgar Degas in 1881 in France. The doll is partially tinted, wears cotton skirt and satin hair-ribbon. It is the only doll made by Degas which was ever featured in the Impressionists Exhibition in Paris.

7) King of the Dolls

Obviously it is not a doll, it’s the entire collection. The owner of this collection is Mr. Ljeposlav Perinic and the story of his unique collection of more than 350 dolls in national costumes from over 120 countries, from all five continents, is unique. His invaluable collection contains dolls that he obtained as gifts from officials, Kings, Queens, Empresses, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors, etc.

He wrote and asked for dolls in national costumes for his three daughters to be familiar with costumes of different cultures. When Mr. Perinic collected already 78 dolls in 1965, he planned to stop writing letters, as he had a small apartment to seat so many dolls. But when the 79th doll arrived, a Swiss guardian from Pope Paul VI, accompanying with Pope’s blessing for Mr Perinic’s family, an exhibition of dolls was organized upon the initiative of a local Catholic priest. The first doll for The King of Dolls’ collection that arrived in the 21st century (and in the third millennium) came from the Czech Republic. The Spanish language, which is spoken by about 350 million people, has been enriched by two new words due to dolls of Mr. Perinic: muñecologo (coined in Argentina), and muñecoteca mas grande del mundo (coined in Uruguay).

8)Barbie Doll

Barbie was born in family of Ruth Handler in 1959, an anatomically beautiful girl made of molded plastic statuette and soon it became an icon. The American icon functions as a direct outlet for girls’ dreams and an ever changing reflection of American society. We can notice that by Barbie’s clothes, accessories and furniture and even by her various “face lifts”. Barbie was and is a desirable toy for millions of young dolls all over the world.

8)Bratz Dolls

Unusual Bratz dolls have spread all over the world quickly. The genius idea of the project – girls with a passion for fashion – turns it to be revolutionary in the world of dolls. The target auditorium of Bratz Dolls is the girls aged 8–13, who stop playing the traditional dolls and turn to the world of youth and its passion to fashion, parties and
shindigs.

10) Cabbage Patch Kids

First “Cabbage Dolls” were born in 1976 due to Xavier Roberts, a 21 year old art student, who combined his interest in sculpture with the quilting skills and created his first soft-sculptures. From that time Cabbage Patch Kids traveled into outer space in 1985, Little People were named the first official mascot of the U.S. Olympic Team (1992, 1995), the Cabbage Patch Kids stamp went on sale (2000). Each amusing handmade doll has its “Birth Certificate”, the dolls are not sold – they are adopted. This year the Cabbage Patch Kids toys are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the first “adoption” of Cabbage Patch Kids in the world. Soft, tender and charming toys – pudgy children are itching to be hugged.