The Historical Doll

This website was created to share my collection with other doll collectors and to give me a place to post my photos and tid-bits of information I had picked up.  It is my little place to display my dollie land (what I call my doll room and office/art studio) to other collectors, family and friends.

The website hosts three types of information:

First, there is my Web-shoppe and information on sales.  I found that building my own antique and vintage collection of miniatures for the dolls was so fun, I did not want to stop!  So I decided to spend a bit of my free time continuing to create little displays and groupings of antique and reproduction items, but offering them to others (I'm kind of out of space now LOL).

Second, there are the pages that show my collection.  These begin with "Meeting the Dollies," proceed through various historical time periods, and conclude with my collection of Fantasy dolls and Bleuette-sized girls (11").

Third, there are pages of resources for the collector: tips for storage and display, for buying and crafting, and some comparisons of major vinyl play doll companies.

I hope you find some inspiration, joy, and usefulness from the website.  It provides lots of fun for me!

• Updated photos
• Stocked Web-shoppe!
• Several craft projects will be posted by mid-July

I began collecting my American Girl (then Pleasant Company) historical dolls when I was eight and the company first began.  I was instantly drawn to Kirsten, a doll who shared my heritage in United States history as a Scandinavian immigrant on the frontier in the mid-1800s.  Kirsten was my childhood companion through many adventures in learning and imagination.  The dolls, supported by historical fiction, craft books, cookbooks, and more, brought history alive and taught me how much fun education can be.  And above all, I learned that everyday people: women and children, immigrants and people in poverty, shopkeepers and farmers, are important in our history.  Their lives matter and are interesting, though they may be silent in the history textbooks.  I learned that the strength of our history as a nation is in our diversity.  I strive to continue these lessons in my own teaching and research as a social scientist, and to always remember that learning, at any age, should be fun!

With a fascination for antiques and limited space, the collection I began as a child has developed into a miniature museum of United States domestic history.  I started with American Girl but grew to love a wide variety of dolls, so my collection has grown to encompass many different types of dollies, including both contemporary vinyl play dolls and antique dolls.  My tastes have also gradually shifted toward a collection that includes many antique miniatures, so that I can satisfy my love of antique browsing. 

I hope you enjoy your time in my dollie land!