Showing posts with label Ginny Dolls by Vogue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ginny Dolls by Vogue. Show all posts

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Doll Collecting is Really A Grown-Up Hobby

Why do adults collect dolls?  We have read several articles on this very subject and agree with many points "Not Just for Little Girls:  Doll Collecting A Grown-Up Hobby" written by JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells several years back.

Listed below are her major points in the above-mentioned article sprinkled with some of our commentary:

1.  At first doll collecting was just a fad.  It has evolved into a love and the love turned into a true doll collector.  That would be defined as the person who buys a doll because she loves it, wants it, and enjoys it.
2.  Many doll collectors look at dolls as "works of art" only buying limited editions or OOAK (one of a kind) creations.  This can therefore lend itself to be an expensive hobby but the happiness doll collecting brings is much more satisfying than the money spent to buy the doll.
3.  "I appreciate my husband, as he doesn't understand my love of dolls, but he allows me to indulge. That is how his Dad was as well.  He understood it only because he knew that we loved it."
4.  Each collectible doll has some sort of sentimental value, and each represents a cherished moment.
5.  Each person who collects dolls does it for a personal reason.  For some it fills the void in their lives.  The dolls are comforting when the children and grandchildren are gone.  Some doll collectors remember the smell of a new doll at Christmas and want to recapture that smell because it triggers the memory of a good experience in the past.
6.  Others collect dolls because it just plain makes them happy.  Dolls don't talk back, they don't require changing diapers or food, and they definitely do not require anything but me looking at them and smiling.
7. Some doll collectors claim that doll collecting is less expensive than seeing a psychiatrist.  Some women have reported that doll collecting helps her deal with her depression.  Another woman has reported that collecting dolls fills the void that she feels when she thinks of her deceased son.

Whatever the reason collectors continue to add dolls to their collections, it is a wonderful and endearing hobby.

Quote of the Day - "A light heart lives long." - William Shakespeare

Friday, August 24, 2012

Top 10 Collectible Doll Brands - Would You Agree?

We thought it would be an interesting read to do a bit of research online on the latest information we could find on the "Top 10 Collectible (Manufactured) Doll Brands".  Unfortunately, the information we did find seemed somewhat outdated and we have shared our thoughts after each listing, if applicable.

We would love to hear your thoughts - do you think that any manufactured collectible dolls have been left off of the list that should be included, or are there any manufactured doll brands that you think should be eliminated from the list?

Top 10 Manufactured Collectible Dolls:

1.  Barbie Dolls (this brand of dolls always seems to rank high on the list and we have heard that Mattel has had a very successful year in Barbie Doll sales)
2.  Madame Alexander Dolls (at the top of our favorites list, and we truly believe Madame Alexander Dolls have staying power and are heirloom quality)
3.  American Girl Dolls
4.  Marie Osmond Dolls (many of Marie Osmond's Dolls from the past are incredible, but she has really not produced much in the way of porcelain collectible dolls, or any other type of dolls, for that matter, in 2012)
5.  Robert Tonner Dolls
6.  Adora Dolls (another favorite of ours) Incidentally, Adora Dolls are now distributed by Charisma Brands, who owns Marie Osmond Dolls.
7.  Bratz Dolls (would you really consider these dolls collectible dolls?)
8.  Lee Middleton Dolls (at one time, we would agree that they should be included in the top 10 list but Lee Middleton no longer produces collectible dolls per se.  The Madame Alexander Doll Company purchased the Lee Middleton Doll Company several years ago and they primarily produce only baby dolls geared towards children at this time)
9.  Ashton-Drake Dolls
10.  Ginny Doll by Vogue (these are adorable little 8 inch dolls similar to Madame Alexander Dolls but never have had quite the following that Madame Alexander Dolls have had in our opinion).

Quote of the Day - "Inspiration and genius - one and the same." - Victor Hugo