First Production Madame Alexander Dolls and Moral to Mismatched Numbers
http://www.camelotarticles.com/articles/8464/1/First-Production-Madame-Alexander-Dolls-and-Moral-to-Mismatched-Numbers-/Page1.html
Super Admin
By Super Admin
Published on 09/6/2007
The Madame Alexander Doll Company began production of an exquisite line of collectible dolls in the year of 1953. First production dolls were made of hard plastic and were heavier than the later 8” dolls. All these dolls had straight legs and did not walk. The first production dolls were also marked with “Alex” on their back during the years of 1953 to 1976. In 1976, mark on back of the Madame Alexander dolls changed to “Alexander.”
A special edition of dolls called the “Quiz-kins” was made in the year of 1953 only. These dolls had two buttons on their back for the head to nod yes or no. Some Quiz-kin dolls had painted-on hair as opposed to many of the Alexander dolls made in 1953, which had molded hair with a glued on wig.
The Madame Alexander Doll Company began to produce dolls that were walkers in the years of 1954 and 1955. These dolls had straight legs attached by a rod to the head which made the head move back and forth when the legs were made to walk.
Some of the most sought after and rare Madame Alexander dolls made in the first year of production were:
• Ballerina, 8”, (Wendy Ann), Rare cornflower blue tutu, worth if mint in original box is $800 to $1,400
• Easter, 8” (Wendy Ann) Organdy dress, carries a basket with chicken and small tennis racket, worth if mint in original box is $700 to $1,000
• Southern Belle, 8”, (Wendy Ann), White long cotton gown with two rows of lace, pink silk roses at waist and on hat, worth if mint in original box is $800 to $1,300
• Little Edwardian, 8”, Cotton dress with organdy sleeves, Tag: “Alexander-kin” worth if mint in original box is $850 to $1,500
• Little Madaline, 8”, (Wendy Ann), Tag: “Alexander-kin”, worth if mint in the original box is $900 to $1,600
Madame Alexander Dolls made in 1954 include:
• Victoria 8”, Me and My Shadow Series, Matches 18” doll, Blue taffeta dress, worth if mint in original box is $1,300 to $2,400
• Mary Louise, 8” (Wendy Ann), Me and My Shadow Series, Godey period costume, worth if mint in original box is $1,500 to $2,400
Of particular note here is that Mint-in-box dolls have often been found in the “wrong boxes.” One way this occurred is that stores kept boxes in storage and displayed the dolls in the store area. When one of these dolls on display was sold, clerks did not match the doll number to the box number they found in storage before selling. Consequently dolls ended up in boxes that did not match one another in number, therefore, that doll cannot be sold as mint in an original box. Example: Numbers for dressed dolls were three digits such as #435 for Aunt Pitty Pat, but the boxed outfit would display #0435. The clerks were suppose see if the number on the doll and the box corresponded with the number in the booklet or catalog. The moral of the story is: Be sure the number of the doll you purchase matches the number on the box as is written in the booklet or catalog; otherwise, the doll cannot be resold as “mint in original box.” If you have a mismatch, the doll could be re-sold as Mint, but without the original box, which makes the ensemble worth less.
In 1961, Madame Alexander Doll Company began producing 8” international dolls. These dolls were bend knee walkers. Some of this production of dolls had the “Wendy Ann” face, others had the “Maggie Mixup” face. Madame Alexander Doll Company still produces international dolls today; however, the names change at times. An example of the name changes is: Italy for the Italian doll or German for the Germany doll.
The bend knee walker Madame Alexander Dolls made from 1961 to 1965 includes:
• Argentine Boy and Girl
• Brazil
• Spanish Boy and Girl
• Dutch Boy and Girl
• Mexican
• Hungarian
• Irish
• Russian
• Peruvian Boy
• Greek Boy
• Israeli
• Swedish
• French
• Swiss
• Scots Lass
• India
• Ecuador
• Tyrolean Boy and Girl
• Bolivia
• Polish
Important Disclaimer: Vintage Doll Collecting is not affiliated with the Madame Alexander Doll Company. We do not sell dolls on our site. This article and the web site do not promote the Madame Alexander Doll Company or any other Vintage Doll Company. We are an information and resource for the “would-be” doll collector or for those already collecting Vintage Dolls.
Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about starting and maintaining a Vintage Doll Collection visit http://smalldogs2.com/VintageDollCollecting For a variety of FREE reprint articles as well as special sections in U.S. History and the Kennedy Administration visit http://www.camelotarticles.com
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
The Madame Alexander Doll Company began production of an exquisite line of collectible dolls in the year of 1953. First production dolls were made of hard plastic and were heavier than the later 8” dolls. All these dolls had straight legs and did not walk. The first production dolls were also marked with “Alex” on their back during the years of 1953 to 1976. In 1976, mark on back of the Madame Alexander dolls changed to “Alexander.”
First Production Madame Alexander Dolls and Moral to Mismatched Numbers
The Madame Alexander Doll Company began production of an exquisite line of collectible dolls in the year of 1953. First production dolls were made of hard plastic and were heavier than the later 8” dolls. All these dolls had straight legs and did not walk. The first production dolls were also marked with “Alex” on their back during the years of 1953 to 1976. In 1976, mark on back of the Madame Alexander dolls changed to “Alexander.”
A special edition of dolls called the “Quiz-kins” was made in the year of 1953 only. These dolls had two buttons on their back for the head to nod yes or no. Some Quiz-kin dolls had painted-on hair as opposed to many of the Alexander dolls made in 1953, which had molded hair with a glued on wig.
The Madame Alexander Doll Company began to produce dolls that were walkers in the years of 1954 and 1955. These dolls had straight legs attached by a rod to the head which made the head move back and forth when the legs were made to walk.
Some of the most sought after and rare Madame Alexander dolls made in the first year of production were:
• Ballerina, 8”, (Wendy Ann), Rare cornflower blue tutu, worth if mint in original box is $800 to $1,400
• Easter, 8” (Wendy Ann) Organdy dress, carries a basket with chicken and small tennis racket, worth if mint in original box is $700 to $1,000
• Southern Belle, 8”, (Wendy Ann), White long cotton gown with two rows of lace, pink silk roses at waist and on hat, worth if mint in original box is $800 to $1,300
• Little Edwardian, 8”, Cotton dress with organdy sleeves, Tag: “Alexander-kin” worth if mint in original box is $850 to $1,500
• Little Madaline, 8”, (Wendy Ann), Tag: “Alexander-kin”, worth if mint in the original box is $900 to $1,600
Madame Alexander Dolls made in 1954 include:
• Victoria 8”, Me and My Shadow Series, Matches 18” doll, Blue taffeta dress, worth if mint in original box is $1,300 to $2,400
• Mary Louise, 8” (Wendy Ann), Me and My Shadow Series, Godey period costume, worth if mint in original box is $1,500 to $2,400
Of particular note here is that Mint-in-box dolls have often been found in the “wrong boxes.” One way this occurred is that stores kept boxes in storage and displayed the dolls in the store area. When one of these dolls on display was sold, clerks did not match the doll number to the box number they found in storage before selling. Consequently dolls ended up in boxes that did not match one another in number, therefore, that doll cannot be sold as mint in an original box. Example: Numbers for dressed dolls were three digits such as #435 for Aunt Pitty Pat, but the boxed outfit would display #0435. The clerks were suppose see if the number on the doll and the box corresponded with the number in the booklet or catalog. The moral of the story is: Be sure the number of the doll you purchase matches the number on the box as is written in the booklet or catalog; otherwise, the doll cannot be resold as “mint in original box.” If you have a mismatch, the doll could be re-sold as Mint, but without the original box, which makes the ensemble worth less.
In 1961, Madame Alexander Doll Company began producing 8” international dolls. These dolls were bend knee walkers. Some of this production of dolls had the “Wendy Ann” face, others had the “Maggie Mixup” face. Madame Alexander Doll Company still produces international dolls today; however, the names change at times. An example of the name changes is: Italy for the Italian doll or German for the Germany doll.
The bend knee walker Madame Alexander Dolls made from 1961 to 1965 includes:
• Argentine Boy and Girl
• Brazil
• Spanish Boy and Girl
• Dutch Boy and Girl
• Mexican
• Hungarian
• Irish
• Russian
• Peruvian Boy
• Greek Boy
• Israeli
• Swedish
• French
• Swiss
• Scots Lass
• India
• Ecuador
• Tyrolean Boy and Girl
• Bolivia
• Polish
Important Disclaimer: Vintage Doll Collecting is not affiliated with the Madame Alexander Doll Company. We do not sell dolls on our site. This article and the web site do not promote the Madame Alexander Doll Company or any other Vintage Doll Company. We are an information and resource for the “would-be” doll collector or for those already collecting Vintage Dolls.
Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about starting and maintaining a Vintage Doll Collection visit http://smalldogs2.com/VintageDollCollecting For a variety of FREE reprint articles as well as special sections in U.S. History and the Kennedy Administration visit http://www.camelotarticles.com
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved