“My Real Baby,” was an interactive baby doll Hasbro announced to arrive in stores in the fall of year 2000.  The doll had capability to cry, coo and instantly respond to its owner with smiles and squealed with delight.

In 1950, the Horsman Doll Company had been in business for 85 years.  All this time the Horsman Doll Company produced a “People’s Doll,” which was a fine doll at a moderate price.  Their reputation was built upon producing a limited number of well-made composition dolls.  In particular, the Horsman Doll Company produced baby dolls with mama criers with a certain look, a sweet, dolly face that did not change significantly from year to year.  The company’s slogan was, “America’s Best Known and Best Loved Dolls.” 

The Horsman Company began manufacturing dolls in the early 20th Century when Horsman’s son, Edward Jr. joined the family company.  Edward Jr. was the designer and artist of the company, while his father was the business manager.  The Horsman Company soon began selling a great number of American-made composition dolls, which were much unlike dolls the Old World produced.

The Ideal Toy Company began in 1902.  They first produced teddy bears.  In 1930 they produced popular dolls such as Shirley Temple and Judy Garland.  The dolls produced by Ideal are considered to be very good quality dolls.   In 1982, the Ideal Toy Company was purchased by the CBS Toy Company, which later went out of business.  Today, we seem to know and hear more of the Ideal Novelty Toy Company than the CBS Toy Company.

I especially like the Vogue Ginny Baby dolls.  I have several of them in my Vogue collection (pictures available on the site).  Two of my collection were produced in the year of 1965 and are called The Vogue Ginny Baby Doll.  Each has their original outfits of which are different.  Both wear little hats.  They are not the drink/wet or the dry/nurser versions. 

The Toddles dolls are considered to be in the same classification as Vogue’s Ginny, 8” Toddles Dolls.  They are also referred to as the “pre-Ginny, “compo Ginny,” or #1 Ginny.  The actual term “Ginny” was not used during the years the Toddles doll was produced, which was 1937 to 1948.  The name “Toddles” was never transferred to the newer Vogue dolls either

She has an adult type body with jointed knees and high heel feet.  Most of the dolls have “MME/Alexander” on their backs.  Cissette’s clothing was tagged “Cissette.”  She was offered either as a dressed doll or a basic doll in a chemise with many extra boxed outfits that could be purchased separately, of which, many was not even listed in the catalog.

The Madame Alexander Doll Company made baby dolls throughout all the years.  These dolls were often purchased by mothers for their children to play with while collecting the more elaborate expensive dolls for display.  The Baby Dolls line have been primarily play dolls and have not increased in value as the other Madame Alexander dolls made in the same year.  Of course there were exceptions, one of which was “Little Genius and Littlest Kitten.”  Nonetheless, Madame Alexander could not have created any sort of doll that was not unique from all the rest.

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.”  

The Madame Alexander Doll Company first began in 1923.  Madame Beatrice Alexander and her husband, Phillip Behrman together formed the company.