Read About Barbie's Vintage Pets

       "Beauty" is the name of Barbie's Afghan Hound from 1981. We found her on ebay for less than twenty dollars. However, she no longer had the accessories she once came with. I gave her a new blue ribbon collar with a tiny gold bone tag. The tag is a charm that you can purchase from a hobby shop if you want a similar one for your own Barbie pets.

Barbie's Afghan Hound, Beauty.
Make her a new collar using ribbon
and a bone shaped charm too!

       Her original box reads that there are "so many ways (9) to pamper and play with her!"

1. Comb her soft hair with her own comb/brush.
2. Crown her a princess.
3. Award her a blue ribbon.
4. Pretend to take her for a walk.
5. Put on her pretty cape. 
6. Pose her many ways.
7. "Feed" her from her own dish.
8. Put on her jaunty hat. 
9. Make her hold an object in her mouth.

Learn About Afghan Dogs:

• Why the Afghan Hound is unlike any other dog...
• The American Afghan Hound Club
• Tucker Time shows off Barbie's Dog Beauty

Give a Listing of Barbie's Official Early Pets?: From 1964-1997: Not included in this listing are the pets of her other family members or variations of poses of same named horses. But, I have re-listed the horses when their colors change.

• In 1964 Mattel released a felt gray poodle that had no official name; then a few years later, 1970, a similar poodle was sold and his name was "Jamie." These were especially cut because they were made using felt.
• In 1971, a (color) horse named "Dancer"
• Then in 1972 a white version of a "Jamie" poodle was sold.
• In 1972 "Put-ons & Pets" were released. These costumes included an Afghan, a white cat, and a smaller black dog resembling a poodle?
• 1979, Barbie's Afghan hound, "Beauty" was first sold. This came inside of a small set that included: a plastic pink doll bed, a yellow brush, a yellow food dish, a first place ribbon award, a pink dog "cape" and a blue collar.
• 1980 "Dallas" became a gold palomino horse.
• One year later, Beauty had her first litter of puppies. However, none of these had her distinctive fur. I suppose their daddy dog had non either.
• 1981 "Dallas" transformed into a white horse and "Midnight", a black horse for Barbie was also produced by Mattel.
• In 1982, a set of huskies accompanied an Eskimo Barbie version along with a sled.
• By 1982, her white cat was named "Fluff" and came with many accessories: a pink collar, a bed, a kennel, food and food dish, and a hot pink scratching post.
• Her sheep dog named "Mr. Bobbie" was first sold in 1983 in Germany only.
• A white horse named "Prancer" and a baby palomino named "Dixie" in 1983 were first sold.
• "Prince" a white poodle was sold for Barbie. He came with a French beret and a black bow tie! (quite charming)
• Finally, in 1985 Barbie acquired a tropical parrot named "Tahiti." Tahiti came with a pink and white cage. I'll be making a parrot pet or two in the future for our dolls.
• Fashion Packs in 1986 included all kinds of solid colored cats to coordinate with Barbie and Ken's wardrobes.
• 1987 "Blinking Beauty" was released; she blinked.
• In 1989 Animal Lovin' Safari Fashion Barbie, Nikki and Ken came with a lion cub, a panda and a monkey. All fashions with these dolls featured pastel leopard prints. "Ginger" the giraffe and "ZZ" the zebra were sold separately but were part of the line.
• In 1989 a Western show horse named "Sun Runner" came onto the market. This same Western toy line for Barbie included a dog named "Turquoise." He was a large Collie breed.
• By 1990 an automated dog that could walk and bark named "Ginger" was shown on commercials to pull Barbie on her skateboard.
• In 1990 the ski fun Barbie had a grey speckled horse named "Blizzard" and a large fluffy dog named "Snowball."
• In 1991, Barbie's three horses were named: "Star Stepper", "Rosebud" and "SnowDance."
• Also in 1991, "Sachi" the large furry white dog for Barbie featured a faux brushable coat.
• In 1991 a pale caramel colored cat named "Honey" was also introduced to the marketplace. I guess you can never have too many horses, right?
• In 1992 Barbie owned a cat named "Tags" and a dog named "Wags." 
• By 1993 Barbie's horse named "High Stepper", a horse that could actually walk, was introduced to Barbie fans. "Western Star" horse was an alternative horse without automation.
• In Canada, Mattel released a skating Barbie with a roll along white-fur puppy.
• "Champion" a black horse came out in 1994.
• 1995, a companion dog named, "Collie" barked automatically when petted on it's back.
• In 1995 Barbie's pretty pets for her parlor were featured and another horse named "Nibbles" featuring a magnet in it's mouth for retrieving food and objects. Barbie also had a pink Flying Hero Horse with shimmering mane and tail.
• Baywatch Barbie came with a dolphin and Songbird Barbie came with a "singing bird."
• 1996 was the year Barbie's dog "Goldie" had twin puppy poodles and Barbie became a veterinarian for the first time and had a wide variety of dogs and cats to care for in her clinic. All of these pet patients were plastic featuring faux fur manes and tales.
• 1996 ushered in Barbie's Ocean Friends line featuring pets called "Baby Keiko" the killer whale, "Kira" a seal friend and an unnamed dolphin came with the Ken doll.
• In 1997 Barbie's horse could stamp stars with her hooves. She also had automated ponies with special features.
• Also in 1997 Barbie's stable was filled with Magical Pets: "Charlotte" the pig, "Rebecca" the lamb, "Lizzie" the calf, Mommy and baby pigs, and "Nibbles" the cow.
• And in 1998, Barbie's "Winter Ride Horse" and "Walking Beauty" horse were introduced and another line of pets that included a variety of dog breeds like the Dalmatian, the Labrador, the St. Bernard and the Pointer were made available. Breeds with faux fur added included the Sheep dog, the Collie and the Yorkie. The Li'l Zoo Pals Line included petting zoo animals for Barbie too.
• By 1999 Barbie was sold with a white horse along with her Royal Romance line. Three Glam dogs were introduced with Barbies all of them unnamed Afghan hounds in multiple colors and fur textures. There were also many more unnamed Glam 'N Groom pets with fur to brush and detailed accessories accompanied these too. New flocked pets were introduced in this year called that were sold as sets of "twin puppy pets." Large horse sets called "Brushable Beauties" and "Sparkle Beauties" were on the market. None of these horses were named by Mattel.
  
• And last, but not least, the 1997 Barbie's "Rainbow Horse" included automated wings.

Commercials Advertising Barbie's Pets:

• 2002 Ginger Commercial 
• Barbie Sweet Pet Shop Playset Commercial from 2002
• 2006 Tanner Commercial - A dog a little to realistic I think.
• 2022 Barbie's Newborn pups set

        I found two additional dogs for our standard dolls at resale: a newer breed called the Biewer Terrier and a rare breed called the Ghost Giant Schnauzer. We named the female terrier "Queenie" and the male, white schnauzer "Casper." They are very good friends with "Beauty." They chase each other all around our custom Barbie playsets. Perhaps you will catch further glimpses of them in future craft posts?

It's easy to repaint resin figurines. Use acrylic paints to cover
and then seal with Mod Podge.

       I repainted these resin dogs to suite my own purposes. Resin is very easily painted over with acrylics and then seal the new coat of paint using Mod Podge. 

       With a little hot glue, a pink ribbon and a small clipping of faux fur, I made Queenie look more like her true breed, a Biewer Terrier. 

       Casper also has a new collar with a tiny tag the shape of a paw print. He is ready for a cuddle or tumble anytime with our dolls...

• How to make fun accessories for your dolls pets: listed under tag, "Rescue and Adopt Animal Shelter for Dolls"
• See another dog I made for our dollhouse grandfather. His dog's name is "Winston."
• Read about all of pets belonging to American Girl Dolls here...

Three dogs playing outdoors belong to our standard size Barbies and Fashionista dolls.

My Tips for Storing Dolls and Supplies?

        Keep this information in mind when putting your treasured dolls, doll accessories and miniatures into long-term storage!

1. Label the boxes clearly on the outside so that you won't need to open them and dismantle the contents to find something you've misplaced.
2. Measure boxes and shelves so that you know in advance how much room you have for storage and what the sizes of storage boxes can be when searching online or at a store.
3. Do not store vinyl dolls in rooms or places with unregulated temperatures. Both extreme heat and cold can change the chemistry of the vinyl. 
4. Extreme damp can actually cause some forms of mildew or mold to grow on vinyl dolls too!
5. Do not store dolls dressed; store them in the buff to prevent dyes from 'bleeding onto the vinyl.
6. Do not store dolls with braids or rubber bands in their hair. Braids left in doll wigs will permanently kink the doll hair and rubber bands can deteriorate over time making the wig gummy.
7. Vinyl dolls must 'breath' in storage. Wrapping them tightly in bubble wrap may encourage damp air to transfer mold or mildew on to the surface of vinyl.
8. Wrap tiny, fragile items in white tissue inside of smaller boxes. This will go a long way to prevent items from breaking should you accidentally drop the larger bin or box your items are stored inside of.
9. Leave room in the storage containers to add more from your collections later. In this way you will not need to keep purchasing more storage right away.
10. Do not leave dolls NIB, new in the box! Even if you wish to include the box later at auction. I have purchased dolls that were NIB and found them to be stained by inks from clothing and from graphics on the original packing. 
11. Fold up original boxes for dolls and keep these stacked neatly in a place where they will not be damaged if you intend to sell them later.
12. Store dolls that you do not display often in the back of containers or at the bottom of containers. 
13. If you have very valuable dolls store these separated from the bulk of your collection. Put them in a place where they can be easily grabbed from storage in case of an emergency. (fire, floods etc...)
14. If you are storing dolls in a place where flooding may happen, put these items in plastic containers so that water damage may be minimized. 
15. You can include baking soda air fresheners in the doll storage bins and in closets however do not sprinkle powders directly onto surfaces. This creates a substantial mess!
16. Use soft, clean paint brushes and feather dusters to dust surfaces of doll homes and displays.
17. Keep doll storage bins up off the floor on shelves if possible. 
18. If you find dolls with mold or mildew on them, you can clean these with a vinegar and water solution. However, if the mold or mildew returns after a cleaning it is too late to save these. The mold will actually change the chemistry of either vinyl or rubber and will spread to any other vinyl dolls stored next to these infected ones. Very often this is the case when one finds that large quantities of vinyl, plastic or rubber dolls are stored together and continue to put off a distinctly unpleasant odor! 
19. Soak doll clothes that are dirty in Woolite according to directions on the bottle. Let these dry in the sun before stacking inside any container. Insects are attracted to body oils or sweat from your skin that is hard to see on doll clothing. 
20. Do not store any food items near or in containers where you do not want to tempt mice or insects to explore.
21. Bait traps for pests can attract pests, so don't use these unless you are certain that you have mice to begin with and switch them out often.
22. Make sure you do not have brown recluse spiders. Watch this video here. Brown recluse are attracted to cardboard boxes in dark basements and attics. They will not hurt dolls, but they might bite you.
23. Keep dolls with flexible joints packed with limbs and hands down so that their delicate body parts will not be tangled with anything that may cause them to break.
24. If you have family pets, consider storing toys out of reach. Sometimes pets like to chew on things when you least expect it and they can get into stored items!

What are the names given to dolls belonging to American Girl Dolls?

       These are names given to toy dolls in the American Girl historical doll collections.

1. Addy Walker's rag doll was named Ida Bean.
2. Kirsten Larson's rag doll was named Sari.
3. Molly McIntire was given a Red Cross, nurse doll for Christmas
4. Felicity Merriman's fashion doll was carved from wood and Felicity named her Lucy.
5. Kit Kitteredge's Amelia Earhart, Aviator doll.
6. Josephina Montoya's rag doll, Nina.
7. Elizabeth's wooden fashion doll named Charlotte.
8. Nellie O'Malley's china doll named Lydia
9. Samantha Parkington's china doll named Clara came with an even tinier nutcracker

How did you decide to name your doll?

When 800 children were asked why and how they came up with the name of their doll, 521 gave the following responses:

1. The number one reason for renaming or just naming a doll... 199 children said that their doll was named after a friend.
2. 87 children said that they chose the name of their doll because they thought it was pretty or fancy.
3. 54 children said that they chose their dolls name because the doll looked like someone they knew with that name.
4. 35 children said that the name of their doll was from a story they had heard.
5. 33 children said that the doll was named after the person who had gifted it too them.
6. 34 children said that their doll had no name at all and was simply called, Dolly.
7. 21 children said that they always gave their doll a new name, not the name that came with the doll.
8. 20 children polled said that their doll was given a name that described a quality that they thought their doll had. The doll's name was not a typical name but a attribute like: precious, patience, sleepy etc...
9. 9 dolls were given the exact same name of it's owner.
10. 6 dolls were given a name after the place where they received the doll.
11. 5 dolls were named after a feigned likeness.
12. 4 dolls had purely imaginary names.
13. 2 dolls had very 'ugly names' because they were so disliked!
14. In two instances the dolls were named after the materials they were made from.
15. Ten dolls were given formal christenings along with their name.
16. Sometimes the dolls were all given the same family name. 
17. Dolls that had frequent name changes rarely seemed to have distinct personalities attached to them upon further discussions.

How to name a doll...

• How to name a AG Doll/Tips Ideas to name your American Girl Doll
• How I Chose My American Girl Doll's Names

Top 10 Professions for Doll Lovers

       What are some of the professions doll lovers and collectors might be interested in once they have graduated high school?

       Some of our readers have expressed an interest in those professions their children, who love anything to do with dolls, might consider entering. There are many more of these jobs than what I have listed below but these top ten are the most directly related to the artistic interests of childhood doll play. Many of these professions can pay, with dedication, median incomes with benefits. There are also specific universities that train for each. The best programs among higher educational institutions would have larger faculties with greater opportunity to offer classes specific to art and advanced technology. It is rare for a graduate with simply a bachelor's degree in fine arts to be hired for some of the following jobs without more experience. Students can also acquire valuable experience through additional internships and certifications in specialized software programing. Among this listing, a master's degree program is not recommended for the majority unless the student is interested in teaching their own profession on the college level. The exceptions to this rule would be: the film historian and the screenwriter; these two professions would definitely benefit from continued, academic study. A "picker" will become better at his or her profession through reading extensively about the products they are selling or dealing, this is about study but not necessarily academic in nature.

1. Industrial Designer/Sculptor
2. Professional Tailor or Seamstress
3. Costume Designer or Fashion Designer
4. Theatrical Production
5. Small Business Owner
6. Film Historian
7. Webmaster: Online Auctions and Pickers
8. Professional Photographer or Video Photographers
9. Fashion Merchandising
10. Screenwriter/Scenarist

Video that demonstrates transitions into . . . 

• Theatre de la Mode at Maryhill Museum of Art
• The difference between photography and video photography
• The makings of theatre: a production from start to finish
• Puppet Designer Emily DeCola talks about her profession
• Handmade Worlds Puppet Theatre Festival - clips
• Set Design, Film and Theatre - Why is Production Design So Amazing?
• Tips in 60 seconds... How to get into set design
• Selling your handmade art dolls - dollmaking business series
• Industrial Design as A Career
• How to become a professional tailor by Sartorial Talks
• How to make money buying and selling antiques and collectibles...

What Are Top Ten Historical Facts About Barbie?

Ruth Handler poses with her Barbie creations.

       Every Barbie doll fan should know the following historical facts about this popular doll!

1. Barbie's prototype was based upon a European doll named Bild Lilli.
2. Barbie has had over 40 different pets in her lifetime, the most unusual one being a giraffe!
3. Barbie's real name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, she was named after her creator, Ruth Handler's, daughter. Likewise, Ken, Barbie's boyfriend, was named after Mrs. Handler's son, Kenneth.
4. Barbie has had more than 180 official jobs or careers since she came onto the scene in 1959.
5. The most expensive Barbie ever sold in an auction was for $302,000 dollars. This Barbie doll was designed by Stefano Canturi, a jewelry designer, who included a diamond studied necklace and a diamond ring in her attire.
6. The very first Barbie sold for just three American dollars.
7. Barbie has run for president six different times since 1992.
8. Barbie when dressed in U.S. military uniform has had every uniform scrutinized by the Pentagon!
9. Barbie has seven siblings: Skipper, Stacie, Chelsea, Krissy, Kelly, Tutti and Todd.
10. Barbie's most popular selling feature is her hair.

Find all kinds of crafts for your Barbie doll here!

Differences between two dimensional and three dimensional doll patterns?

      The differences have to do with the number of pattern components and the way these are used in the doll design.

      In two dimensional designs, there are most frequently only two flat surfaces to work with: a front and a back side of the doll. However, some doll patterns like these do include an additional boot. This boot or shoe will be a pattern that is two dimensional as well, having only a front side and a back side. Now given that these patterns have only two sides, it is not correct to assume that your doll will not “look” three dimensional. However, those who have little experience in making dolls will assume this is what it means when the pattern is labeled as such. Dolls always take on a 3D quality when they are stuffed. The proportions of a two dimensional doll pattern are very specific to the eventual appearance of a rag doll. This in turn makes the stuffing of a rag doll, an art form in and of itself. This you will quickly determine on your own after having stuffed a doll incorrectly. Hence, the random affectation from somewhere in the classroom, “Teacher, my doll looks funny.”

      A three dimensional pattern eliminates much of the guess work or “experience necessary” when stuffing a doll. These patterns must be constructed in a particular order and the the darts must always be lined up in order for the doll artist to have success with them. This is because the compensation for inexperience comes in the manipulation of components within the design. Neither pattern type is necessarily superior, these are merely options given according to the skills and preferences of those artists using them. In other words, three dimensional doll patterns do not necessarily make more attractive dolls or are not more valuable to doll collectors because of their number of parts.

      There are, in fact, many highly valued rag dolls in museum collections that are constructed from simple, two dimensional patterns. I enjoy working with both types of patterns. Students, most usually do not. This is because a three dimensional pattern “looks” more intimidating prior to it’s assembly.

What kinds of materials should I use to stuff a doll body?

       The materials used to stuff a doll body are entirely dependent upon what one can acquire and upon the nature of those materials in respect to the doll’s owner. Some people are allergic to particular materials and so if you intend to sell your dolls to strangers, it would be prudent to select a stuffing that will not cause allergic reactions.

• Cotton batting – Batting (also known as wadding in the United Kingdom or filler) is a layer of insulation used in quilting between a top layer of patchwork and a bottom layer of backing material. Batting is usually made of cotton, polyester, and/or wool.
• Acrylic fiber fill – are synthetic fibers made from a polymer (polyacrylonitrile) with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. To be called acrylic in the U.S, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate or methyl acrylate. The Dupont Corporation created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under the name Orlon.
• Wool Roving – A roving is a long and narrow bundle of fibre. It is usually used to spin woollen yarn. A roving can be created by carding the fibre, and it is then drawn into long strips. Because it is carded, the fibers are not parallel, though drawing it into strips may line the fibres up a bit. Roving is not to be confused with sliver as there is twist in roving.
• Straw/Grasses or “palliasse” – Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and basket-making. It is usually gathered and stored in a straw bale, which is a bundle of straw tightly bound with twine or wire. Bales may be square, rectangular, or round, depending on the type of baler used.
• Dryer Lint – Many doll makers use dryer lint to stuff dolls with. This is the lint that you should be cleaning from your dryer after two or three cycles. If you choose to use this by-product, store it in a tin can that has a tight lid. This will prevent mice from nesting in it.
• Foam – A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid. A bath sponge and the head on a glass of beer are examples of foams. In most foams, the volume of gas is large, with thin films of liquid or solid separating the regions of gas.
• Plastic pellets – A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural. Plastic pellets stuffed into nylon fabrics are often used in combination with fiber fill in modern rag dolls or in doll bodies alone with vinyl heads.
• Saw dust – Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability. Sawdust is the main component of particleboard.
• Old Rags – Rags should be soft and color fast in order to prevent staining should the doll get wet.
• Yarn – Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and rope making. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for hand or machine embroidery.
• Shredded paper – use these only if they are bleached, otherwise, the inks will stain the doll if it gets wet.
• Buckwheat (hulls only) – Buckwheat is a variety of plants in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, the North American genus Eriogonum, and the Northern Hemisphere genus Fallopia. Either of the latter two may be referred to as “wild buckwheat.” Despite the name, buckwheats are not related to wheat, as they are not cereals / grasses (family Poaceae); instead, buckwheat is related to sorrels, knotweeds, and rhubarb.

 Left, Lint that collects in your drier’s vent can be used to stuff cloth dolls. Lint is flammable and should never be allowed to collect in your drier past two or three loads. You should also never store it near the furnace. Mice also love to nest in drier lint so it must be stored in a tight container that they cannot gnaw through.

Center, Always store drier lint in proper containers, if you intend to use it. Large tin ‘popcorn’ tins with tight lids make the perfect storage containers for this material.  Tin containers are also perfect for storing paper mache’ ornaments, puppets, objects etc. Mice cannot gnaw through it! If your tin lids do not fit tight, simply pull wax paper taunt over the opening of the can before sealing the lid down on top of the can. This will create a very tight seal.

Right, This is a bit difficult to see, but look closely. This is a nylon bag with plastic pellets inside. These are often used by doll manufactures to stuff either the joints or tight curves of a cloth doll body. Pellets fill out these areas nicely but sometimes doll artists can not afford such materials when making dolls. You can use old panty hose or tights and stuff these with plastic pellets or fine gravel in order to save on the expense. Make sure the gravel is clean. Small ground gravel may be purchased at an aquarium shop. Only use the plain white.

How to fix floppy necks on dolls?

       Here is a common problem with some dolls. You found the perfect doll at resale but . . . it's torso doesn't support the head. Your doll has floppy neck or floppy head syndrome! No kidding, that is what the condition is called.
       This is a result of either poor construction or the use of the wrong material. I recently purchased a doll with this condition for a few dollars. It was very easy to fix simply by replacing the materials that were used to stuff her body.

I didn't hesitate to buy a new doll with floppy head. Her condition was easily corrected by
replacing her new stuffing with cotton. Polyester fiber is too soft for a 18inch child doll.

       The manufacture had stuffed her torso with polyester fiber, a material often used in the filling of baby doll bodies, to give them extra softness. This is preferred when the doll is representing a new born infant, because that type of doll is usually carried non-stop and suited to a small cradle.

       However, for a free standing, 18 inch, child doll, this material is not a good choice. The doll will always be too limp to stand on her own. Thereby, making her an unattractive, inexpensive alternative to the pricier American Girl doll standard. 

       So, I opening up her fabric torso with a seam ripper and removed all of the polyester fill before replacing it with 100 percent cotton batting; this is the fill that resolved this new doll's floppy neck. Then I stitched up the opening in her back using a invisible hand stitch. She is now better than new.

       Now you'd think that a manufacture of dolls would know better, right? They do, however, if they are purchasing materials in bulk from one source, they can do so at a lower price point and this is what most likely took place.

       In case you are wondering if you could do the same by using half polyester and half cotton, don't bother. The doll's body will eventually collapse again. The polyester does not compact enough inside the torso to make it stiff. Fill the doll with tightly compressed cotton balls or cotton batting and you will never have the problem again.

Fixing Floppy Necks:

• FBF floppy head syndrome for a crochet doll
• Doll making tips, achieving sturdy neck construction
• Pumpkin by Madame Alexander Gets New Stuffing

       I added the softer polyester fill beneath the neck of both the porcelain and vinyl versions of my 

Bello baby dolls. Although my investment was only a few dollars, my fondness for these 

twin molds was too great to allow them opportunity for damage I could not repair.

        What child or adult could resist these little faces? Baby dolls by Venezuelan designer, Yolanda Bello, in the 1990s, are notorious for their fragility. Their bodies were stuffed with pellets and polyester fill so that they would feel limp like newborn babies. However, this also meant that the porcelain versions were not likely to survive outside of a curio cabinet, even in the arms of an adult.

       Ashton Drake also sold identical designs in vinyl materials, so that parents had the option of giving a durable doll to a child. But their bodies had little stuffing about the neck and shoulders as well and even if the doll's heads were no longer breakable, the bodies of these dolls could be easily torn and tattered within a short duration of play.