Baby Dolls, Porcelain, and Accessories

Since before recorded history, dolls have been a part of human life. The earliest examples known were created from such materials as fur, clay, and wood. Due to time and the perishable nature of such things, very few examples survive.

DreamDollsNationals.com is here to record the fascinating history of a variety of doll types- From the rag doll figures of ancient times to the porcelain dolls of the turn of the century to the latest and most realistic baby dolls available today. Within the pages of our site, visitors can learn about dress up and other fashion doll options. The history of paper designs and much more.

Doll accessories are also a major focus of discussion. These include the doll clothes used to add personality to a particular model and the furniture used for miniature homes.

Whether one's emphasis is doll toys or collectibles, there are many thought-provoking details in their development to be found. These range from what princess and dress up dolls say about changes in gender roles to the way in which material choice reflects trends in environmental awareness.

Many of the ancient dolls found have been associated with ritual practices and ceremonial beliefs. For example, many have been found in Egyptian graves dating back to 2000 B.C. These were often created from flat pieces of wood. Various designs were painted upon their surfaces. Strings of either clay or wooden beads were affixed to their heads in order to resemble hair. Pottery figurines were also included in the graves of very wealthy families. For these reasons, they were assumed to be very cherished possessions.

The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations also buried dolls. However, this was done solely in the graves of children. It was expected that the girls of those cultures would dedicate their wooden dolls to goddesses. The idea behind this was that they would eventually become too grown up to play with dolls.

From these examples of both ritual adult significance and childhood play, it's easy to see why these figures have come to have such a range of focuses behind them. These little figures operate as simplified versions of general people of any culture from which they come. Not only do they often work to display clothing and hair styles, but they are also designed according to the body ideals of any time. At some times this has meant what is considered beautiful or cute, at other times it has meant what is honorable or holy.

While clay, wood, rags, and bone were popular material choices for little figures, more unique dolls have been created with ivory or wax. Often, the primary emphasis has been placed upon making the creation appear as lifelike as possible. In earlier times, this amounted to having removable clothing and movable parts. Today, it often  means having lifelike skin textures, animated movement, and the ability to speak.

Today, these items are most commonly purchased for children as play things. However, adults also have a lot of interest in their purchase. Some enjoy having them as collector items, while others may enjoy creating them or using them within animations.

 

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