Madame Alexander Dolls

The founder, Beatrice Alexander, began producing her famous Madame Alexander dolls in 1923, having developed an interest in dolls at a young age in her father’s doll shop and doll hospital. Although the dolls were originally created for children, they are now an American tradition collected and adored by people of all ages. The dolls are inspired by celebrities, fictional characters such as Little Women, Scarlett O’Hara and Alice in Wonderland, and various literary characters from Charles Dickens’ novels. These exquisite, top quality dolls are prized for their delicate features, large eyes, and intricate costumes. They are definitely one of the best collectible dolls available today.

The very first Madame Alexander dolls had flat cloth faces on which the features were hand-painted. Although these dolls remained popular, production of composition dolls began in the 1930s. Beatrice Alexander is as famous for her stunningly detailed costumes as she is for her dolls. The same face and body are used for both male and female dolls which makes them very unique. Following the end of World War II, Madame Alexander was one of the first companies to make plastic dolls. In the 1950s, Madame Alexander was presented with the prestigious Fashion Academy Gold Medal for excellence in costuming. Several of the Madame Alexander dolls continued to be produced for over 40 years with minimal changes.

If you are considering buying Madame Alexander dolls, the condition of the doll must be carefully assessed. A doll that is not attired in the original costume, shows significant wear or is stained would be less valuable. The value of the doll would also be affected by the popularity, rarity or age of the particular doll. As most doll collectors want dolls that are in their original condition, you may be surprised to know that restoration can actually reduce a doll’s value.

Madame Alexander also produces an extremely popular line of baby dolls, the most well-known being Madame Alexander Huggums dolls which have soft hands and feet. These appealing babies are just the right size to be held by small hands but still have the beautiful costumes and attention to detail for which this premium doll manufacturer is famous.

Another interesting fact is that many of today’s Madame Alexander dolls are still created in the same New York City factory used by Beatrice Alexander. Unfortunately, Beatrice Alexander passed away in 1990, but her legendary dolls continue to be produced by the company she founded. They epitomize the highest possible standard in collectible dolls and they are treasured by thousands of collectors and children of all ages. The Alexander Doll Company is the only remaining major manufacturer of hand-crafted dolls in North America.

For an excellent selection of these wonderful dolls, visit Madame Alexander Dolls.