A doll is an object that represents a baby or other human being. Dolls have been around since the dawn of human civilization, and have been made from a variety of materials: stone, clay, wood, bone, wax, cloth, corn husks, paper, ivory, papier-mâché, leather, china clay, porcelain, bisque, celluloid, resin, rubber, vinyl, plastic and polymer clay. While dolls have traditionally been toys for children, they are also collected by adults, for their nostalgic value, beauty, historical importance or financial value. In ancient times, dolls were used as representations of a deity, and played a central role in religious ceremonies and rituals. Archaeological evidence places dolls as foremost candidate for oldest known toy, having been found in Egyptian tombs which date to as early as 2000 BC. In Egypt, as well as Greece and Rome. Dolls with movable limbs and removable clothing date back to 200 BC. Roman doll-makers continued to use technology developed by the Egyptians and Greeks, but they were constantly trying to make dolls more elegant and beautiful. One doll, found near Prati in Rome, was made of ivory. Next to the doll was a small box, also made of ivory, containing tiny combs and a silver mirror. The doll had rings on her fingers and held a tiny key, which unlocked the box. Like children today, the younger members of Roman civilization would have dressed and undressed their dolls, and decorated their hair and fingers according to the latest fashions. Europe later became the center of dollmaking. In the United States, doll making became an industry in the 1860s, after the Civil War. The development of plastics after World War II led to the manufacture of new types of dolls and brought down their price. Antique dolls have become collector's items. Nineteenth-century bisque dolls made by French manufacturers such as Bru and Jumeau are still popular with collectors today, and have sold for over £2,000 at auction.
A Jumeau doll.
1906 German Schoneau-Hoffmeister porcelain doll 31in. Price $1,494. Schoneau-Hoffmeister were producers from 1900 until 1950s. Founded by Arthur Schoenau and Carl Hoffmeister their association was short and disagreements led to the dissolution of their partnership in 1907.
1880 Doll By Leon Casimir Bru. $22,000. Bru dolls were assembled by Leon Casmir Bru and his wife Appolyne on St. Denis Street in Paris. Leon Casmir Bru had worked for a doll assembler for a short time before deciding to start his own business. Appolyne, a seamstress, proved the elaborate costumes for the lovely fashion dolls, which were unmarked except for the letters on the head. In 1883 the Bru business was sold to Henri Chevrot, who produced all the wonderful designs of Bru Jne. The last owner of the Bru company, Paul Giraud, took over in 1890.
