Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

In this series of articles on collectible Dolls we're going to start by reviewing one of the most famous collectible Dolls of all time, the Cabbage Patch Kids.

Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

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Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

If you're old, or maybe even not that old, you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids. What you probably don't know is what happened to these once hot items that have all but disappeared.

The first Cabbage Patch Kids were created by a man by the name of Xavier Roberts. He began making his dolls through his very own Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia in the year 1979. His "sales" pitch was to display the dolls in kind of a hospital like setting and putting up a sign saying that they were "up for adoption". He made these dolls look like real babies. Needless to say, they were an immediate hit and people couldn't get enough of them. When Coleco toy company saw what a hit they were, they bought the rights to them from Roberts in 1982. In 1988 when Coleco filed for bankruptcy, Hasbro took over production of the Cabbage Patch Kids. Mattel then took over production in 1994 and then finally in 2004 Play Along Toys and 4kids EntertainMent took over making these things.

Your standard Cabbage Patch Kid was about 15 or 16 inches in height. However, as time went by these dolls were made in a variety of styles and sizes. At any one period of time there may have been as many as a dozen different styles and sizes of Cabbage Patch Kids in production. The dolls that Roberts himself made were all Cloth with Cloth sculptured faces. The dolls that were made by the toy companies had Cloth bodies but vinyl heads so that they would stand up to more wear and tear. When Hasbro took over they started making all vinyl dolls but eventually when the dolls were made again in 2004 they went back to the Cloth body and vinyl head..

Unfortunately, after the initial craze and the mass marketing that followed, Cabbage Patch Kid popularity really fizzled after the 80s. There were just too many out there and the novelty was gone. Originally it was expected that the value of these dolls would someday reach astronomical proportions. But the oversaturated market and the eventual easy access to these dolls have made them virtually worthless today, though some of the very early dolls can still bring in a nice price on Ebay. Later models, however, won't bring in much.

Part of the problem was that as the dolls started to gain in popularity the manufacturer of the time tried all kinds of gimmicks with the dolls instead of sticking with the original concept of a simple baby doll Dressed in baby clothes that needed to be adopted. The newer dolls were no longer sweet, huggable and adoptable. The dolls that were reintroduced in 2004 went back to the original concept but by that time it was just too late. The Cabbage Patch Kid craze was pretty much dead.

Collectible Dolls - Cabbage Patch Kids

Collectible Dolls Combine Passion and Nostalgia

 

 

Every woman can think back to her childhood and reminisce about her favorite baby Dolls. Perhaps her most treasured Dolls were popular Dolls with ever-changing outfits and accessories, dolls that had long tresses that could be brushed, or collectible porcelain dolls handed down for generations and displayed in a special case or on a special shelf. These treasured memories are the reason that collectible dolls are so popular today.

Today's collectible dolls aren't necessarily antique dolls; more often, they're contemporary dolls that are, in essence, artist dolls - collectible dolls in limited editions that are carefully crafted by artists. Some of the most popular and treasured collectible dolls today are made by the following companies and artisans:

Adora Doll Company: The Adora Doll Company makes two types of baby dolls, those that are affordable and therefore accessible to many collectors, and limited editions that appeal to serious upscale collectors. Adora baby dolls are available in all races, eye colors, and hAir colors, making them welcome additions for any doll collection.

Lee Middleton: Although the company's namesake passed away in 1997, this popular and award-winning company continues to produce baby dolls that have amazingly realistic and unique facial expressions.

Robert Tonner: Robert Tonner, known throughout the world for his award winning dolls and fashions, began his career as a head designer for Bill Blass after graduating from the Parsons School of Design. Robert Tonner has many lines of popular collectible dolls, including Mary Englebreit dolls, Betsy McCall dolls, and Tiny Betsy McCall dolls.

Zawieruszynski: Polish-born Zofia and Henry Zawieruszynski have won many awards, such as Dolls of Excellence and DOTY, for their collectible porcelain dolls that have hand-painted faces and human hAir. These high-end collectible dolls are signed and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Uta Brauser: Each of Uta Brauser's collectible porcelain dolls are one-of-a-kind and are so unique that they're often found in art galleries.

Nancy Latham: Nancy Pedroso Latham was born in Havana, Cuba and came to the United States in the early 1960s. Her collectible dolls, "The Wistful Children," are inspired by antique photographs of children. The dolls are costumed to represent these children, and accompanying some of the dolls are photographs of the children they portray. The dolls' bodies are made of cotton, while the faces are structured and covered with Cloth, and then hand-painted.

Collectible dolls are a wonderful way to recapture the joys of childhood, while at the same time building a foundation that can be passed on to future generations.

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