Mission Statement

We are a non-profit organization and a member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC). Our goal is research, education, conservation, and collecting and appreciation of dolls. With the dedication of our members working together, we preserve yesterday and today for tomorrow.

Why Join a Doll Club?

There are many rewarding reasons to join a doll club.

1. Share. You can share your doll collection with other interested people and "talk dolls" with those who understand your passion and enthusiasm.
2. Make friends. Doll collectors make friends easily because they share a common interest that needs to be discussed.
3. See more dolls. A doll collector cannot own all the dolls that interest him/her so there is great enjoyment when friends get together and share their collections.
4. Learn. We all want to learn more about our dolls. A club is where we can find information about their dolls through programs, speakers, and sharing resources.

Do you know someone who would like to become a member of our Birmingham, Al club? Email hopkins.martha@att.net

Cook Book "Delicious Delights" For Sale

Here is the Birmingham Doll Club's "Delicious Delights," a 156-page cookbook with recipes, household hints, photos of beautiful dolls from our collections, and hints for preserving and restoring old dolls. These make wonderful gifts for others - or for yourself. Our money goes to charities and to further education concerning collecting and preserving dolls. For a copy, email hopkins.martha@att.net
. They are $10.00 per copy or 2 for $15.00 plus a small charge for media mail. Email for accurate shipping charges.

Video: "It Takes Two; Darling Doll Pairs"; Birmingham Doll Club of Alabama

https://picasaweb.google.com/mhopkinsmeister/Desktop#5789584411849012258

June, 2017 Meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club of Alabama

The June, 2017 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club of Alabama was held on June 11, 2017 and was hosted by Barbara H.  This was an exciting meeting with installation of new officers and a workshop to make favors for the October doll luncheon "Fall In Love With Cloth Dolls". 
New officers include:  President-Billye C., First Vice President-Jill S., Second Vice-President-Jill M., Secretary-Sharon K., Treasurer-Debra F., and Historian-Dorothy C. 

The New Officers Installation ceremony

The Birmingham Doll Club of Alabama is a member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC).  The official logo of the UFDC is Miss Unity.  During the installation ceremony the new officers "build" Miss Unity. 

Miss Unity is complete

 

A gorgeous and delicious cake, almost too pretty to eat!

 

The Doll Club presented out going President Barbara H. with a gift.

This beautiful Heubach Kopplesdorf doll had been loving restored and dressed by Dorothy. 

 

Hard at work!

Can you guess what we are making? 

 

April, 2017 Meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club

Jill S. hosted the April 2, 2017 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club.  Jill present a discussion and examples of dolls by three European women who made cloth doll house dolls (Margaret Cohn, Alice Jorgensen, and Anne Beate). 

Grecon Dolls

Grecon dolls were produced by Margarete Cohn, a Jewish refugee who fled Germany and went to London in 1936.  Ms. Chon Attended Arts and Crafts School in Germany after WWI. By 1919 she had obtained a patent for a head and was producing dolls. Ms. Cohn quickly  shifted from making bisque to the cheaper cloth dolls.  The trademark was Grecon which is a contraction of her name "Grete and Cohn = Grecon".  Ms. Cohn trained others to produce dolls in London, creating a cottage industry.  Faced with restrictions on raw materials, Ms. Cohn used scraps to create her small scale, wool wrapped, wire armature dolls.  Ms. Cohn was successfully able to produce dolls during the Battle of Britain.   After WWII, Ms. Cohn wanted to expand the business and markets.  In 1946 she showed her dolls at an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum and worked to  expand British products overseas.  Ms Cohn was successful, for  Grecon dolls could be found in the US at Dept Stores like Pittsburgh’s Hornes and through catalog companies. In 1952  A. Barton and Co, a London doll house and miniature manufacturer became distributor for Grecon dolls, which lasted until 1960s.  Harrod’s, Hamley’s, and small shops in London carried the dolls as well.

Ms. Cohn  made basic doll house family (mom, dad, older brother and sister, and a baby and  sometimes younger kids).  Grandparents fascinated her  - she also made a bridal party, cowboy/girl, nursemaid, maid, chef, chauffeur, police, postman, pianist, etc.  The dolls were either 1:21 scale or 1:18 scale. Those are the two known scale sizes.  Great attention was paid to detail of clothing and  yarn ties, miniscule buttons, lace collars, purses, yarn jewelry, net stockings, embroidered flowers, loop and eyelet eyeglasses, and tiny bead earrings were used.  The doll's faces were padded net with handpainted features – some dolls had yarn ears.  Hair was embroidered onto the doll's  heads.  The doll's clothing was made of felt, cotton, jersey, and wools.  Grandparents- were a favorite subject of Grete’s  and almost always wore glasses.   Grandfather dolls wore hounds tooth trousers, gray vest, and black morning jacket.  “Bobby” dolls were souvenirs for London gift shops.  The dolls were marked with tags (rectangular cloth tags) sewn onto back of clothing. The tags usually said “Grecon Little People” or “Grecon Made in England”.  Paper tags and foil tags were sewn onto back of clothes as well – esp. on larger dolls (Grecon – made in England – London)

 

Alice Jorgensen Dolls

Ms. Jorgensen made similar dolls to Grecon.  The dolls were made of thread and yarn wrapped around wire frames and had a paper label attached to the base "A. Jorgensen".  Examples of Ms. Jorgensen's dolls are below
 

 

 

 

Anne Beate

Anne Beate originally worked with alice Jorgensen.  In the 1960's,  Ms. Beate began making pixies.  The first  pixies were a boy carrying sack and girl holding bell are older.  The dolls had brown and yellow yarn hair.  The implements the dolls carried help to date Ms. Beate's dolls.  The adults were 4" tall.  The children dolls were 3.375" tall.  The dolls had foil tags. 

SAVE THE DATE-October 14, 2017 The Birmingham Doll Club Luncheon!!!

2017 Annual Birmingham Doll Club Sale! March 18, 2017

The Vestavia Hills 2017 Annual Birmingham Doll Club Sale is being held on March 18, 2017.  

Time: 9 am to 2 pm

Place: 1809 Mission Road  Vestavia Hills, Alabama

We will have antique to modern dolls, collectible-play dolls, doll magazines, doll related items.  Some proceeds to benefit charities.  Bring your dolls for free identification and values!

See you there 😊😊

February, 2017 Meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club

The February, 2017 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Club was hosted by Janet S., who gave a program on Dolly Darling Dolls by HASBRO.  These 4 1/2" dolls were produced from 1965 to 1968.  The original six dolls and their accessories were packaged in "hat boxes"and had molded hair. 

Beth at the Supermarket       

John and his Pets

Susie goes to School

Cathy Party

Karen Slumber Party

Sharon Takes a Vacation

Later dolls had real hair and less elaborate packaging.

Competitor doll makers came out with their own hat box dolls.

Hasbro made many other types of toys in the 1960's and is still one of the most popular toy makers today!

Dolly Sewing Kit

The Bridal Trouseau Sewing Kit

December, 2016 Meeting of the Birmongham Doll Club

Our December, 2016 meeting of the Birmingham Doll Cub included our annual Christmas celebration with our secret Santa gifts! Beverly and Debra hosting the meeting and had wonderful refreshments.  Secret Santa was good to all of us!!

We were greeted by Santa and the children!

Everyone received a beautiful baby from Debra

Beverly received a plaid bear

Lucky Beverly also received this little girl!

Barbara received this lovely young lady

Jill S. and her secret Santa gift

Billye received this tiny doll and trunk as well as the Tiny Town doll below

Tiny Town artist

Sharon received this handsome Japanese doll

Debra received this hand carved Shirley from Sharon

Ann received three dolls

Gorgeous ear rings for one of Dorothy's luck dolls

Jill M. was thrilled with her sewing mannequin doll!