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Colorado Vignette - Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys

Women at Work: Women Doll Makers 1880-1930 Did you know that dolls made by men and women were very different 100 years ago? Did you know that women doll makers infused their values as mothers and citizens into their work? A new exhibit at the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys tells the story of American women doll makers at the turn of the last century. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, European dolls were considered to be of superior quality to American ones. Germany and France manufactured beautiful porcelain dolls with delicate hands, frilly dresses and softly curled hair. American doll makers strove to compete with their European counterparts but had little success. American doll companies, run by men, sought to find their niche in the toy industry by focusing on making mechanical dolls. Unfortunately, many of these dolls were heavy, made of metal and still had to have parts imported from Europe. They were expensive and awkward for children to play with.

Prompted, perhaps, by children's preference for their simple homemade dolls, many US women doll makers found success by NOT trying to compete with European-made porcelain dolls and American-made mechanical dolls. Instead, they focused on making dolls that would be safe and enjoyable for children to play with. Many of these women looked for practical qualities in their dolls. They sought to create lightweight, easy to clean dolls that were soft, easy to hold and difficult to break. They also wanted dolls to be more lifelike and appealing to children. Many of the major, male run American doll companies were skeptical of their designs, but these dolls turned out to be very popular and spawned many small homebased companies organized by women doll designers. One of the focal points of the new exhibit "Women at Work" at the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys is Martha Chase. Chase was a pioneer in American doll making who introduced new realistic, safe and sanitary dolls. Chase began making dolls for her own daughters in the 1880s. She felt that bisque head dolls available for purchase were not safe or practical nor soft or cuddly enough, so she created a new kind of doll to fill the gap.

Influenced by progressive and maternalist ideals, Chase used her growing business as an opportunity to help those less fortunate by employing underprivileged women and girls. She opened a small workshop, fondly called the Dolls' House by employees, in a cottage behind her home. Unlike the large factories of the time, the Dolls' House was a supportive environment. Chase worked hard to carry her ideals throughout her business. The dolls were easy to clean, safe and fun to play with and her factory was clean, supportive and nice to work at. Other dolls in the exhibit include the Bye- Lo Baby, Kewpie dolls, WPA dolls and many examples of traditional home made dolls.

The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys is open Tuesday-Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 1-4. Closed Mondays and all major holidays. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and seniors and free for children under 5. For more information about programs and upcoming events, call 303-322-1053 or go to the Museum website at www.dmmdt.org.

credit: Wendy Littlepage & Rikke Siersbaek

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