MADAME BEATRICE ALEXANDER'S BEAUTIFUL DOLLS
by Rosemarie Ouellette
Liberty Rose Antiques, Port Sanilac

Madame Alexander dolls have found their way under many, many, Christmas trees, into hundreds of thousands of birthday packages and into countless doll fanciers treasured collections for more than 80 years. Not just little girls request these dolls, women cherish the ones they have preserved from their childhood and still, to this day, collect them.

A large segment of the Madame Alexander Doll Company has morphed into the shapely, designer-clothed "fashion doll" genre during the past decade. However, her little girls and boys, her International dolls, her "Special Edition" dolls and her character dolls continue to be the company mainstay.

Beatrice Alexander was born to Russian-Jewish parents on March 9, 1895. Her family fled the oppression of 19th century Russia. They found freedom in New York on Grand Avenue in Manhattan. Her father set up a business repairing dolls. Even though his establishment was located in a slum area, the wealthy came to his doll 'hospital' for repair work on their dolls. "The Alexander Doll Hospital" gave young Beatrice the inspiration to create dolls to rival the easily breakable German imported porcelain dolls.

She began her business in 1923. This was a difficult time for a woman to embark on a business venture, particularly in the neighborhood she lived in at that time. She launched her business with less than $2000 available capital. The famous Madame Alexander Doll Company began in New York and continues to operate there today, manufacturing its beautiful, collectible dolls.

Beatrice had added the title "Madame" to her name for no reason other than she liked the sound of it. She struggled through some of the roughest financial times our country has known: The Great Depression and World War II. With Beatrice Alexander's determination and love for the dolls, The Madame Alexander Doll Company survived and went on to ultimately shape the doll industry in the United States, and most likely the world.

Today the Alexander Doll Company, still based in New York, recently celebrated their 82nd anniversary. This pioneer company manufactures their fine line of the most excellent quality dolls in a factory located in Harlem. They are actually the only manufacturer of superior caliber, handcrafted dolls in America at this time.

The demand remains extremely high for her vintage "Alice in Wonderland", "Little Women", "Pussy Cat", "Wendy Ann" and "Scarlet O'Hara", to name just a few of her character dolls. However, I, like many other women, collect some of the lesser sought after variations.

I have an increasing fondness for the 11 ½" toddler dolls. These were only made during the 60s, and came in a very limited combination of hair styles and eye color variations. They have plumper bodies, chubby, rosy cheeks and were dressed in children's clothing. They all appear to represent children somewhere in the neighborhood of five or six years of age.

Madame Alexander primarily named these toddler dolls Janie, Suzy, Rozy, Lucinda and Katie. They almost always were dressed in little cotton dresses, slips and panties, or in a ballerina tutu, or sometimes in wool felt coats with a variety of hats and occasionally carried small accessories. One exception was, Lucinda, who had long hair and blue eyes, wore a long gown, a particularly fancy hat and carried a parasol. Another exceptional doll is Katie, an African-American version. Katie was manufactured in 1965 only. This body style was also offered in a few "boy" versions. Michael, from "Peter Pan", made a brief appearance in 1969 as well as Friedrich from "Sound of Music". Gretl and Marta were also from "Sound of Music" and were produced in the late 60s using the "Janie" body.

Since this childlike doll was intended to be played with, not displayed on a shelf, they are extremely difficult to come across in good condition. Needless to say they are almost impossible to find in "mint condition" with all their original clothing, shoes and accessories. The condition and completeness determines the value, as with any collectible. To find one of these dolls in their "Alexander-tagged" clothing and in reasonably good condition is a rare and incredibly fortunate discovery that we collectors continuously hope for. Happy New Year and good luck in your searches.

You may contact Rosemarie by e-mail at lighthouse@greatlakes.net.