While both Sket and Huck Gee have stellar reputations for their high-end custom editions, they’ve never collaborated on a custom Dunny, well until now. A decade of work has lead to their first collaboration – The Last Drop Dunny. Last Drop is a seductively dangerous concoction, blending Huck’s Skullhead character...
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Sket x Huck Gee The Last Drop Dunny (2.21)
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Ashley Mady Elected New President of Women in Toys
The Woman in Toys Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Ashley Mady as the organization’s new president, effective April 1. Mady is currently president and founder of Brandberry Inc. In addition, she has been an active board member of the South Florida Chapter Chair, co-chair of the Wonder Woman in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Awards [...]
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Debbie Garrett, The Doll Griot
According to Wikipedia, a griot is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet and or musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. That title has been applied to Debbie Behan Garrett by Paulette Richards in the piece I quote below.
The following is from Debbie's blog, Black Doll Collecting.
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Before leaving for Senegal in September 2013, fellow doll enthusiast and educator, Paulette Richards, wrote a glowing and most impressive review of my three books written on the subject of collecting black dolls. Richards' review, which compares my doll research to the research of two historians of African American history, was too lengthy to post on Amazon.com; therefore, she sent it directly to me. I posted the review in its entirety on my Facebook Page: Debbie Behan Garrett, Black Doll Enthusiast a few weeks ago. Paulette will be a guest blogger later this week. I thought this would be an opportune time to post the review here. Thank you again, Paulette, I remain grateful and forever honored.
Paulette Richards has been writing about “the serious business of doll play” on her blog, Limbé Dolls, since April 2011. Formerly the Associate Director of the Nommo Literary Society/ Neo Griot Krewe writing workshop in New Orleans, she holds a Ph.D. in French Civilization from the University of Virginia. During the 2013-2014 academic year, Richards will further explore the griot tradition as a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Saint Louis, Senegal.
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Visit Debbie's blog at http://blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com/
Visit Paulette's blog at http://limbedolls.blogspot.com/
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The following is from Debbie's blog, Black Doll Collecting.
Before leaving for Senegal in September 2013, fellow doll enthusiast and educator, Paulette Richards, wrote a glowing and most impressive review of my three books written on the subject of collecting black dolls. Richards' review, which compares my doll research to the research of two historians of African American history, was too lengthy to post on Amazon.com; therefore, she sent it directly to me. I posted the review in its entirety on my Facebook Page: Debbie Behan Garrett, Black Doll Enthusiast a few weeks ago. Paulette will be a guest blogger later this week. I thought this would be an opportune time to post the review here. Thank you again, Paulette, I remain grateful and forever honored.
The Doll Griot***
By Paulette Richards
Debbie Behan Garrett grew up during the era of the Civil Rights movement when African Americans vehemently rejected the stereotypical images of blacks that had long pervaded American mass media. Rather than purchase dolls that perpetuated negative stereotypes of blacks, Garrett’s mother provided only white dolls for her children. Yet young Debbie keenly felt the lack of “dolls that look like me.” In the early 1990s after her own daughter had “outgrown” dolls, Garrett was consumed with a passion for collecting and documenting black dolls. This passion launched her on a trajectory similar to two African American historians of the early twentieth century – Arturo Schomburg, and J.A. Rogers.
“Blacks have no history. There are no black heroes. Black people have accomplished nothing, have contributed nothing to the advancement of human civilization…” Like many students subjected to the routine “miseducation of the Negro,” Arturo Schomburg (1874-1938) heard myths like these when he was a schoolboy in Puerto Rico. Schomburg, however, vowed to prove his teachers wrong. Although he did not follow a traditional academic career like W.E. B. DuBois, he dedicated his life to the study of Afro-Latin and African American history. In 1911 he co-founded the Negro Society for Historical Research. By this time, however, Schomburg had already amassed a large collection of books and artifacts documenting African diasporan culture and history.
Schomburg united scholars from Africa, the West Indies, and the U.S. in the study of African diasporan culture and history. Meanwhile, his collections continued to grow. Although he worked in modestly paid clerical jobs and had five sons to support, the New York Public Library paid $10,000 for his collection of books and materials in 1926. The collection was initially housed in the 135th Street (Harlem) branch of the library and Schomburg was appointed curator of “the Schomburg Collection of Negro Literature and Art.”
Schomburg’s obsessive pursuit of books by and about people of African descent may have seemed crazy to some, but his collection formed the basis of the Arthur Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Similarly, while Garrett’s obsessive acquisition of black dolls may seem irrational to non-doll lovers, her dedication to celebrating the beauty of black dolls echoes Schomburg and Rogers’ determination to destroy myths of racial inferiority.
Garrett published her first book, The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls with Hobby House Press in 2003. This 176 page soft cover volume catalogues each doll with information on the artist and/ or manufacturer, the material, height, identifying marks, descriptions of the hair/eyes/ mouth, clothing and an estimated value. Then, following in the footsteps of J.A. Rogers, Garrett self-published her second book in 2008.
Joel August Rogers was born in Jamaica in 1880. Although they could not afford to provide much education for their eleven children, Rogers internalized the strong value his parents placed on learning and devoted his life to researching and disseminating as much information as he could about the history of black people. By 1906 he was living in Harlem. Later he took a job as a Pullman porter, which allowed him to comb libraries all over the country. Over the course of his life he also traveled extensively overseas, sifting “the bran of history” as he called it for nuggets of information about the historical experience of black people. Although Rogers was self-educated, self-financed, and self-published, his books eventually earned respect from academic historians. For example W.E.B. Dubois observed that "No man living has revealed so many important facts about the Negro race as has Rogers." Similarly, Garrett’s years of dedicated research and publication have earned her recognition in The New York Times and other prestigious publications as an authority on black dolls. (“The Dolls I Never Had as a Child”)
Like most of Rogers’ works, Garret’s 450 page volume on Black Dolls: A Comprehensive Guide to Celebrating, Collecting, and Experiencing the Passion is lavishly illustrated. Full color photographs carefully document each doll. Garrett’s collection runs the gamut of materials (bisque, celluloid, composition, rubber, hard plastic, and cloth), aesthetics (artist dolls, craft dolls, manufactured play dolls), and genres such as fashion dolls, paper dolls, and celebrity portrait dolls. Since dolls are usually viewed only as toys for little girls, the “bran” that Garrett sifts might seem even more marginal than the records Schomburg and Rogers searched for evidence about black experience. Further, the bulk of Garrett’s collection consists of manufactured dolls rather than one of a kind dolls and includes play line dolls as well as artist dolls produced in limited editions. Yet, as a record of how the larger society has viewed and represented people of color, her eclectic collection probably has more value than it would if she focused only on art dolls created by black artists as more authentic self-representations.
In traditional West African societies, griots were oral historians who preserved the lineage and noble deeds of their communities. As latter day griots in a time when much of the academic establishment still subscribed to Hegel’s idea that “Africa has no history,” Schomburg and Rogers documented “who we are and where we come from.” Although women rarely served as griots in traditional African societies, in her third book, The Doll Blogs Garrett answers the fundamental questions griots are most concerned with – “Who are your people and where do you come from?” Through her meticulous research into the provenance of each doll she provides information about the artists who sculpted the dolls, the manufacturers who produced them, the retailers that sold them, and sometimes even includes tidbits about previous owners. Anyone who has done genealogical research would be overjoyed to uncover such detailed information about the African American branches of their family tree for even when there is an oral tradition and/ or paper trail that enables us to trace our ancestors back to the time of slavery, the trail usually goes stone cold on the shores of the Atlantic.
The barracoons that dotted the west coast of Africa from the 16th – 19th centuries transformed human beings into commodities and erased their personal histories. While DNA typing can now take us further into the interior of the Mother Continent and indicate regions where our enslaved ancestors might have come from, it can’t recover the stories of how various individuals met and combined those strands of DNA. The ritual acquisition of black dolls that plays out on every page of The Doll Blogs often occurs through auctions, a scene that is fraught with the painful legacy of slavery and the forced separation of families on the block. Yet Garrett’s purchases are a redemption that gives every black body a voice and a history. Her doll room then functions as a kind of anti-barracoon where lost souls recover their identities and re-unite with family and friends.
Paulette Richards has been writing about “the serious business of doll play” on her blog, Limbé Dolls, since April 2011. Formerly the Associate Director of the Nommo Literary Society/ Neo Griot Krewe writing workshop in New Orleans, she holds a Ph.D. in French Civilization from the University of Virginia. During the 2013-2014 academic year, Richards will further explore the griot tradition as a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Saint Louis, Senegal.
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Visit Debbie's blog at http://blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com/
Visit Paulette's blog at http://limbedolls.blogspot.com/
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Sybarite Neurotica Covers Up?
I am sure that other fashion doll collectors have experienced finding the perfect outfit for a doll. Once it's on the doll, she becomes even more gorgeous than before. This newly found fashion treasure will stay on the doll for a long time.
Two weeks ago I briefly considered removing Neurotica's tattoos and then Masque arrived. Her red lips convinced me to give her the new outfit. I could not stop looking at her once she was redressed. You can still see the tats but they aren't in your face (although her boobs are,) and I'm so glad I didn't remove them.
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Mohair wig by Ilaria Mazzoni "Time of Doll"
I have an assortment of other 16" BJDs but in my opinion, no doll poses like a Sybarite. Emilia's Inro comes very close. There are no wobbly knees or kicky arms. I do not enjoy fiddling with legs for what seems like an interminable amount of time every time I handle wonky-jointed dolls. I know this issue can be taken care of by wiring the body but I don't know how to do it. I can't be the only one who is having this problem. Is anyone telling the manufacturers? As if they don't already know, right?
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Two weeks ago I briefly considered removing Neurotica's tattoos and then Masque arrived. Her red lips convinced me to give her the new outfit. I could not stop looking at her once she was redressed. You can still see the tats but they aren't in your face (although her boobs are,) and I'm so glad I didn't remove them.
Mohair wig by Ilaria Mazzoni "Time of Doll"
I have an assortment of other 16" BJDs but in my opinion, no doll poses like a Sybarite. Emilia's Inro comes very close. There are no wobbly knees or kicky arms. I do not enjoy fiddling with legs for what seems like an interminable amount of time every time I handle wonky-jointed dolls. I know this issue can be taken care of by wiring the body but I don't know how to do it. I can't be the only one who is having this problem. Is anyone telling the manufacturers? As if they don't already know, right?
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Top Toy Trends of 2014 Announced by Toy Industry Association (TIA), the Official Voice of Toy Fair
NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Supersized and classic toys, innovative RC vehicles, custom-built creations and zombie-inspired playthings are among the top industry trends of 2014, according to experts at the Toy Industry Association (TIA). "Personalization and open-ended play are definitely the buzz words of 2014," said Adrienne Appell, TIA trend expert. The toys, games and youth ...
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Publisher’s Viewpoint: The Times They Are A-Changin’
by Jonathan Samet On the December 21 episode of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update segment, Seth Meyers delivered the following: “Toys ‘R’ Us announced this week that its stores will remain open for 87 straight hours leading up to Christmas. Not to be outdone, the Internet announced that it will be open all the time, [...]
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Happy Dog With ALPO
This post brought to you by ALPO® Brand Dog Food. All opinions are 100% mine. We love to sometimes feed our dog some of the meat scraps leftover from dinners. What dog doesn’t love the savory and flavorful taste of animal fats and meats and all the tasty smells that come with them. He… [read more]![]()
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New Button Packs from Freshism
Freshism has released new four-button packs from four artists: Beery Method, Killerslayer, Sket One, and Tony Infamous. Available in limited quantities, each pack of four 1" buttons runs $4.00.
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Crystal Clear Mecha Nekoron
Monster Kolor has released the crystal clear Mecha Nekoron soft vinyl figure from Max Toy Co. Made in Japan, the 2.5-inch tall can be purchased for $20.00. And it looks really clear...
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Otto Bjrnik x Jeremiah Ketner - Collaborative Munny World Customs
We are super excited to see these two customizing super stars work together on a special project. Otto Björnik and Jeremiah Ketner are working on a couple 7” Munny World figures from Kidrobot. As you can see, Otto started it off and sent it to Jeremiah to finish up. We...
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Wetworks Hero
Wetworks is more known for his work with 1/6 scale figures, but he is excited to venture out into the designer toy world with his new resin figure, Hero. This figure stands 5” tall and will be in a limited run of 25 pieces for $55. Each figure will be...
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Name That…Rectangle
I loved geometry. I’m more of a circle guy than a rectangle guy though.![]()
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Disney Pixar CARS Diecast: Schuco German Lightning 1:18
“Frank F” sends along an interesting heads-up on a German-only release from old school diecast company, Schuco – an 1:18 scale Lightning McQueen. On the surface, it looks like the Mattel 1:24 high end version from a couple years ago – sharp looking and probably synthetic rubber tires. The painted bolts on the rims looks […]
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Toy Fair 2014: LEGO Gallery
We've just added what is hands down the largest gallery in our 2014 International Toy Fair coverage. Grab a coffee and get comfortable before clicking through to our LEGO gallery. With over 600 images, this one will keep you busy for a while!
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SEEN: TAG Presents: Dark Invasion
Last week was the opening exhibit of Toy Art Gallery’s Dark Invasion show, which features work from Paul Kaiju, Mutant Vinyl Hardcore, Guumon, Galaxy People, Scarecrowoven and Devil’s Head Productions. The show was filled with a bunch of amazing art pieces, tons of original one-offs, and cross-over custom pieces. There...
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Toy Fair 2014: Funko Gallery
We're pretty excited about the figures in the next gallery in our 2014 International Toy Fair coverage. Follow this link to have a closer look at all the cool figures on display in the Funko display.
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Toy Fair 2014: Bluefin Tamashii Nations Gallery
Moving past a small technical issue, the photo gallery portions of our 2014 International Toy Fair coverage are back! First up we have a new gallery showing off all the new stuff on display in the Bluefin Tamashii Nations booth including, but not limited to, the totally awesome Super Mario S.H. Figurearts sets.
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Toy Fair 2014: DC Collectibles Gallery
Judging by what they had on display in their booth at the 2014 International Toy Fair, DC Collectibles continue to improve every single year. Just being in the space was like walking into a surreal dream wish list of products. Follow the link above to see how many of these collectibles are must haves for your collection!
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Toy Fair 2014: Mattel's Matty Collector Gallery Part I
We've published the first of two galleries showing off the figures on display in Mattel's Matty Collector presentation. follow the link above to have a closer look at the DC Comics and Masters Of The Universe Classics on display.
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"Alice, Denis, and Beatrice" Handmade Colonial Dolls and Doll E-Patterns
"Alice" and "Denis" just want everyone to know about them as they view it as a nice gesture on their part - sharing their beauty with others.
Every time "Alice" or "Denis" enter a room people gasp. They are just taken away by the sheer beauty of both "Alice" and "Denis and their big, beautiful eyes. And, then, if "Beatrice" enters to serve tea they gasp once again. Look at her big, beautiful eyes.
Alice and Denis are twins who were born during the Colonial period. Beatrice as you can probably tell from her name "Beatrice - Maid For All Seasons" works for their family. Both Alice and Denis are very aware of their sheer physical beauty as evidenced by their names: "Alice Loves Her Big Eyes" and "Denis Loves His Big Eyes."
Alice is the epitome of a proper, colonial girl. She has manners and believes in being friendly and courteous at all times. Her one slight flaw is that she can't stop looking at herself in the mirror. She's just in love with her big, beautiful eyes. So, she spends hours bouncing from mirror to mirror in the house looking at herself and admiring her big, beautiful eyes. Both she and her brother, Denis, inherited their good looks from their Mother.
Alice is a 16 handmade Colonial girl doll. She has a cloth body with an embroidered and water-colored face and a mass of dark brown curly hair all over her head with two bows on the top of her head.
If you would like to buy one of my "Alice" handmade dolls please CLICK HERE. Please note: The chair that is pictured is not included.
If you would like to make an "Alice" of your own please CLICK HERE for her e-pattern.
Denis with one "n" as he likes to correct everyone is a tad conceited. He's well aware of his affect on other's especially females. He isn't at all proper like his twin sister, Alice. He might dress properly but he's a rascal and the girls just love to run their fingers through his full head of curly brown hair. He spends a lot of time in front of the mirror looking at his own big, beautiful eyes. In fact, it takes him forever to get ready to go somewhere as he has to go from mirror to mirror throughout the house checking how he looks before he goes out. It drives his Mother crazy as they are forever late where ever they have to go.
He is wearing his favorite blue shirt with white collar and his "Sunday Best" suit. His pantaloons are cuffed and gathered at the waist. His matching double-breasted lined jacket has cuffed sleeves and fold down lapels. Six buttons adorn his jacket. He also has black boots with brown embroidery floss cross-crossed for ties.
Denis is the epitome of a Colonial "hunk."
If you would like to buy one of my "Denis" handmade dolls please CLICK HERE. Please note: The chair that is pictured is not included.
If you would like to make a "Denis" of your own please CLICK HERE for his e-pattern.
"Beatrice - Maid For All Seasons" is a proper maid and knows her place. She is very organized and keeps the household running smoothly. Her only complaint is the constant washing of all the mirrors. They're everywhere in the house so Alice and Denis can see themselves and their big, beautiful eyes all the time.
Beatrice, herself, is no slouch mind you. She has her own set of big, beautiful eyes. And, when she looks at Alice and Denis they pay attention. They know not to cross Beatrice for she knows how to get even. She hides their mirrors.
Her mission in life is to get rid of those damn mirrors.
If you would like to buy one of my "Beatrice - Maid For All Seasons" handmade dolls please CLICK HERE. Please note: The chair that is pictured is not included.
If you would like to make an "Beatrice" of your own please CLICK HERE for her e-pattern.
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More Pages to Explore .....
