Dolly Dingle Garnet

The Goebel company has a long history going back to 1778, and your can see it's complete history here.

 

I'm not at all sure if this is the same company who manufactured the Dolly Dingle Birthstone dolls as the label on these dolls says Goebel of North America LLC. However, I do know these dolls were based on the Dolly Dingle paper dolls illustrated by Grace Drayton in the Pictorial Review, from 1916 to 1922. Grace was also important as the creator of the Campbell Soup Kids, round-faced children with rosy cheeks which were a huge success, yet Grace's name never appeared on the drawings.

Below are original illustrations from Pictorial Review, which are what I wanted to base my DD on. From left: 1922, 1923, 1924 versions, none of which have a top knot or ponytail on top of her head.

My Dolly Dingle was made of hard vinyl in 1997 and is 23cm (approximately 9") tall. I think these dolls were produced as set of twelve, as each doll I have seen is dressed in birthstone colours and is named after a semi precious gemstone, like my own Garnet.

Garnet should have really been named Tsavorite as her costume was green and not a deep red as one would expect. Nevertheless, she was going to be redressed, so it didn't really matter to me. Her hair was a bit of a mess, but I loved her funny chubby face and lovely blue eyes.

After a visit to the hairdresser for a wash, condition, cut and style, you can actually see her eyebrows now! She also has new underwear, socks, shoes and a ribbon for her hair.

And this is how she looks now, so cute and well worth bringing home to the fold.