Did you know that the Madame Alexander doll headquarters is still in Harlem, NY and you can take a tour of the 600 doll Heritage Gallery (also referred to as the museum), have a birthday party there , view their design process, and visit the company store??? I wish I would have known about this when we visited New York a few years ago. And, it will definitely be on my itinerary the next time we are in New York.
Just in time for its 87th birthday, the Madame Alexander website has just be re-launched. It is not only a great resource for collectors, but it has an online store and contains all the information you need for booking a tour, birthday party or getting the latest company news.
Some interesting Madame Alexander doll facts:
- Beatrice Alexander Behrman founded the Alexander Doll Co. out of her kitchen in 1923.
- Her father, Maurice, founded what is believed to be America’s first doll hospital on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
- The Madame Alexander doll partnerships with Fifth Avenue toy retailer FAO Schwarz began in 1923 and it’s partnership with Walt Disney started in 1933.
- In 1940s, Madame Alexander dolls were the first dolls with “sleep” eyes that open and close.
- Over 6,500+ Madame Alexander dolls have been produced with only a few different face molds – the dolls originality lies in the various costumes.
Sources: The Making of a Madame Alexander Doll, MadameAlexander.com, Doll Reference
Some of my favorite Madame Alexander dolls that are available now are:
100th commenter!
The last 10 minutes were really touching. I cried!
Ava, the first 20 min. were sad aND THE LAST 10 MINUTES.