Kaethe Kruse doll

When I saw yesterday's entry of Mumzi I was so reminded of the dolls that I liked most in my life. They were made by hand by Kaethe Kruse, born in 1883 in Breslau. She had 7 children and wanted her children to have dolls that felt soft and could be carried around, had a little weight , like a real baby. The dolls became so famous that already in 1911 she had to create her own manufactory, there was a huge demand in the US too. She continued her production even after the two wars, when the material was scarce. If you wanted a doll then you had to send the fabrics that you wanted to be used to the manufactory as well as your own hair to have a wig made.

OnFlickr I posted 5 more pics of her older dolls how they are in museums now and two pics of herself with her kids and dolls.

I loved and collected these dolls when my daughter was little and they remind me of many happy moments. I am still a doll collector and have some beautiful other antique dolls, but they are, according to the fashion in the 18hundreds, ladies, not babies. On a rainy day I might make a portrait of them :-)