Mariposa Revisited

A little Sunday post to end the weekend and the month of March! Is there better way to do it than with Mel Odom's "Phoenix" Gene Marshall? The very first issue of the JAMIEshow Gene Marshall iterations, "Phoenix" wears Tim Kennedy's "Winged Inspiration." Originally issued in 2004 by Ashton-Drake, the design dates to 1947.  It's a grand tribute to La Victoire de Samothrace.

Cora and Caleb

Sister and brother? Or neighbors? Schoolmates? Sasha doll's Cora and Caleb are beautiful and unique characters with which to create many a narrative and enjoy a few hours of unadulterated play. For this Saturday evening entry, Dolldom imagines Cora and Caleb enjoying a day out in a forest. Cora, in her playful dress by A Passion for Sasha is quick to point out that there's a slew of mushrooms on the forest ground. Better not touch them, Caleb! Caleb, in his original fashion, listens to Cora's wise advise. Soon it will be dinner time and a mother or a father's voice will be calling them to come in, for the cold of the night approaches...

 Cora and Caleb! Cora, circa 1985, and Caleb, circa 1974, enjoy a walk in the forest after the rain.

 Cora dons a sweet-as-maple-syrup tutti-futti dot dress and bloomer dress by A Passion for Sasha and her original shoes and socks.

 Darling girl Cora. Her perfect hair is the delight of Dolldom's stylists.

Caleb, in his 1970s form, is made of an exquisite dark ebony tone vinyl.

Sasha Love

The artist Sasha Morgenthaler created a realm of childhood that, like good literature, offers a stimulating serving of ambiguity to those who engage with it. Begin with the sculpt: a universal depiction of the human child transforms via vinyl coloration and hair. The one becomes the everyone. Proceed to the expression: a smile? Not really. A pout? Certainly not. It all depends on the tilt of the head and the way that the light illuminates the face to evoke a milliard possible expressions. End with the simplicity of it all: the integrity and strength of the artist's vision creates a doll that requires the most minimal of adornments to be. The Sasha doll is a presence, a sentiment, a conduit to the eternal moment to which many of us aim. That is the power of art and the power of a very good doll.

Dolldom shares this exclusive portfolio with an invitation to dream and to project your thoughts into these soulful vignettes. Our hope is that you will reconnect with the essential moment of childhood that makes us the unique creatures we are today.

Friend for Life

Dolldom remembers the late 1960s when the Sasha dolls by Sasha Morgenthaler, made their appearance at the posh González Padín department store in Plaza Las Américas in Puerto Rico. The display was breathtaking - a veritable It's A Small World that required no catchy song to communicate its message clearly - children and childhood, regardless of despair and disparity, will always convey hope.

Our anecdote of the famed department store's Sasha display comes with one more event: the saleswoman explained to many a mother who inquired about the "dark" color of the dolls' skins that these new dolls were educational. Dolldom is sure that to the children of those mothers, the dolls were simply magical and invited them to be friends. But perhaps, their educational label and groundbreaking look deterred those friendships from realizing. For a while, at least, as this entry proves.

Much has changed since the days of 1969, yet Sasha dolls remain magnificent examples of doll art. For this story, Dolldom focuses on Caleb, produced by Trendon in England. With his short Afro and fisherman's sweater in soft yellow, Caleb exemplifies classic doll - untouched by the vagaries of fashion, this little guy will look authentically good even in 2069. Thank you, Sasha Morgenthaler!

Piccola Monalisa

Mid-century design, you say? Nothing beats a doll from that period as today's story is bound to prove. A recent antiquing find, our flirty-eyed Bonomi bambola is a real 1950s treat. Made in Italy of painted Rhodoid (the trade name for a cellulose acetate plastic made by May & Baker Ltd. in England) our 18-inch lass is full of character and perhaps a good dash of mystery.

Monalisa, as she was named by our editors, came wearing a coral colored jumper over a playful tutti-futti print blouse with attached organza petticoat. The blouse's collar is a separate piece that closes in front with a hook and eye. A blue apron with patches allows her to paint, make-believe-cook, and tend to her baby and keep her dress spotless. Her golden leather sandals hint to her penchant for glamour. Her human hair wig is styled in an carefree bob with coquettish bangs. Much to our surprise, during the photo session, Monalisa uttered a charming cry! Little did we know she had it in her to be a crier doll too!

But it is her expression and her flirty eyes that capture our collective heart. Depending on the pose, Monalisa's gaze will smoothly travel from left to right giving her the much desired playful character. When she took a nap in between photos, (required by law when working with children) her eyes closed. Yet her smile kept on being, much to our delight. What keeps her so amused? We are still wondering.

Dolldom welcomes any information that our readers may possess about our darling Monalisa and Bonomi dolls in general.

In A Manly Manner

The male doll. Dolldom recalls the days when G.I. Joe, Ken, Big Jim, and Matt Mason were the principal cast of characters in the world of male dolls. Much has changed since those days and today's fashion doll scene offers a wide variety of male doll characters who, in many cases, are much more than mere escorts  for female fashion dolls. Today's male doll is his own man and exists for a sector of the doll collecting population that enjoys delving into the gentleman's sartorial adventures.

Havana Nights Lee by JAMIEshow caught Dolldom's attention for his youthful and serene look. His bald head is the perfect style to impart a certain air of toughness to an otherwise kind and affable expression. With 20 points of articulation, Lee is the consummate fashion model as the photos of this exclusive portfolio illustrate.  A limited edition of 100 dolls worldwide, this Asian-American character will bring elegance and diversity to those who acquire him.

In DAE Original's peacoat and Tonner Doll's sweater, Lee is ready for a day of nautical fun.

Who's the man behind the dark glasses?

It's Lee, looking tough while giving face.

Lee wears Tonner Doll's Huey fashion, inspired by the musical Memphis. Dolldom thinks that Lee rocks the look.

Havana Nights Lee shows off his posing abilities.

Lee comes wearing silky boxer shorts and leather sandals.

King of the Ski Lodge. Lee wears an oatmeal sweater by Tonner Doll Company for the Matt O'Neill Collection.

Formerly worn by Daniel Craig in the movie The Golden Compass, this well-tailored suit by Tonner Doll is ideal for more formal occasions.

The smoking jacket. A necessity to live out a James Bond fantasy.

This vintage style by Effanbee Doll Company for Basil St. James is hardcore Agent 007.

For more on Lee, visit JAMIEshow's site.