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American Girl Dolls for Every Girl
from: Maxx Family LifeOne of the most popular dolls with young girls, and even moms, is the American Girl franchise. Crazed fans of the American Girl series don't stop at collecting their dolls, but also collect their books, movies, and of course, the beautifully crafted American Girl Dolls. So you might be wondering what exactly are American Girl Dolls and why are they so popular? Are they collectable dolls or traditional play dolls? Here's a quick overview of the fascinating history of the American Girls dolls.
History Behind the American Girl Dolls
American Girl Dolls are manufactured by the Pleasant Company. As the American Girl franchise successfully grew, Mattel Corporation -- home of the Barbie Doll -- took notice. In 1998, Mattel Corporation bought the American Girl Company, though it still operates with a lot of autonomy as an independent subsidiary. The original American Girl Doll was conceived by Pleasant T. Rowland, a former teacher and publisher of educational lessons and materials. He founded the Pleasant Company in Middleton, Wisconsin.
The orignal American Girl dolls consisted of the three dolls -- Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly that were only available through their mail-order catalog.
American Girl Dolls' Popularity
The American Girl dolls are extremely popular with young girls, with each generations of women becoming a loyal member of dedicated fans. There are many grandmothers and mothers who are serious collectors. Why so popular? One of the many factors can be attributed to the distinct 'personality' of each doll.
Each American Girl doll represents an entire history and includes its own paperback history and story, along with historical information. Parents appreciate American Girl dolls for their educational value. Each American Girl doll is also linked to a variety of historically accurate accessories, including distinctly historical costumes and outfits, furniture, and books. At 18 inches tall, the dolls are an easy size to costume which is certainly why many young girls enjoy designing and sewing period clothes for their favorite American Girl character.
By skimming through the list of the most popular American Girl dolls will give a newcomer a good sense of how each doll inhabits a time period and character. Here's a short list of some of the most popular American Girl dolls:
* Kirsten, the pioneer girl. She's a young and spirited girl growing up on the American frontier of 1854.
* Felicity, is a young colonial girl growing up during the Revolutionary years in Williamsburg, Virginia.
* Josefina, a young Hispanic girl growing up on a ranch in the New Mexico territory of 1824. * Samantha, the Victorian era girl. As an orphan she now lives with her grandmother. Her costumes are ornately Victorian.
* Addy, is a young African American girl growing up during the Civil War.
Many girls enchanted and fascinated by the fictional yet compelling lives of the young girls portrayed by the American Girl dolls. The history covered by the American Girl dolls is diverse and divergent and by learning the history of these dolls, young girls also get a major education on American history.
The American Girl Dolls as Collectors Items
There has been some debate as to whether American Girl dolls should be treated as play dolls, or locked away in the curio closet. The American Girl dolls are quite versatile -- well made and expensive enough to be treated as collector's items by some fans. Another factor is they're not nearly as expensive as many other collectible dolls, however, there are those who would argue they're much too fun to be locked away.
The average cost of a basic American Girl doll set is $84. Fans of the American Girl dolls tend to take good care of their dolls which means they continue to enjoy them for many years.
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