Early European Dolls. Dolls have ..1.. as children’s playthings for thousands of years.
However, they were ..2.. manufactured as toys in large numbers in Germany in the ..3.. century. The centres of the industry were factories at Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Sonneberg.
The dolls were primitive and ..4.. of wood, clay, rags, and wax. They were dressed in clothes to ..5.. German women of the time.
Soon factories in England, France, Holland, and Italy, as well as Germany, began ..6.. dolls dressed in fashions ..7.. of their respective countries.
Another ..8.. of doll, "lady" dolls, were extremely expensive and elegant, and were used as gifts ..9.. the aristocracy.
These dolls, and the "fashion" dolls, which were later manufactured in Paris, have remained popular ..10.. since.
Such dolls were often used to model the latest clothing trends and were sent from one country to another to show off the latest fashions. Today they are prized collector’s ..11...
By the 17th century, however, ..12.. dolls began to appear, made of cloth or leather, and these were very ..13.. as toys for both boys and girls. There were several improvements in manufacturing.
Early European Dolls. Dolls' heads became more realistic, and new materials were used. ..14.. in the 18th century manufacturers developed soft leather which ..15.. like human skin, and this was used in the more expensive dolls. Dolls began to look, feel, and move more like humans.
Dolls have existed as children’s playthings for thousands of years. However, they were first manufactured as toys in large numbers in Germany in the fifteenth century. The centres of the industry were factories at Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Sonneberg. The dolls were primitive and made of wood, clay, rags, and wax. They were dressed in clothes to look like German women of the time. Soon factories in England, France, Holland, and Italy, as well as Germany, began producing dolls dressed in fashions typical of their respective countries. Another type of doll, "lady" dolls, were extremely expensive and elegant, and were used as gifts among the aristocracy. These dolls, and the "fashion" dolls, which were later manufactured in Paris, have remained popular ever since. Such dolls were often used to model the latest clothing trends and were sent from one country to another to show off the latest fashions. Today they are prized collector's items By the 17th century, however, simpler dolls began to appear, made of cloth or leather, and these were very suitable as toys for both boys and girls. There were several improvements in manufacturing. Dolls' heads became more realistic, and new materials were used. Early in the 18th century manufacturers developed soft leather which felt like human skin, and this was used in the more expensive dolls. Dolls began to look, feel, and move more like humans. | |||||||||||||||