Doll Kind :: Dolls of the 20th Century - A Celebration in Pictures and Histories
posted by anastasiav on Nov 16, 2009 - 20 comments

Barbie has cankles? So says designer Christian Louboutin. (via)
posted by mrgrimm on Oct 15, 2009 - 68 comments

Artist/Designer Ilisha Helfman makes clothes for her custom made paper dolls every week from the cover of the New York Times Magazine.
posted by ocherdraco on Sep 16, 2009 - 9 comments

Stalin's Secret Weapon - a Russian hobbyist's terminator-esque diorama painstakingly constructed from military action figures. (Via buzz
posted by madamjujujive on Jul 19, 2009 - 22 comments

Verminology is a specimen garden of monsters and beasts of the most pestiferous and meddlesome sort, drawn by fingertip on iPhone, using Brushes app. New additions daily. Also be sure to check out Toadbriar for dolls, paintings, sculpture, and Faerie fun! From MeFi's own Lou Stuells. [via mefi projects].
posted by cjorgensen on Mar 15, 2009 - 8 comments

The Mattel toy company insists that their Little Mommy Cuddle 'n Coo dolls do not utter the phrase "Islam is the light." You be the judge.
posted by Knappster on Oct 24, 2008 - 75 comments

Dafne and Ofelia - Dafne at the Prado, Dafne in Almeria, the pair outside. I believe their clothing to be largely handmade. The whole photostream is quite the labor of love.
posted by frecklefaerie on Sep 8, 2008 - 4 comments

Barbie vs Bratz: Mattel sues MGA, claiming the Bratz designs were created by a Mattel employee and smuggled to its rival.
posted by Artw on May 5, 2008 - 40 comments

What happens in the shadow, in the grey regions, also interests us – all that is elusive and fugitive, all that can be said in those beautiful half tones, or in whispers, in deep shade.

Here are some short films by Stephen and Timothy, the Brothers Quay. [more inside]
posted by Iridic on Feb 3, 2008 - 13 comments

Barbie Tarot.
posted by Orb on Jan 29, 2008 - 22 comments

"My Fake Baby" is a Channel 4 documentary exploring "the lives of women who spend hundreds of pounds on life-like baby dolls. Loved like real babies, they're taken for walks, cuddled and even have their nappies changed." Parts 2, 3, 4, 5.
posted by Avenger50 on Jan 6, 2008 - 68 comments

Real Dolls and the men who love them - this 46 minute documentary explores the lives of four men and the relationships they have established with alternative partners in life. NSFW - doll nudity alert.
posted by madamjujujive on Jul 8, 2007 - 110 comments

Free to Be... You and Me
posted by thirteenkiller on May 22, 2007 - 56 comments

Sunday sillibiz: Snackimals, really fancy fashions for dogs, RubikCubism, hairstyle names from 1970s Ebony ad, burquas for men, fetish dollies [nsfw], Art Car Museum, the hideaway cosy, baby tiger cub sleeps and plays. [via]
posted by nickyskye on Feb 11, 2007 - 14 comments

Surreal Barbie and Ken jewelry art by Margaux Lange. Previously (but her work and site have evolved since then). While in China, voodoo dolls have been banned and immediately became a jewelry/accessory craze.
posted by nickyskye on Feb 6, 2007 - 20 comments

Gobler Toys: The Fun We Can't Remember. A fictional toy company with an online collection of toys, dolls and games that only exist in the inventors' imaginations. Don't miss the hilarious Star Wars Toys That Never Were. (flash animation)
posted by amyms on Jan 14, 2007 - 9 comments

The most dangerous toys of all time. Lawn darts? Check. Cabbage Patch Dolls that chewed off your fingers? Check. Working radioactive U-238 Atomic Energy Lab? Check. To spark more memories of holidays past, peruse the 10 weirdest toy ads of all time, and don't forget the Cheap Toy Roundup if you don't have enough cash. Or you could always get a Talking Jesus from Toys for Tots.
posted by blahblahblah on Dec 13, 2006 - 62 comments

Amamanta Family Dolls offers you a variety of multicultural and educational doll sets that are anatomically correct.
posted by Arcaz Ino on Dec 13, 2006 - 18 comments

Thomas Pynchon Paper Dolls Something light because, yes, it's the run-up to the November 21st release of Against the Day, the new 1000 page doorstop from Thomas Pynchon. The Modern Word is using the time to update their already vast Pynchon site. Good luck. (A whole lot of other paper dolls previously.)
posted by OmieWise on Oct 27, 2006 - 37 comments

The Uncanny Valley of the Portrait Dolls Wouldn't your daughter like a doll that looks just like her? Wouldn't your son love to pal around with his very own clone? You can get it done in paper, felt, cloth, plastic, bobblehead, porcelain or magnets! For schoolgirls, toddlers, babies (preemies too!) and even fetuses. Don't worry Mom and Dad, you can get them too!
posted by Biblio on Apr 5, 2006 - 35 comments

The tradition of making Japanese dolls, called ningyo—meaning human figure—goes back as far as 10,000 years to clay figures made during the Jomon period. The more recent rise in popularity, though, is most often traced to Hina Matsuri--Girls' Day, or the Doll Festival, celebrated on March 3--originating during the Edo period. These antique ningyo are highly sought after by collectors, such as the American expert Alan Pate, who has written a number of articles on the subject. The modern Japanese doll culture, however, is anything but traditional. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ningyo tradition was exported to make toys for the West (previously featured on MeFi), and has culminated in popular Barbie-type dolls such as Superdollfie and others. Contemporary artists have transformed the Japanese doll tradition into something else entirely: Simon Yotsuya, Ryo Yoshida, Koitsukihime, Yoko Ueno, Mario A., Etsuko Miura, and Kai Akemi. A number of these artists were featured in the Dolls of Innocence exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. Of course, notable artists outside Japan have worked with dolls before, including Hans Bellmer, who inspired much of the artwork in Innocence, the follow-up to Ghost in the Shell. Explore more: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. [Several links are nsfw.]
posted by monju_bosatsu on Mar 24, 2006 - 11 comments

The "Jap Doll" -- Ningyô on the Western Toyshelf 1850-1940
posted by matteo on Feb 10, 2006 - 10 comments

"I would get a doll that cried or peed when you pressed its stomach, and think it was pretty lame. I'd be like, 'Mom, I don't want this. Can I return it for a camping set?'" With NSFW accessories? I guess a plain, old creepy doll is now out of the question as a gift?
posted by Rothko on Dec 1, 2005 - 37 comments

Sinister Dolls: "They lived. They died. They were raised from the grave. Sinister Dolls were once ordinary dolls". More creepy art by the same artist. Happy Hallowe'en!
posted by biscotti on Oct 28, 2005 - 13 comments

Mary was just an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life - the type of life just about any girl of that time would lead. She had a normal family, and was engaged to be married to a humble carpenter named Joseph. And then she got a visit from the angel Gabriel and was transformed into a scripture-quoting action figure. (Don't forget to learn how to use).
posted by nobody on Oct 4, 2005 - 37 comments

Is your child an angel with attitude? Time to win yourself some Angel Dollars. "Entries will be judged on facial beauty, expression & fashion, and overall appeal of photo. These should be professional pictures, but should not be extremely or overly retouched. (We are judging the child - not the retoucher!) Divisional Winners will receive 25.00 Angel Dollars, and 1 Overall Winner will receive 50.00 Angel Dollars."
posted by sharksandwich on Jul 9, 2005 - 66 comments

Breast brooches and butt bracelets: Barbie bits as jewelry. More here.
posted by Orb on Jun 20, 2005 - 22 comments

Pinky:st is VANCE PROJECT and BABYsue's series of cute girl figurines with interchangeable parts. This series has quite a large following, both in Japan (where they originate from) and overseas. In addition to the regular line-- and various limited editions-- there's Pinky:cos (cosplay Pinkies) and P:Chara (characters from video games and anime). Of course, if the look you want (or your favorite character) is unavailable, many hobbyists mod and repaint their Pinkies. And then there's the cool photoblogs...
posted by May Kasahara on Jun 19, 2005 - 3 comments

No sir! I didn't see you playing with your dolls, sir! [NSFW]
posted by kenko on Apr 19, 2005 - 22 comments

Strange dolls
posted by madamjujujive on Mar 28, 2005 - 29 comments

The Frag Dolls "represent the ladies in gaming with the taste and talent for beating you at your own games. So, for all you guys who think the only gals in gaming are the leather-clad, pixilated beauties on your screens, think again. We're real, and we've got the skills to teach you a few tricks of our own." They're also sponsored by UbiSoft. Dismantling stereotypes or reinforcing them? (via Annalee Newitz, and a nice counterpart to this thread)
posted by mrgrimm on Nov 18, 2004 - 52 comments

Super Dollfies: are they the Cabbage Patch Kids / Furbies of the moment?
Near obsessive Do not call me DOLL Super Dollfie photo blog.
posted by page404 on Jul 21, 2004 - 14 comments

What is it about dolls? Sometimes they just seem so very VERY creepy!
posted by willnot on Nov 17, 2003 - 10 comments

Republican Dolls, Dons, Dens And Dubyas: Come back Barbie and Ken - all is forgiven! (Via Bifurcated Rivets.)
posted by MiguelCardoso on Nov 15, 2003 - 8 comments

Razanne, the Muslim alternative to this, this, this, or this
(Last link possibly NSFW?)
posted by magullo on Oct 9, 2003 - 21 comments

19 artists create russian nesting dolls. (be sure and move your pointer over each one to examine the each figure.)
posted by crunchland on Sep 8, 2003 - 21 comments

Sure, Scarlett O'Hara Barbie is lovely, and yeah, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz Barbie is cute, but for my money, it's hard to beat Marge Simpson Barbie, Medusa Barbie, or Dominatrix Barbie. The full collection, located here, clearly owes a debt to Todd Haynes, and the Barbie Liberation Army, but is still worth a chuckle.
posted by jonson on Jun 21, 2003 - 7 comments

Barbie and her friends now have blogs. Seeing this seriously made me consider hanging my hat and going home. They even have webcams, to do lists, and little photo galleries. The corporate giants are working hard to pull girls in to technology - which is a really good thing. Too bad the latest posts are about buying mini-skirts and things like that.
posted by christine_bpc on Mar 15, 2003 - 14 comments

Ushabtis are small mummiform dolls that the ancient Egyptians buried with the dead. 'Ushabti' means 'Answerer'. [more inside]
posted by Slithy_Tove on Mar 5, 2003 - 16 comments

Shy Kids. "Each realistic Shy Kid (UK time out dolls) is lovingly hand-crafted and each one is different. Standing around 29"-34" approximately the same height as a two year old, your Shy Kid can be leant against a wall, couch or anywhere you desire."
posted by _sirmissalot_ on Nov 15, 2002 - 39 comments

Lingerie Barbies. From FAO Schwarz. This is not a spoof.

(Personally, I'll pick black over white any day of the week, but that's another story)
posted by magullo on Oct 28, 2002 - 33 comments

History of U.S. Armies in Uniform From His Majesty’s First Independent Company of American Rangers, Colonial America, 1747 to Special Operations, Tora Bora, Afghanistan, 2002. Although this site is very interesting from a historical perspective, I like it because it contains what must be the coolest Action Man collection in existence.
posted by RobertLoch on Jul 3, 2002 - 2 comments

Proof that someone, somewhere will make an action figure out of anything: Porn star action figures (complete with dancer pole!), eminem action figures (complete with chainsaw?), and Jeffrey Dahmer. eek.
posted by mathowie on Jun 16, 2002 - 22 comments

Barbie creator, Mattel founder Handler dies More than one billion Barbies have been sold in 150 countries and has inspired love from girls everywhere and pure hatred from feminists everywhere. "The impossibly well-endowed doll -- her original figure would be about 39-18-33 if she were human -- has infuriated feminists, inspired artists and intrigued academics around the world. Barbie even was placed in the official "America's Time Capsule" buried in 1976." Can you think of any other toy who has brought about as much ferver as Barbie???
posted by gloege on Apr 29, 2002 - 30 comments

Hey guys, want to play with some manly paper dolls...er, I mean manly paper action figures? You do? Rev up your printers and sharpen your scissors, then. You can download and play with your very own Elvis or Ziggy Stardust, or maybe Billy Ray Cyrus, The Dead Milkmen's PunkRockEr, Bob Dylan, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oliver from Green Acres, Professor Henry Higgins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks' Mr. Brown, the fetching dual poses of Mr. Humphries from "Are You Being Served?", Brave Colonists From Mars, Trekkies, Luke Skywalker and his tons of cool duds, Dylan Hunt from Andromeda, Tom Sawyer, Hercule Poirot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Neil Gaiman's Morpheus, Monet's Young John, or Diego Rivera. (more inside >>>)
posted by iconomy on Mar 25, 2002 - 8 comments

Multiethnic Barbie. (picture) ""It would be really boring if there were all white people," says the fourth-grader, who also likes her dolls to portray people she knows - from her half-Asian cousins to classmates of all races." Of course, nobody she knows probably has Barbie's proportions...
posted by owillis on Feb 19, 2002 - 31 comments

When I first saw this in the Indiana Living section of the Indianapolis Star, I nearly did a spit take on my morning coffee.

These "educational" dolls have names like Starlet Stephanie, N.Y. Sammy, San Juan Carmen, Windy City Girl, East L.A. Lupe, Beantown Cynthia, and Confederate Tammy, and seem to be the worst sort of stereotyping (as well as relying on overly simplistic moralizing backstories).

What... no Waspy Wendy? Apparently they're working on a "Black-American" (from the article, I assume they mean "African-American"). Shouldn't children, by definition, be innocent, and not be subjected to these badly designed, poorly plotted, crypto-racist, "Ghetto-Patch kids?"
posted by jpburns on Jan 9, 2002 - 24 comments

Mullet Head action figures are now available! Collect all four and reenact scenes from Spinal Tap, Joe Dirt, Wayne's World, and more.
posted by riffola on Jan 6, 2002 - 10 comments

Heroes by James - James doesn't like the some of the action fugres he buys, so he modifies them to get what he wants. Check out the Hulk and Iron Man figures. Pretty nice.
posted by plinth on Sep 4, 2001 - 6 comments

Real Doll --The world's finest love mate Realistic, life-size and beautiful. Elastic flesh, an articulated skeleton and sexy features like no other love doll in the world. Most love dolls are made of cheap, inflatable vinyl. They look pathetic and laughable -- not loveable. Check these out, and for a paltry $7000 you've got the ideal mate.
posted by semmi on Jul 9, 2001 - 20 comments