Collectors Guide to Horsman Dolls 1865-1950 [Hardcover]

Don Jensen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

This is the first book on the market to tell the Horsman story. Partly historical and partly tale of an ambitious entrepreneur and his son, the book is a story of these American doll manufacturers who created literally millions of well made dolls that generations of youngsters loved and cherished. It is the ultimate reference for Horsman doll collectors, with descriptive listings and over 400 color photos, vintage catalog pages, and advertising pictures of commonly found and remarkably rare dolls.200 pages. AUTHORBIO: Don Jensen is a retired newspaperman with 34 years experience as a daily newspaper writer and editor. A freelance writer as well, he has written for national magazines on various subjects since 1967. He has been a frequent contributor to Doll Reader, Doll News, Contemporary Doll Collector, and other doll magazines. He and his wife Arlene enjoy collecting American-made composition dolls from the first half of the twentieth century, especially Horsman dolls. REVIEW: This is the first doll collector's book to tell the Horsman story. It is part history, an intriguing tale of an ambitious, successful entrepreneur and his initially reluctant, but ultimately enthusiastic and innovative son. More importantly, it is the ultimate reference for collectors of Horsman dolls, with descriptive listings and more than 400 illustrations.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Collector Books (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574322796
• ISBN-13: 978-1574322798
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #561,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" For The Knowledgeable Collector, April 28, 2002

By 

Ursula R. Mertz (Delmar, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collectors Guide to Horsman Dolls 1865-1950 (Hardcover)

Don Jensen certainly has "put meat on the bones" for the Horsman Company. A newspaper writer and editor by training, he comanded the considerable research skills necessary to ferret out extensive information on the Horsman company and their early chief designer, Helen Trowbridge. It also made it possible for him to present for the first time ever a picture and markings of the earliest composition doll made by Solomon Hoffman. Horsman's product line is delt with comprehensively, from the early imported dolls to cloth, bisque during WWI, composition and finally plastic. Not only is this an indispensible reference book for doll collectors, but also makes for fascinating reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, June 7, 2002

By 

Doris Picha (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collectors Guide to Horsman Dolls 1865-1950 (Hardcover)

It's about time someone did a comprehensive study of the Horsman company and the wonderful dolls they made. This is a book that will prove valuable to all serious researchers and collectors. Let's hope Jensen will write more books of this caliber.

4.0 out of 5 stars Only one flaw..., February 3, 2010

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Ohio Reader (midwest) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Collectors Guide to Horsman Dolls 1865-1950 (Hardcover)

This is an informative, useful guide. My only complaint is the uneven quality of the photographs. The photos come from many different sources, so their quality varies widely. I'm not referring to the old catalog illustrations; their sometimes poor quality is understandable. I'm talking about the photos of the dolls themselves. Some are crisp and clear, while others suffer all the problems of amateur photography: grainy, out of focus, too much flash, etc. This reduces their usefulness. Still, it's better to have some visual information than none at all, so I'm happy to have this book.