The Ultimate Doll Book (Hardcover)

~ Caroline Goodfellow (Author), Matthew Ward (Photographer), Dorothy Coleman (Foreword), Evelyn Jane Coleman (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Dolls have had a major role in domestic life for centuries. In addition to being children's toys, they reflect the various cultures, lifestyles, and customs of any given civilization. This chronologically arranged book has been designed to give the collector, or the casual reader, an authoritative evolutionary history of dolls as playthings from 1680 to the present. Primary emphasis is given to the European (French and German) doll manufacturers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g., Bru, Steiner, Jumeau, and Kestner). Goodfellow describes the construction and use of all types of dolls (wooden, wax, ceramic, bisque, composition, cloth, clothespin, dollhouse, fashion, and homespun), and noted doll authorities Dorothy and Evelyn Jane Coleman provide an excellent introduction. Beautifully designed and illustrated, this is an irresistible selection for serious doll collectors and researchers; appropriate for most public libraries.
- Ann E. Cohen, Rochester P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Any number of surprises might greet doll devotees on opening Goodfellow's latest book (after Understanding Dolls [1983] and Rare Character Dolls [1987]). The first surprise is that the author is also the toy and doll curator of the Victoria & Albert's Bethal Green Museum. The second one is that baby dolls originated in Europe, not in the U.S. And third, those oh-so-comforting Raggedy Ann dolls were initially a cartoon drawn by American artist Johnny Gruelle. The list goes on and on, but what come as expected (being a Dorling Kindersley imprint) are exquisite color photographs, a very explicit and diagrammatic text, and expert knowledge. In covering more than three centuries of doll making, the author divides and conquers by types, ranging from wooden to the unusual peddler, boudoir, and half dolls. At the end are tips on buying, as well as appendixes featuring addresses, further reading, and a glossary. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: MetroBooks (NY) (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586632345
• ISBN-13: 978-1586632342
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 10.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #591,018 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars My Wife is a Doll Collector, May 20, 2000

By	Richard A. Padgette (Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ultimate Doll Book (Hardcover)

And she says:

This is a good visual reference book, especially if you are a collector of dolls 100 years old (and older). The beautiful wood dolls on page 10 are from the late 1600's - I think a museum would have something like that, but not me. The book is divided into 11 chapters, based on the material the doll is made of, or unusual subject matter such as who they depict. The funniest page is called Patriotic Character Dolls, with all the photos depicting Political Figures (men) from 1890-1918.

The text is somewhat sparse, but the photos are stunning. It seems that every page has color photos on it, making this a good buy for an "art book". As an amateur collector, I do not feel that the information in the book is adequate for me to identify a valuable antique from a reproduction.

There are interesting suggestions for restoration, so this book would be a good addition to a museum curator's reference library if your museum has old dolls to display.

This book is for adults, and its reading level is too advanced for children under 12.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, January 8, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Doll collectors and fans will find Caroline Goodfellow's Ultimate Doll Book to be a fine, colorful guide showcasing more than 400 dolls ranging from 18th century simple peg woodens, to 19th century French fashion dolls, down through today's Barbie & Ken. Chapters are packed with color images and even more important, provide portraits of the dolls clothed and unclothed along with identification tips based on structural details. From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, this is packed with insights.

4.0 out of 5 stars Coffee Table Doll Book, June 14, 2007

By	Lin "Lin22" (Puget Sound) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Doll Book (Hardcover)

I would consider this book a coffee table book. Why??...Because the photos are like the larger photos used in basic coffee table books. Nothing wrong with that, but this book just skims over the various doll categories. Thus, it is a basic doll book with lovely photos, & great for beginner doll collectors.