Restaurant, Gift Shop & Toy Museum

190 Alamo Road
Carrollton, Ohio 44615

330-627-7980
Tuesday through Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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       This museum features a vast range of playthings available to American children from the 1700's to the present day.
        The toys are featured in imaginative and colorful displays, and include wooden, wax, china, French and German bisque, mechanical, papier-mâché, composition, and cloth dolls; and stuffed animals and Teddy bears, most notably those manufactured by the German maker Margarete Steiff.
       Special sections are devoted to some of America's most beloved and certainly most popular toys---Raggedy Ann and Andy, Shirley Temple, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and all the 1930's Disneyana!
       Also a miniature fantasy world awaits you-- toy china sets, antique dollhouses, doll-size kitchens, doll and child-size furniture, and a detailed circus filled with both Steiff and Schoenhut circus pieces.
       Make plans to join us for a whimsical step-back in time. Hopefully, during your visit, you
will be happily transported to a world of wonderful childhood memories.
       The museum's hours are the same as Bluebird Farm's. Group tours are encouraged and special occasions can be accommodated.



Gifts from France
       With a trunk dated November 8, 1864, this French Fashion
doll and her original clothing and accessories are truly beautiful
Also, in this case, you will see a Tete Jumeau Bebe as well as
a DEP, which is a doll manufactured in Germany for the French market.

      
Kestner Beauties
       This display is a grouping of beautiful all original Kestner
dolls that had been in one family throughout the years. Kestner
is one of the oldest doll manufacturers in the world, founded
in 1805. Based in Germany, the Kestner Company is famous
for producing dolls of consistent excellent quality. Notice the
fabulous outfits and accessories that are also all original to
these exquisite dolls. Particularly sweet are the doll's dollies
which are so endearing. This display is one of our favorites
and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!





China Dolls
       Made primarily in Germany from 1840's to the 1920's
china dolls are dated by and most noted for their hairdos.
Unusual dolls in our display are a Currier and Ives, an Alice
in Wonderland, a Biedermeier (solid dome head with a wig),
and an exposed ear china.
Wax Dolls
       Wax dolls began in England in the early to mid-1800's. It is
belived these dolls were introduced to Germany in 1851. In
1890, bisque dolls replaced wax dolls.
Papier-Mâché
       These dolls were made since around 1810 by German and
American manufacturers. Ludwig Greiner is a famous American
producer of Papier-Mâché dolls. A Greiner is in our display with
an attached March 30, 1858 patent date label.





German Bisque Character Babies

       "Hilda" is the most favored of all the Kestner character babies.
Our small Hilda is mold number 237.

The 24 inch Hilda baby (No. 245) was the largest one made and is
hard to find in this size.


Unusual bisque dolls

       Carl Bergner Multi faced doll - 3 different faces - Laughs, sleeps,
and cries. (1888 on).


       

Kathe Kruse Dolls

       Cloth dolls signed and made in Germany by
Kathe Kruse as play dolls for her children. (1910 on).

Kathe Kruse - Doll I in original clothing with wide swivel hips and oil painted face. (1910)











English Bears

       The English began producing teddy bears in the early 1900's These bears are distinguished by their long, silky mohair and later by their flat faces, plump bodies, and short arms and legs. Famous English bears include Winnie the Pooh, Sooty, Rupert, and Paddington. Well-known English bear manufacturers include Merrythought, Dean's Rag Book Company, J.K. Farnell, Chiltern, Chad Valley and Pedigree.









The American Teddy Bear

       American teddy bears will bring a smile to your face. Also dating to the early 1900's and on, the variety of designs, the endearing facial expressions, and the unique body shape give American bears a whimsical appeal. Probably the most famous American manufacturer of teddy bears was the Ideal Toy Company.

       Mixed in with our teddy bears are 1940's composition military dolls and iron military figures.










Schoenhut Dolls
       The Albert Schoenhut factory in Philadelphia,
PA manufactued a large number of patented wooden metal-
jointed dolls from 1911-1930. The company also produced other
toys ranging from the Humpty Dumpty circus to pianos to
dollhouses.

Schoenhut piano

Schoenhut dollhouses.
   

Madame Alexander Dolls
        Madame Alexander dolls are reputed for being outfitted in
exquisitely trimmed silks, velvets, satins, and other fine fabrics with
beautiful accessories to complement each wonderfully designed
costume. One of the most overlooked facts about Madame was that
she was a clothing designer before she was a doll artist. In fact, she
won the Fashion Academy Award for clothing design from 1951-1954.
This may be the reason why Madame labeled
the doll's outfits with a tag rather than marking the doll itself!







American Composition Dolls
        It was in the development of the unbreakable and durable
composition doll made by numerous doll-making companies that
America excelled in the 1930's. Many companies and styles of
dolls are represented in this case from the beautiful faces and
clothing of the Madame Alexander Company to the character
faces of the Cameo and Effanbee companies.

Cameo-Giggles, Scootles, Joy, and Kewpie
Effanbee- Baby Grumpy, Skippy, and the Patsy family
Ideal- Peterkin (1929), Betsy Wetsy.
American Character-Tiny Tears.







Raggedy Ann
        Our display shows you the many faces of Raggedy Ann through the
years. However one thing remains constant - the doll's timeless message
of love.





Disneyana
        Look for all your favorite Disney characters in this case! In the
cupboard is a fine collection of 1930's bisque figures. Of special
interest are the Ohio Art sand pails and tea sets, which were made in Bryan, Ohio.