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One of my favorite things about the many years I spent at "dollsandreams" was Saturday afternoon when all the new hand-made fashions were introduced. Yvonne had a group of knitters and home sewers who usually brought their creations either Friday night or early Saturday morning. By mid afternoon all the local kids and collectors filled the shop and the rush to find new outfits was on.
I used to make up a simple "apron" dress like the one above that is just one piece of fabric. I often made them in felt and the kids would decorate them with little bows, felt flowers, and buttons.
A few years ago I started doing them as reversible dresses and hats. It was a popular little dress among the kids because of being easy to make and easy to dress a Sasha in.
While it was Yvonne who first introduced me to Sasha dolls there was another woman who provided me with the much needed information I required when I started collecting my second Sasha family almost 30 years later.
I have never met Dorisanne but her book has been my constant companion since the year 2000.
Sasha Dolls Through the Years is beautifully photographed in full color and expertly researched. It is the perfect guide for the beginning collector as well as for a collector returning after many years away. All of the doll's details and variations are described in clear text and illustrated with full-color photographs.
Here was another good enabler taking me by the hand and explaining everything I wanted, and needed, to know.
The paperback edition is $32.95 and the hardcover edition is $39.95. If you are serious about Sasha I suggest the hardcover edition because it will endure many, many hours of reading and researching.
Both are available from Dorisanne directly. And she will autograph your copy if you ask her.
Contact Dorisanne Osborn at crosnest@linkny.com
In typical schizophrenic English language style, the word enable is a good thing. The Dictionary defines it as "to provide with the means or opportunity -- training that enables people to earn a living."
However, in current social terms, and the Dictionary, an enabler is a bad thing and defined as "one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior."But what about the good enabler? My life has been filled with them -- especially my life with Sasha.
My first enabler was Yvonne, the owner of "dollsandreams." Her winning smile, charming accent, and obvious love for Sasha dolls encouraged me to adopt my first Gregor. And, as my mentor and enabler, she delighted me with stories about their creator and the wonderful people in England who manufactured them.
Her first-hand knowledge and obvious devotion only intensified my fascination with these artfully crafted dolls who could stand on their heads.
It was Yvonne who took me by the hand and guided me down the yellow brick road that I would later call Sasha Street.
Back in the early 1970s, when I first started adopting Sasha dolls, I was not a collector in any sense of the word. My Grandmother had hundreds and hundreds of dolls and Teddy Bears and she was definitely a collector.
At best, I was an acquirer who dropped by "dollsandreams" every week and usually brought home a few Sashas -- until there were over 100 of them playing in their specially designed cabinets.
That, however, led to collecting that now resembles amassing and a passionate desire to learn more and more about these charming creations.
When we moved to California, most of my first Sashas went to live with other families. I planned to take a small Sasha family with us but they were lost in the move.
When I got my first computer, and discovered the Internet and eBay, I started to search for Sashas. Once again I began to acquire (not collect) one Sasha after another. But none of them looked exactly like my first family.
So, I began to study the differences. Armed with Dorisanne's book, and the detailed descriptions on various websites, I learned about the differences between my first Sasha family and my later one.
After starting this blog a month ago, I decided to go in search of a third Sasha family that would be made up of my first family's sisters, brothers and cousins.
Thanks to three wonderful "enablers" I think I have found three cousins of the girls in the photo above. The first one will arrive early next week and the other two will come across the pond from England.
I will share their adventures, and my quest, with you in the days ahead.
A couple of days ago I wrote about designing for Sasha and mentioned the line of doll dresses that I created for Feltman Brothers and which they produced. One of the dresses fit Sasha perfectly and was made in white, pink, yellow, and blue. All of the Feltman dresses were hand-made at that time. Here is Sasha wearing the blue version.
I always admired Sasha for her understanding of children and how they play. I also admired the fact that her baby dolls were -- what the prudes call "anatomically correct." Several doll companies have tried to produce realistic baby dolls and all have been severely criticized by the more conservative population. I have often wondered if their point of view was the result of playing too much "doctor" as a child or not playing it often enough.
In 1950, I joined hundreds of students in a giant hall to hear Margaret Mead discuss her work as a researcher and anthropologist. She was a powerful speaker and passionate about her work.
At one point she explained how she had to add "sex parts" to the dolls so that the natives would not think white people were -- "incomplete" as she put it.
Sadly, the beautiful Sasha babies were forced by circumstances to become "incomplete" just as every other doll who dared to be "real" had done.
But, on the bright side, children still play "doctor."
I admit that I don't know too much about the GOTZ Sasha dolls that were introduced after Trendon ceased production.
A few years ago I started paying more attention to them and eventually adopted ALBERTO and MARIA who I have already written about on this blog.
At first glance I thought that Gotz, like Trendon, was using the same head mold for all their dolls. But, Maria and Alberto just did not look alike. I asked a few friends about it, but never really got a definitive answer.
So I photographed them nose-to-nose and discovered there are very subtle differences that possibly account for their distinctly different personalities.
Or it might just be my imagination.
Looking back to those early days of Sasha in the 1970s, I realize how contemporary their styling was -- especially Gregor in his slim jeans and Beatle style haircut. Sasha was very trendy as well in her leather mini dress and knee-high boots.
Thinking about the Beatles reminds me of a popular "mind-trick" from the 1970s. This was always good for a free drink at the bar when your chums got the answer wrong -- which everyone usually did.
"Which came first -- the arrival of the Beatles in America or the assassination of President Kennedy?"
Both events were still fresh in everyone's mind so the confusion was understandable, but even today most people get it wrong.
The dates are a clue - November 22, 1963 and August 15, 1965.
President Kennedy probably never even heard of the Beatles before the awful November day in 1963.
But most people switch the events in their minds and say the Beatles came first.
What did you think?
Here is one of my favorite images of the Sasha family of dolls. This counter card was created by Trendon for use by their retailers.
This one came from "dollsandreams" in New York City.
Back in the early 1970s, when I first started collecting Sasha dolls, I did not pay much attention to which outfit they wore or which tube they came in. After several months there were over a hundred tubes in my closet.
When we decided to move to California a decade later I had to decide which Sashas would make the transition. I selected a blonde and brunette version of Sasha, Gregor, and the baby. The rest of my Sashas went to live with other families.
Sadly, all my original Sashas were lost in the move.
When I started collecting again I was like one of those older fathers starting a second generation of kids. There have been articles written about what good fathers they are the second time around.
Hmmmm?
Well, I still don't pay much attention to their outfits or their tubes and boxes, but I do pamper them a bit more than my first generation.
Here is my second generation brunette Sasha wearing a beautiful handmade romper created by my friend Joan.
This brunette is very different from my first one but she does have deep bangs and wonderful eyes.
And I do indulge her.
As an only child, I have often made a joke of my plight.
"Even though I am an only child, I am not my Mother's favorite. Her favorite was the one she wanted."
The great American doll designer, Madame Alexander, was asked if she had a favorite doll. She replied, "Does a Mother have a favorite child?"
Of course the answer is -- yes!
As a parent I can say that each of my children is a favorite for very different reasons and at various times depending on the circumstances.
The same is true of my Sashas. I love the dark-eyed brunettes, but the blondes are often easier to photograph. The brunettes have a more elusive and mysterious quality while the blondes seem more wistful and a little bit lost.
And all are a reflection of my mood at the moment.
Perhaps that is why I always seem to group them in families -- blonde and brunette.
The sky is dark today with threatening clouds and the hint of approaching rain.
A perfect day for brunettes.
Throughout history it seems that the artists who created dolls were faced with the same dilemma -- are these dolls for children or adults?
Today, doll companies continue to ponder that marketing question and more often than not they come up with the wrong answer.
I posed this very question in an editorial for the first issue of DOLLS magazine. And, as a marketing consultant to toy companies, I tried to resolve the issue with each new doll concept being considered.
Clearly, Sasha wanted to create dolls for children. While her studio dolls were just as clearly works of art. The dilemma was not one that Sasha had to face but certainly one that both Trendon and Gotz faced.
The early Sasha dolls were designed and priced to be affordable toys for children, but the later dolls were obviously designed to appeal to collectors. That decision was probably based on economics and the changes in the toy market.
Studies have shown an interesting difference between the way adults and children see their dolls. The two photos above are a perfect example. These are outfits from "dollsandreams" and both were extremely popular with Sasha lovers.
However, the doll dressed as a little girl in her Sunday best was far more popular with adults. The little girls preferred the long dress because it was more "grown up."
Parents and Grandparents want little girls to BE little girls. But, little girls want to BE grown up little ladies. Why else do they wear Mom's hats and shoes and carry her handbag.
I confess that I first fell in love with the Trendon Sasha dolls and it was years before I realized that Gotz was producing a new version of the dolls. After looking at various websites that had photos of the Gotz dolls I decided to adopt ALBERTO.
Then I discovered MARIA and was smitten by her expression. She made me think of these lyrics from "The Sound of Music."
How do you solve a problem like Maria
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand
She almost pouts -- but not quite. She almost sulks -- but not quite. She is almost pugnacious -- but not quite. She is intriguing.
And I enjoy the mystery.
Recently a fellow Sasha collector asked how it might be possible to have a Sasha doll sit more realistically.
I thought about it and realized that Sasha sits very much the way real children do. One of the great things about the way a Sasha doll is designed is that they do stand and sit exactly as children do when they are at play and in everyday life.
Despite our best efforts, children will be children and sprawl on floors, stand on their heads, and climb into oversize chairs.
Historically, most artists live in isolation, struggle with their art, and seldom find recognition in their own lifetime. And they almost never find anyone who shares their vision.
Sasha Morgenthaler dreamed of producing a doll of fine quality that could be produced at a reasonable price. Her vision was clear.
Like most artists, she struggled to make that dream come true and despite setbacks she continued to search for a company that could produce a doll to her specifications.
Call it luck, or fate, or the work of angels -- Sasha met Sara Doggart, and her husband, who shared her vision.
The combined efforts of these two women made production of a commercial Sasha doll possible. And, against the odds, they successfully achieved Sasha's goal of a quality doll that was reasonably priced.
I think of them in the same way as Gilbert and Sullivan, or Rogers and Hart -- words and music that blend together perfectly.
The shared vision of perfection where production and art blend together to create an object of beauty and joy that has lasted long after production ended.
When I opened the box from Kelly and removed this blonde Sasha I was instantly transported back in time to the early 1970s when I sat on the stockroom floor of "dollsandreams" opening a Trendon tube and slipping out a new Sasha.
These three little fellows are technically triples because they have one or two things in common. First, their eyes are all done in the same technique. Second, they all have a hook and bar neck assembly. And all are 16 inches tall. However, their skin tone and surface finish are slightly different and one has more hair rooting. They are probably more like a pair of twins and a later cousin. According to Dorisanne's book, the hook and bar assembly ran from 1965 to 1974. Their eyes look more 70s than 60s. No matter their birth date, they are a playful bunch, and I suspect they get along much better than real triplets.
This brunette Gregor is a cousin to my original family. He joined my second family three years ago. He likes to raid the closets of my other dolls and is wearing a white stretch T-shirt and tan suede coat from the Tonner "Matt O'Neill" collection. The coat is highly detailed, has working button holes, and a brown leather collar. Gregor wears matching tan suede ankle boots that are also trimmed in brown leather at the top.
One of my favorite things about the many years I spent at "dollsandreams" was Saturday afternoon when all the new hand-made fashions were introduced. Yvonne had a group of knitters and home sewers who usually brought their creations either Friday night or early Saturday morning. By mid afternoon all the local kids and collectors filled the shop and the rush to find new outfits was on.
In my quest to find the sisters and cousins of my first Sasha family I have successfully found a first cousin. She is a 1970 "London" Sasha and has a lovely wide face and large eyes. She looks very much like one of my original Sashas.
While it was Yvonne who first introduced me to Sasha dolls there was another woman who provided me with the much needed information I required when I started collecting my second Sasha family almost 30 years later.
In typical schizophrenic English language style, the word enable is a good thing. The Dictionary defines it as "to provide with the means or opportunity -- training that enables people to earn a living."
Back in the early 1970s, when I first started adopting Sasha dolls, I was not a collector in any sense of the word. My Grandmother had hundreds and hundreds of dolls and Teddy Bears and she was definitely a collector.
A couple of days ago I wrote about designing for Sasha and mentioned the line of doll dresses that I created for Feltman Brothers and which they produced. One of the dresses fit Sasha perfectly and was made in white, pink, yellow, and blue. All of the Feltman dresses were hand-made at that time. Here is Sasha wearing the blue version.
I always admired Sasha for her understanding of children and how they play. I also admired the fact that her baby dolls were -- what the prudes call "anatomically correct." 
I admit that I don't know too much about the GOTZ Sasha dolls that were introduced after Trendon ceased production.
I have been working on a line of Sasha wigs and here is a sneak peek at some of the colors and styles.
I have been having a delightful time creating fun and fanciful wigs for my Sasha dolls. Most are made of imported German mohair, but a few are created from "fun fur" that I discovered in the fabric district here in New York City.
Over the years I have had lots of fun designing fashions for Sasha. Obviously, the school girl look is a natural and the variations in Tartans make for multiple interpretations.
Looking back to those early days of Sasha in the 1970s, I realize how contemporary their styling was -- especially Gregor in his slim jeans and Beatle style haircut. Sasha was very trendy as well in her leather mini dress and knee-high boots.
Here is one of my favorite images of the Sasha family of dolls. This counter card was created by Trendon for use by their retailers.
Back in the early 1970s, when I first started collecting Sasha dolls, I did not pay much attention to which outfit they wore or which tube they came in. After several months there were over a hundred tubes in my closet.
As an only child, I have often made a joke of my plight.
Throughout history it seems that the artists who created dolls were faced with the same dilemma -- are these dolls for children or adults?
I confess that I first fell in love with the Trendon Sasha dolls and it was years before I realized that Gotz was producing a new version of the dolls. After looking at various websites that had photos of the Gotz dolls I decided to adopt ALBERTO.
Recently a fellow Sasha collector asked how it might be possible to have a Sasha doll sit more realistically.
Historically, most artists live in isolation, struggle with their art, and seldom find recognition in their own lifetime. And they almost never find anyone who shares their vision.
Here is Sasha acting out one of her childhood favorites. Her furry companion is one of the teddy bears that I created a few years ago.