Sasha dolls

Sasha dolls are a type and series of doll created by Swiss artist and dollmaker Sasha Morgenthaler (1893-1975), produced in Germany and the UK beginning in the late 1960s. Popular with collectors, Sasha dolls are characterized by their individualism, their realistic expressions, their unique color, and the extreme attention to detail in the manufacture of the dolls themselves as well as their clothes.

Morgenthaler decided in the 1960s to mass-produce dolls at reasonable prices after years of making dolls herself for the studio, on commission, and for private individuals. Two companies were licensed to produce the dolls: Götz in Germany and Frido (later Trendon) in the UK. Production in Germany ran from 1965 to 1969 and from 1995 to 2001, while the UK production ran from 1966 to 1986.

Dolls were produced in different styles, wearing different clothes, and with subtle variations (mostly in painting) that individualize and particularize each doll. Asymmetrical and made of hard vinyl with elastic stringing enabling them to take different poses, Sasha dolls are characterized by a serious, open expression that seems to make them more adaptable to imaginative play than if they were forever smiling.

Morgenthaler's original idea was for the dolls to represent an image of universal childhood, so from the beginning of mass-production, the vinyl was coffee-coloured so that they would not appear to belong to any one ethnic group. In the early 1970s, black dolls were introduced, first in an extremely dark complexion, then in a lighter complexion in the latter part of the decade. Around 1980, the "skin tone" of most of the "Caucasian" dolls was lightened.

Dolls come in girl, boy, baby, and (beginning in the last production cycle) toddler versions. Girl and boy dolls are 16 inches tall, while babies are 9 inches and toddlers are 12 inches. Babies have curved arms and legs and do not stand. When first introduced, baby dolls were sexed with stylized genitals, but the practice was discontinued. Dolls have rooted hair in brown, blonde, red, or black, though some "limited edition" dolls had wigs. Clothes sets were also available, though some clothes came only with the purchase of a doll and were not available separately.

The generic name for the dolls is "Sasha" after their creator. Some dolls have their own names, however. During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, "Caucasian" boy dolls were known as "Gregor," black girl dolls were known as "Cora," and black boy dolls were known as "Caleb." When production resumed in 1995, many of the dolls were given individual names by the manufacturer, but all are still identified by the collective name of "Sasha."

Now that production has ceased, the dolls are becoming more and more collectible. The rarest ones can fetch high prices on auction sites such as eBay and from individual dealers.