Beatrice Alexander

Founded in 1923, the Alexander Doll Company was the brainchild of Beatrice Alexander Behrman, daughter of Jewish immigrants Maurice and Hannah Alexander.  Maurice ran the nation’s first doll hospital on the Lower East Side in New York City, and the family lived upstairs.  Having grown up witnessing the beloved dolls with broken porcelain heads that appeared for treatment in her father’s doll hospital, Beatrice dreamed of creating an unbreakable doll.

The Alexander Doll Company

Early in World War I, doll imports from Germany were embargoed, and imports from France were curtailed, and Maurice’s retail business was in trouble.  Beatrice set up a doll making business at her kitchen table, crafting dolls with molded fabric faces- dolls with souls, as she put it.  Her inspiration came from the elegant Lenci dolls created in Italy by Elena Scavini, who called herself Madame Lenci.  Armed with a fancy new name, a dream and $1,600, The Alexander Doll Company was born, featuring dolls designs by its president, Madame Alexander.

Madame Alexander’s Scarlett & the Dion Quintuplets

By the 1930’s, Madame was selling her dolls to major retailers like FAO Schwarz, Macy’s and Marshall Field’s.  While her company produced a good product, what set Alexander Dolls apart was the marketing machine behind it.

The Alexander Doll Company was the first to issue a doll based on a licensed character.  Their Scarlett O’Hara doll, based on the blockbuster novel and movie was an instant hit.  Scarlett was issued in a series of sizes and outfits including Scarlett in mourning, Scarlett in a day dress, Scarlet in a ball gown, and Scarlett visiting Rhett in jail in her outfit made from Miss Ellen’s green velvet draperies.  Little girls wanted Scarlett in all her outfits.

Also a first in the world of toys were dolls based on real people.  Madame Alexander was first on this front, too, with a whole line of dolls based on the British Royal family.  Perhaps most famous are the Dionne Quintuplet dolls.  Issued in 1935, these dolls generated huge sales as little girls wanted to own all five quints.

Collecting Madame Alexander Dolls

While Madame Alexander dolls are considered collectible, not every doll is worth a large sum.  Because so many were made for so many years (and still are!), there are thousands out there.  During the month of June 2008, there were more than 3,000 Mme Alexander dolls offered on eBay, many of which went unsold.  Although collector books quote values in the hundreds, a more realistic value for recent common and/or played with dolls seems to be more like $25-50, provided  both the doll and original clothing and accessories are intact and in good condition.

Vintage Madame Alexander Dolls

With a few exceptions, vintage (pre-1960) dolls realize the highest prices, especially those in mint condition in original boxes and complete with wrist tags.  Recently, a 1955 8 inch tall version of “Wendy Ready for a Plane Trip” (serial #452) sold for $240.  Her best friend and boy next door Bobby, brought $237.    An early issue of only one of the Dion quintuplets sold for $113.  Early Cissy dolls (Madame Alexander’s fashion doll) seem to do well regardless of condition.  A nearly nude Cissy was recently sold on eBay for parts for $80!