Lee Middleton Newborn Dolls
Collectable Dolls That Can Be Hugged
At some point, most parents find themselves shopping for that special doll to make their little girl’s eyes light up. They aren’t looking for a beautiful doll designed to sit on a collector’s shelf, and they don’t want a mass-produced doll sold in toy stores either. For those parents, Lee Middleton has created a unique niche somewhere in between.
Lee Middleton Newborn Dolls
Lee Middleton is the most popular line sold in Martha Whisman’s collectible shop, The Spinning Wheel. “I’ve always been a doll collector,” Martha says, “but I’m especially drawn to Lee Middleton’s newborns. I think it’s the personality in their faces.”
Lee Middleton dolls are best known for their striking resemblance to newborn babies. “It’s not uncommon,” Martha, remarks, “That policemen are called to pry the doors open of cars when a Lee Middleton doll is left inside. In fact, I had one of the dolls with me during a visit to the hospital and a nurse came all the way down the corridor to check on it. They’re just so lifelike.”
Lee Middleton newborns don’t just look real; the dolls are made to simulate the actual size, weight, and feel of an infant. Their arms and legs are half vinyl, half cloth, and weighted realistically so they flop instead of being stiff. “You’ll even notice adults instinctively supporting the back of the head or cradling them like a baby,” Martha adds, “because they feel for all the world like a little newborn.”
When Lee Middleton passed away in the early nineties, Reva Schick, began sculpting for the company. Martha remarks, “Reva’s faces are absolutely incredible. Where Lee Middleton developed the body and the uncannily realistic way it holds, I think Reva’s sculpting brought that life-like look to the face.”
When’s the Right Time for a Lee Middleton Doll?
Martha believes when a little girl turns four or five, she’s old enough for her first, life-sized baby doll. Lee Middleton nurseries make the occasion a day to remember. Just like the newborn wing of a hospital, in a Lee Middleton adoption nursery, rows of babies wait behind a window while nurses rock or change their diapers. Little girls fill out applications promising to feed, play with, and sing to their new baby.
Finally, wearing a hospital gown, the little girl enters the nursery and chooses her doll. A nurse checks the baby’s length, weight, eyes, ears, and reflexes. After a diaper change, the nurse hands over the swaddled baby complete with hospital bracelet and birth certificate.
Martha says many of her dolls go to homes where they won’t be the only newborn around. “On the birth of a second child,” she explains, “mommies often get a Lee Middleton doll for their little girl. They take care of the new baby doll, while mommy takes care of their new brother or sister.”
Apparently, young girls aren’t the only ones enthralled with Lee Middleton dolls. Aside from adult doll collectors, Martha sites another group known to enjoy the life-like newborns. “Several studies show ladies in elderly care facilities bonding with Lee Middleton babies,” she comments. They rock the babies all day long. Somehow, it’s calming to have that friend with them in their later years.”
Lee Middleton Dolls, Collectibles or Toys?
The realistic baby dolls are now in just about everyone’s reach financially. Lee Middleton used to offer only its Artist Studio collection, but the company now offers a line of more affordable newborns. The bodies and faces are exactly the same as the pricier line. Only the quality of the clothes and wig will differ. Where the Artist Studio collection averages $150 to $225, the more affordable line averages around $65 to $115.
“One would tend to be more collectible and one more of a play baby,” Martha explains. “A lot of times though, people who buy the doll for their little girl, want the fancy dress. They’ll put play clothes on the Artist Studio doll and keep the dress in the box along with the certificate. When their little girl is older, the clothes and certificate are preserved for the doll’s 'collectability'.”
And collectability is certainly still a top priority for many of Martha’s customers. Many contact her to find limited edition Lee Middleton dolls signed by the artist. “Reva came to our store twice,” Martha remembers. “Both times, we had her sign at least 250 dolls, and a line wrapped around the block with people bringing their own dolls for her to sign.“
Lee Middleton newborns certainly possess the level of craftsmanship that go into a collectible. Quality and attention to detail make each baby much more special than just a toy. At the same time, the dolls’ soft bodies and warm expressions invite little girls, collectors, and senior citizens alike to hug, snuggle, and whole-heartedly enjoy, these life-like baby dolls.
Quotes obtained through Martha Whisman, via phone conversation on November 4, 2008.
Lee Middleton Nursery, Dolls Posed with One Baby
|
More in Partners & Parents
Latest Articles