What can you tell me about the 2002 Annette Himstedt Collection?

The 2002 Himstedt Kinder collection includes new style and sizes for Annette Himstedt as well as production of the vinyl dolls in verylimited editions for the first time.  Although the dolls are each very limited, Ms. Himstedt has produced a wider variety of styles than in years past--31 new dolls in all for 2002.    Ms. Himstedt credits her very earliest doll creations with inspiring the latest collection--influencing Ms. Himstedt to design the dolls based on simple charm, as well as influencing the styles and materials used for the dolls.  She says that "the new collection pays tribute to all the best things about those early dolls--their realism, their expression, their dresses--and it combines these with all the improvements I've developed over the past two decades."   Additional inspiration for the collection came from the work of Swedish painter and poet Carl Larsson  (1853-1919) and the painter Alfonso Mucha (1860-1939), who was born in South Moravia.  Mr. Larsson's work included many paintings of children, and Mr. Mucha's work includes sensual paintings of women framed by ornamental borders, and many paintings used to advertise theater events in Paris.  

A new feature for the 2002 Annette Himstedt dolls are ‘lucky charms’ for each Himstedt Kinder.  The lucky charms are unique clay pendants with varying coloring and glazes, meant to be hung from loops on the doll dresses but which can also be worn by the doll as a necklace.   The pendants are also available for purchase individually from  the Puppenmanufaktur.  Even the Annette Himstedt Club gifts for 2002 will feature the pendants.  Also, in response to collector requests, this year's dolls have glass eyes for most of the collection. 

What Are The Club Dolls For 2002?

To celebrate the 13th year since Annette Himstedt's company moved into the Puppenmanufaktur,  Annette Himstedt is releasing two anniversary dolls in July 2002, the month that they moved in to their Puppenmanufaktur in 1990. Another anniversary that is being celebrated is the seventh year of the Annette Himstedt Club. To celebrate these anniversaries, Ms. Himstedt will be offering her club members two club dolls to choose from: dolls Siri and Miri.  It may seem odd to be celebrating 13th and 7th anniversaries (most people choose to celebrate 5th and 10th anniversaries!) but for Ms. Himstedt, 7 and 13 are her lucky numbers.  To emphasize her lucky numbers further, Miri and Siri are each limited to 713 dolls worldwide!

Is It True That Many Dolls in 2002 Are Sell-Outs?

Yes!  The 2002 collection of Himstedt Kinder has been extremely well-received and many dolls sold out at Toy Fair in February (which means that retailers who did not order the dolls by Toy Fair cannot place orders for the sold-out dolls; collectors must find a retailer who already has a confirmed order placed for the sold-out dolls that they seek in order to purchase one).  An interesting fact about Toy Fair is that the day before Toy Fair started, the Annette Himstedt dolls that were to be shown at Toy Fair were stuck in US customs!  The disaster of an empty booth at the critical Toy Fair venue (and disappointed retailers!) was averted at the last minute thanks to (according to the official web site) "long (and frantic) conversations with our shipment company and a desperate last minute visit to Newark Airport" which were necessary to free the dolls from the maws of customs!  

Sold-out dolls for 2002 so far include:  Trinchen, Krinchen, Michel, Kila, Midori, Rosemieke, Anchi, Annika, Rieke, Kersti, Sofi, Marile, Karla, Efi, Medi, Griti, Katrin, Fibi, and Siri.  Still available for purchase by retailers as of the time of this article:  Prince Sunray, Princess Moonstar, Minchen, Lena, Efi, Lorelotte, Miki, Anton, Theodor, Pinki Pli, Ilse, Dorle, Trudi, and the Anniversary Club doll Miri.  

What Recent Awards has Annette Himstedt Won?

Medi, Trudi, Sofi and Siri each won a ‘DOTY Industry Choice Award – Dolls of the Year 2002’ which were presented at IDEX this past January.  Additionally, Trinchen won the ‘Gläserne Feenstab’ and for the ‘Dolls Award of Excellence’.  Efi  was nominated for the ‘Dolls Award of Excellence’.

I Know That Annette Himstedt Has Been A Doll Artist For Many Years--Can You Tell Us Some Of Her History?

Annette and her family were refugees from Saxony after World War II.  Because of this, her childhood was quite unusual and she did not have any dolls as a child!  As an adult, Ms. Himstedt,  an insurance saleswoman,  tried to model a doll of her daughter, and as they say, the rest is history--she taught herself to sculpt dolls out of porcelain, practiced and perfected her sculpting working on neighborhood children, and she became a world-known, self-taught doll artist.  Besides the artistic influences mentioned on her work above, often a child's face will inspire her sculpting--Ms. Himstedt will often photograph children that she sees (with permission) which she uses for inspiration.  Her sculpting is done in her home in Germany, and then her dolls are produced at her factory in Spain under Ms. Himstedt's close supervision.  Many doll collectors and critics consider Ms. Himstedt to be one of the top doll artists of our era.   

How Much Do Annette Himstedt Dolls Cost?

Cost varies depending on the size of the doll, the materials used and how limited a doll is, but the majority of Annette Himstedt 2002 dolls are priced between $300 and $900 each. 

Annette Himstedt Web Resources:

Himstedt Kinder:  Official Web Site

The Artist Carl Larsson's Official Home Page

Carl Larsson Paintings on Art.com

Information about Alfonso Mucha

Alfonso Mucha Paintings on Art.com

Annette Himstedt 2002 Dolls

Doll Articles

Back to the Doll Collecting Main Page