Doll Study Group Competition Category at National UFDC Convention
One of the great undertakings of most doll conventions are the Competitive Exhibits. It takes a huge amount of man and woman power to put on a Competitive Exhibit of dolls--judges, monitors (for security), competition organizers, and collectors who bring their dolls--sometimes worth many thousands of dollars--across the country with them.
The collectors get the chance to show off prize dolls in their collections, and the chance to win ribbons (first through fourth place). Everyone else gets to enjoy exhibits of dolls which rival if not surpass exhibits at some of the finest museums in the world.
The UFDC organizes their doll competitions into two sections--antique (generally dolls prior to 1930) and modern (dolls made after 1930). Within those two categories, each year there are several hundred competition categories, organized by maker of dolls (Mary Hoyer), type of doll (half doll with open and returning arms), or defining characteristic (dolls with multiple heads). The photo shows an interesting category in the modern competition for Doll Study Groups. There are also several categories for dolls costumed by the exhibitor.
Also this year there were some combined competitions spanning both antique and modern dolls, for celluloid dolls.
