American Girl Dolls

American Girl Dolls have a standard size of 18 inches which enables the Amercian Girls to share clothing and accessories.

The dolls began production in 1986 and are still in production today.

The dolls have vinyl heads, and lower arms and legs and soft cloth bodies. Eyes are set plastic eyes, and the dolls have rooted hair. Skin tones vary depending on the doll's ethnic background.

The dolls are produced by the Pleasant Company which is a division of Mattel, Inc. Pleasant Company was founded by educator Pleasant T.Rowland. In 1998, Mattel acquired the company.

The dolls are sometimes also referred to, incorrectly, as American Dolls.

Can you say doll phenomena? Ever since the first three American Girl dolls were released in 1986 (the first three dolls released were Molly, Kirsten and Samantha) the American Girl dolls have been avidly loved, collected and played with by little girls (and their moms!). The American Girl dolls have become a true American institution and part of growing-up for little girls throughout the 1990s through today.

Not an inexpensive doll, many families save up for the first purchase of an American Girl doll and her clothing and accessories, or doting grandmothers often buy a little girl her first doll for a birthday or special Holiday such as Christmas.

Each doll has a series of historically accurate books written about them--each doll represents a special place and time in American History.

The American Girl dolls with the eras they represent are Molly (1944), Kirsten (1854, Minnesota Pioneer Girl), Samantha (1904), Felicity (1774), Addy (1864, escaped from slavery), Josefina (Hispanic, 1824), Kit (1934, Depression Era), Kaya (Native American Nez Perce, 1764) and Nellie (an orphan, 1906, part of Smantha's collection). Nellie is the latest American Girl doll--she was released in the summer of 2004.

There is also a line of "Girls of Today" American Girl dolls. These dolls are available in a wide variety of hair, eye and skin colors so that the dolls can be "matched" to their owners. Some of these dolls, such as Lindsey and Kailey, are retired. Felicity, one of the first dolls, has had some of her items phased out. Many retired American Girl items sell at a premium in the secondary market, including on eBay.