Collector’s Book of Dolls’ Clothes: Costumes in Miniature, 1700-1929

This book (the title is a link to where you can buy) is another must have if you are going to sew heirloom doll clothes. It has more than just pictures of the clothes, it has different  kinds of information about the dolls and how they were dressed in the time period of the title, 1700-1929. Dorothy Coleman is one of the worlds experts on dolls and has put together many books to leave for future generations to become  educated about them.

While this book is somewhat more expensive than some I recommend, it is also  such a wealth of information that to get the same thing you would have to buy several other books– and I doubt if even then you could get all the information Ms.Coleman put together here. If you want a book to use, not for show, then don’t hesitate to buy a used copy and save some money.

If you are sewing clothes for old dolls, this is an absolute must have book for your shelf. Like most encyclopedias full of information, it is a large heavy book. The book was first published in 1975, and the original price was high– I think I paid close to $100 for it when I bought it, but I knew that she had done all the research that would take me an equal number of years to do– or more. I was happy to pay her for her work. Remember, we did not have the internet then!  But even with the internet, it would take a long time to find on your won all the information that is consolidated in this book.

Feel free to post questions or comments!