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Ginny dolls represent
a great American tradition. Ginny's roots actually extend
back to 1922, when a resourceful young woman, Jennie Adler
Graves, established Ye Olde Vogue Doll Shoppe in her home
in Somerville, Massachusetts. The story is that a "friend",
who knew of Jennie Graves' skill in sewing children's clothes,
asked her to dress some dolls for a charity event. Without
Jennie's knowledge, the "friend" was selling the
dolls rather than giving them to charity. Thus inspired, Jennie
Graves began dressing and selling imported German dolls to
Jordan Marsh, a well-known Boston department store.
Success
followed success until 1948, when a sales dip in her line
of existing dolls inspired Mrs. Graves to introduce an 8"
plastic doll, the forerunner to Ginny. Storeowners and consumers
alike loved the new doll, and in 1951, Ginny was officially
born, named after Jennie's daughter Virginia.
Ginny
was so popular that many tried to emulate her, and an entire
group of 8" dolls appeared on the market in anticipation
of securing some of the Vogue business and Ginny fans. By
1957, Ginny had reached over five million dollars per year
in sales, and was a beloved fixture in most American households.
Following
the retirement of Mrs. Graves in 1960, there was a series
of management and ownership changes, and Ginny underwent some
difficult transitional years. Finally, in 1995, the "New"
Vogue Doll Company pledged to restore Ginny to her deserved
place in the pantheon of modern dolls. Ginny, that "engaging
little girl of the 1950's" known for her love of fashion
and her fun attitude, represents timeless values.
Toni's
Collectibles
began offering the Ginny dolls in 2004, coincident with Vogue's
introduction of a line of reissued Vintage Ginny dolls, and
these vintage dolls are featured.
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