12.20.2010

KIMMER LOVES: TROLL DOLLS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!



Part of the Troll doll's charm was that they were so ugly they were cute... Trolls had big ears and a cute little pot belly, no forehead and long strands of sheep's wool for hair. The folks in Denmark believed the troll dolls were so ugly that you had to laugh at them. If you were laughing... nothing bad could happen to you.



Soon the dolls became a source of good luck to people around the world. Initially they were favored by high school and college girls but soon grown men were carrying them around on their travels. Let's not forget the many BINGO ladies and gentlemen with their lucky bingo trolls.



Lady Bird Johnson bragged that she owned one and apparently plenty of other people did as well, as in the late 1960s, Troll Dolls were the second largest selling dolls in the United States. Only Barbie had a larger fan base.



The Troll Doll was originally known as the "Dammit" doll in honor of its creator, Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. In 1959, Dam could not afford to buy his young daughter a birthday present and instead carved for her a doll inspired by the legendary trolls which were believed to live in the Nordic forests and would bring luck to any humans who could catch them.



Dam's daughter took to the doll and dressed it up and showed it to local villagers. The doll attracted the eye of a Danish toy store owner and soon Dam was selling versions of the doll all over the world, selling more than a million of the in the United States in 1964 alone.His first troll doll had sheep hair and glass eyes.


The Troll Museum is so killer retro!


Originally created in 1959 by Danish Fisherman/Woodcutter Thomas Dam, the dolls became popular in a few European countries in the early 1960's, right before they were introduced in America. The originals, also called "Dam Dolls," were of the highest quality featuring sheep wool hair and glass eyes.

Their sudden popularity, along with an error made in the (C)Copyright notice of Thomas Dam's original product, resulted in cheaper imitations and knock-offs which flooded the American market.

Also known as "Wishniks," " Treasure Trolls," "Norfins" and other tradenames, it was not until 2003 that a Congressional law allowed the Dam family of Denmark to restore their original American copyright and become the only official manufacturer once again.

I want to work here!!!


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3 comments:

Diane Marie Molinari said...

OMGosh I had these little guys,we had reg. size ones and tiny ones too! My first one had a shock of bright hot pink hair LoL!!

Retro Kimmer said...

My favorite one had orange hair. My mean step sibling tossed it out the car window coming back from the Mackinac Bridge. I never got over the loss... We made cool little tree house homes for our trolls out of empty bleach bottles. Used carpet circles and made wallpaper. So imaginative back then.

Diann Boik said...

I might have one with orange hair

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