Israel dismisses genocide accusations as unfounded
Afghan worker Zahra, dresses a President Hamid Karzai doll at the Kabul Dolls factory in Afghanistan.
The company opened the new exhibition space, "Madame Alexander Heritage Gallery" which showcases their handmade dolls.
Women make Kaguyabina, a pair of paper dolls placed inside a bamboo container, at Matsui Kogeisha doll worksho in Kamigori, Japan.
A local resident Tsukimi Ayano makes life-size dolls at her house in Nagoro, Japan. The dolls are used to counter the effects of depopulation.
The use of dolls dates back to ancient civilizations. From Ancient Egypt, to Greece, and Rome, kids were already playing with dolls made of clay, stone, wood, bone, etc. But it wasn't until the 15th century that modern doll manufacturing as we know it started in Germany.
Not every doll in the market might be as popular as Barbie, but dollmakers around the world do craft unique dolls. Made in different shapes using various materials, some of these dolls and the stories behind them are truly amazing. Browse through the following gallery and discover the weird and wonderful world of the dollmaker.
Founded by Dona Carlota, the hospital still fixes and restores dolls to this day.
There is also a museum in the premises, making it one of Lisbon's local attractions.
Hospital de Bonecas (Doll Hospital) was founded in 1830 in Lisbon, Portugal.
A woman arranges wooden dolls in a workshop, back in 1938.
Indian dollmaker Sheela Chowdhary sits amid her dolls.
A woman makes rag dolls at the 2017 Agrorus international agricultural fair in Russia.
Geli Dolls was founded in 1976 and makes 50 new models every year.
Bolivian women sew dolls made of clothes in 1967.
A woman makes Geli dolls in Mexico City, Mexico.
Women working in a manufacturing shop attach the hair onto the heads of dolls, circa 1908.
Olga Kyryllova sells Matryoshka dolls made by artists from the Ukraine and Russia.
German workers stuff dolls with straw, circa 1920.
Craftsman Takeshi Itou makes other type of dolls ahead of Hinamatsuri at Kishimoto Ningyou doll workshop in Ono, Japan.
Dollmaker Kelly McIntyre has boxes full of doll parts that she uses to make and restore Chatty Cathy dolls.
A woman sews dolls' heads onto cloth bodies in Germany.
Sandy Aasheim poses with her dolls at the Belmar Museum in 1983. Sandy Aasheim is a certified reproduction dollmaker, and reproduced porcelain dolls mostly from the years 1850 to 1920.
A woman makes a traditional Russian rag doll at a workshop in Sergiyev Posad, Russia.
A dollmaker works at the Dutch center of animated movie-making, circa 1955.
The company's dolls are distributed across several Latin American markets.
Dollmaker Annette Harrision at home surrounded by her porcelain antique reproduction dolls.
Tsukimi Ayano dolls populate the village and can be found everywhere. Here are some emulating schoolchildren in an elementary school that has been closed for years.
Life-sized dolls now outnumber humans 10 to one in Nagoro, Japan.
The Dolls factory is run by women, and most of its employees are widows. All dolls are handmade.
The dolls are made for Hinamatsuri or "Girl's Day." In the weeks preceding this day, young girls put these traditional dolls on display at home.
The Alexander Doll Company was founded in 1923 by Beatrice Alexander, in New York City.
The weird and wonderful world of the dollmaker
Here's what's so special about dolls
LIFESTYLE Dolls
The use of dolls dates back to ancient civilizations. From Ancient Egypt, to Greece, and Rome, kids were already playing with dolls made of clay, stone, wood, bone, etc. But it wasn't until the 15th century that modern doll manufacturing as we know it started in Germany.
Not every doll in the market might be as popular as Barbie, but dollmakers around the world do craft unique dolls. Made in different shapes using various materials, some of these dolls and the stories behind them are truly amazing. Browse through the following gallery and discover the weird and wonderful world of the dollmaker.