The italicized excerpts and italicized labeled photos
are
from Mimi's
emails revealing a fascinating history
behind the Madame Alexander
Alexander-kins
Start- a- Home Collection of doll furniture.
She begins, “Back in 1953, when I was
about 4 years old,
my Dad, John Scova,
realized that I had totally
fallen ‘in love’ with DOLLS ; in fact, my very
first word
wasn't "Mama" it was “DOLL”…as I especially loved
the
8" hard plastic Vogue Ginny dolls.
(Around this same time period Madame
Alexander
was introducing her eight inch dolls to the doll market).”
“My parents were not well
off,
so when and if I received a gift,
it would always be a doll, mostly Ginny
dolls
because our family and friends couldn't afford
the higher priced MA
Alexander-kins.
My mother hand made outfits for the little gals
(from old
dresses of hers, etc.)
and I was never seen without one or two
of them in my
hands.
One day my Dad noticed me with some card board,
making believe I
had a cradle/bed and some doll
chairs.
That's when he realized that some ordinary plywood
would be wonderful
for making doll furniture
and what a great surprise /gift for
me!”
“He and my Mom Jeanne drew
up plans
for this new little adventure
(my Dad was a draftsman by
trade but out of work).
His first pieces were a bed, round table
and
2 chairs painted white with decals
bought at a local hardware store.”
(*Table
set on page 1, first photo)
