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who made the original troll dolls

by Kennedy Kirlin II Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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woodcutter Thomas Dam

What was the first troll doll?

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What is the story behind Troll dolls?

Russian nesting dolls were first created in the late 1800's by a Russian man named Murmantov. The idea for the dolls was based on an old Russian nursery tale. That old tale went something like this . . . Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a very little girl named Oksana who loved to run down the mountain. But she never went alone.

How much are original Troll dolls worth?

Troll Dolls. Most trolls aren‘t worth more than a few dollars, but those that were made in the first few years of production do have a higher value.Dam Things animal trolls from that time period can command anywhere from $25 to $200 if they are in mint condition with tags still attached.

Are Troll dolls worth anything?

Troll Dolls Most trolls aren't worth more than a few dollars, but those that were made in the first few years of production do have a higher value. Dam Things animal trolls from that time period can command anywhere from $25 to $200 if they are in mint condition with tags still attached.

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How much is an original troll doll worth?

The prices on trolls range from only a few dollars for late, common Russ trolls, to more than $200 for rare 1960s Dam Things animal trolls (such as giraffes and lions). Smaller, more common animals can be found for $25 to $50. Non-Dam troll animals can be much cheaper, especially if their tags are not attached.

Who made the trolls from the 90s?

Invented in 1959 by a Danish woodworker, troll dolls became a North American toy craze in the early '60s and again in the '90s. Thomas Dam carved his first troll doll as a gift for his daughter; he then began selling the dolls locally after his daughter's friends started asking for them.

What company made trolls?

DreamWorks AnimationTrolls is a 2016 American computer-animated musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls created by Thomas Dam....Trolls (film)TrollsMusic byChristophe BeckProduction companyDreamWorks AnimationDistributed by20th Century Fox13 more rows

What were trolls called in the 80's?

Trolls have gone under many names, including Good Luck Trolls, Treasure Trolls, Gonks, Wishniks and Dam Dolls, but it is the latter which can claim to be the original name for them.

How much are 90s trolls worth?

Most trolls aren't worth more than a few dollars, but those that were made in the first few years of production do have a higher value. Dam Things animal trolls from that time period can command anywhere from $25 to $200 if they are in mint condition with tags still attached.

Where did the original trolls come from?

Toy history Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the doll and wanted one.

What were 90s trolls called?

These Dam Trolls were marketed under the trade name of Norfin (R) Trolls, with the Adopt A Norfin Troll logo on the tags. During the period of popularity in the early- to mid-1990s, several attempts were made to market the troll dolls to young boys.

Do they still make troll dolls?

Today, trolls are not as common as in the early 1990s, but can still be found. Today's trolls are made by several manufacturers, including Dam Trolls which only sells their current trolls in Denmark.

What is troll doll hair made of?

It is common to refer to troll hair as "mohair," but in reality, it is Icelandic sheepskin, which is an entirely different animal. Mohair comes from a mohair goat, and the Icelandic sheepskin comes from a sheep. Icelandic sheepskin is super thick hair and comes in many lengths.

What did the first troll doll look like?

Dam Things The Troll Dolls were originally made to look like human babies, and were loosely based on the mythical trolls. The first Troll doll was made by a woodworker and fisherman named Thomas Dam for his daughter, who was deeply upset at the time as a means to cheer her up.

Are troll dolls offensive?

Hasbro is removing a Trolls doll from store shelves following a number of complaints about an inappropriately placed button that some people say promotes child abuse. The company announced its decision to discontinue the doll on Wednesday thanks to an online petition that received more than 300,000 signatures.

What year were troll dolls popular?

According to Walsh, Americans purchased more than one million Dam trolls in 1964 alone. The record sales even drove Dam Things to purchase Iceland's entire harvest of sheepskin for use as the dolls' iconic hair.

When were troll dolls invented?

Toy history. Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the doll and wanted one.

What is a troll doll?

Type. Doll. Country. Denmark. Availability. 1959–present. A Troll Doll (Danish: Gjøltrold) is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Dan ish woodcutter Thomas Dam.

What year did the Troll Warriors come out?

The Magic Trolls And The Troll Warriors was a 1991 cartoon special made to promote the Troll doll toys, featuring Trolls battling against King Nolaf and his Troll Warriors. There was also a 30-minute DIC cartoon special in 1992 called Magical Super Trolls which featured an evil troll named Craven.

What is the trade name for Dam Trolls?

These Dam Trolls were marketed under the trade name of Norfin Trolls, with an "Adopt A Norfin Troll" logo on the tags. During the period of popularity in the early to mid-1990s, several attempts were made to market the troll dolls to young boys.

What was the troll doll fad in the 1990s?

The 1990s troll doll fad also included The Trollies Radio Show, which was a direct-to-video musical with puppet trolls singing hits such as " Kokomo ", " Woolly Bully ", and " Do Wah Diddy ", as well as some original songs. A troll doll was featured in 1995's Toy Story and its sequel.

What are Dam dolls called?

The originals were of the highest quality, also called Dam dolls and featuring sheep wool hair and glass eyes. Their sudden popularity, along with an error in the copyright notice of Thomas Dam's original product, resulted in cheaper imitations. A collection of troll dolls.

When did the Trolls movie come out?

DreamWorks produced a 3D computer-animated musical comedy film based on the Troll dolls, Trolls, released on November 4, 2016. It was directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake providing the voices.

Where did the troll dolls come from?

The story of troll dolls began in the small town of Gjøl, Denmark, during the economic precarity that followed World War II. According to board game designer Tim Walsh’s 2005 book Timeless Toys, Thomas Dam (1915-1989) was a baker whose livelihood vanished when the local flour factory shuttered.

What was the name of the trolls in the 1966 Sears advertisement?

A 1966 Sears advertisement tempted shoppers with exclusive releases, including a troll village playset and a “prehistoric model home furnished in true Troll decor.”. Dam’s original Good Luck Trolls—renamed Wishniks when sold by a U.S. distributor—encouraged children to rub their trolls’ colorful hair for good fortune.

What is the name of the doll that John Walsh compared to?

White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston) Walsh believes troll dolls arrived in the U.S. at a fortunate moment. He compares trolls to the Spirograph, a toy that generates symmetrical designs which found traction thanks to the 1960s’ obsession with colorful mandalas.

How many trolls does Jen Miller have?

In New York City, an artist named Reverend Jen Miller famously turned her apartment’s living room into the Lower East Side Troll Museum, sharing her collection of 400 trolls with visitors by appointment.

How much did Dam's Trolls cost?

With prices ranging from roughly 65 cents up to $5.95 per doll, trolls were a vehicle for pricier add-ons, such as clothing and accessories.

Why are toys unusual?

This is, in part, because some toys invite nostalgia that translates into generational waves of sales. When troll doll enthusiasts grew up and started families, they naturally wanted to introduce their children to the toy.

Who played Branch in Trolls?

Set for on-demand release on April 10, the follow-up to 2016’s Trolls finds main characters Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) in a race to save trolls’ diverse musical cultures from a band of rock-and-roll trolls determined to silence them. YouTube. Peacock Kids.

Who makes the Troll doll?

A Troll doll of Branch made by Hasbro for the Small doll range still in its package. Unpacked DreamWorks Trolls -era (2016-2019) dolls by Hasbro. The image shows all doll styles made by Hasbro, with Maddy 's doll acting as the "standard" doll design. A Troll Doll also made by Hasbro, based on a more classic design that resembles Smidge.

What are troll dolls made of?

Therefore, the first Troll doll was a wooden carving. Dam later opened up a factory that sold the dolls during the 1960s; the dolls it produced were made of plastic. These dolls have a more "sculpted" look compared to all later licensed Trolls, with more realistic features and often more varied appearances and poses. Part of this was because these dolls were produced as mostly collectables and therefore many dolls recieved much focus and individually to stand out from each other, compared to later dolls which were more for play.

What is the 60th anniversary of the Troll doll?

A modern version of the classic Troll design has since been produced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Troll dolls under the DreamWorks name. In addition, series 10 of the Hasbro Miniature Figurines had a Classical Troll "throwback" doll that could be pulled from a blind bag.

Why did the Troll doll drop in popularity?

However, this was also the reason for the sudden drop in popularity of the Troll doll in the second half of the 1990s, as companies could no longer flood the market with knock-off versions. Even with the 2005 Trollz series, counterfeit dolls had been raised in the lawsuit of DIC Entertainment against A/S.

What dolls are based on the Dreamworks design of Trolls?

Focus is on a handful of character dolls, but generic Troll Dolls do exist based on the DreamWorks design of Trolls, and the Pop Trolls are considered the closest Tribe to traditional "Troll Dolls" in design, while Funk Trolls are based on a giraffe doll from the 1960s. Additionally, Guy Diamond was modelled on a naked version of that era's dolls, ...

Why are troll dolls clones?

Troll Doll Clones. Due to the issue with copyright on "Trolls" in the 1990s, other companies decided to cash in on the popularity. This led to many Troll dolls by other companies during the craze in the 1990s. Dam's company Dam Things managed to sort the copyright issue, which halted the flow of Troll dolls worldwide.

What is the trademark for Trolls?

Trolls based on their films go under the name of "DreamWorks Trolls", of which the trademark can be read here. Modern classic designs produced under DreamWorks licensing carry the name "Good Luck Trolls", of which the trademark can be read here.

When were troll dolls invented?

While dolls representing mythical troll creatures likely date back to ancient times, modern troll dolls were born in 1959, when Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam (pronounced like "Don") created a wooden troll to give his young daughter for Christmas ....

How much were troll dolls sold in 1964?

The doll was eventually photographed with Miller when she met President John F. Kennedy at the White House. By 1964, more than $100,000 worth of troll dolls were sold in the U.S. every month, along with spinoff merchandise like bed sheets, beanbags, T-shirts, jewelry, paper stationery, and key chains.

How tall are trolls?

Today, some of the most sought troll-doll varieties include animal trolls, black trolls, moon trolls, trolls over 12” tall, and a rare version with two heads. The original troll dolls made by Dam Things from the 1950s and '60s, especially with hair and costumes in good condition, are also highly desirable.

When did DIC get the Trollz license?

DIC Entertainment received a license to produce troll dolls in 2005 for a line of toys using the original Good Luck Troll brand as well as a separate line of fashion dolls and accessories under the name Trollz.

Why did DIC sue Trollz?

Just two years later, DIC sued Troll Company claiming it had not properly stamped out counterfeiting efforts , thus undermining DIC’s sales, and Troll Company countersued, claiming DIC misrepresented its abilities to fund and market a successful toy rollout in order to promote its modern spinoff, Trollz.

What Is The Most Valuable Troll Doll?

Now to talk about what these funny faced dolls can be worth. If you have saved these timeless toys from your childhood then you may be in luck as they can certainly be valuable.

Which Vintage Trolls Are Worth Money?

Vintage Troll dolls are worth something and if in pristine condition can be valued at hundreds of dollars.

How Do You Identify A Dam Troll Doll?

If you know you have a stash of the favorite childhood toys from the 60s packed in a box somewhere, you might want to go check out if any are on the most valuable list. Valuable Troll dolls are easy to spot if you know what to look for.

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Sizes

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Troll dolls come in a range of sizes. You can find very tiny trolls at only 2 or 3 inches tall, up to very large trolls at 18 inches or so. Any troll at 12 inches or so is considered very large, with trolls over that considered gigantic. Large vintage trolls are generally much rarer than small vintage trolls.
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Years of Production

  • Although troll production started in 1959, trolls became wildly popular in the 1960s when they had their peak of popularity. Trolls have gone in and out of production ever since. Today they are produced as both playthings and as collectibles by such companies as Nyform and even Dam Things (only in Denmark).
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Materials and Characteristics

  • Nearly all trolls are made out of hard vinyl, although they have been made out of nearly every other material you can imagine including ceramics, rubber, porcelain, and even hemp. Trolls generally have jointed arms and heads (although some have unjointed arms) and plastic or glass eyes, with a little sprout of hair on their heads. They have great big heads, hands, and feet.
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Prices and Secondary Market

  • The prices on trolls range from only a few dollars for late, common Russ trolls, to more than $200 for rare 1960s Dam Things animal trolls (such as giraffes and lions). Smaller, more common animals can be found for $25 to $50. Non-Dam troll animals can be much cheaper, especially if their tags are not attached. Small 1960s trolls can be found for prices ranging from $15–$30. Ce…
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Trolls Nostalgia

  • This article might make you decide to look for a box in your garage that has your old trolls from your college or childhood. Remember, though, not all trolls are valuable today. They were produced in the hundreds of millions, and only mint and rare trolls bring high prices. A collection of trolls, however, can fit in nicely with either a collection of dolls or a collection of toys. If so, yo…
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Overview

A Troll Doll (Danish: Gjøltrold) is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. The toys are also known as good luck trolls, or gonk trolls in the United Kingdom.
The dolls were first created in 1959 and became one of the United States' bigg…

Toy history

Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the doll and wanted one. Dam's company Dam Things began producing the dolls in plastic under the name Good Luck Trolls. It became popular in several …

Television, film and video games

The Magic Trolls And The Troll Warriors was a 1991 cartoon special made to promote the Troll doll toys, featuring Trolls battling against King Nolaf and his Troll Warriors. There was also a 30-minute DIC cartoon special in 1992 called Magical Super Trolls which featured an evil troll named Craven.
A platform video game simply titled Trolls was released in 1993 for Amiga, DOS, and C64. Other g…

See also

• Gonk

External links

• Media related to Troll doll at Wikimedia Commons
• Company website

The Origin of The Troll Doll

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The story of troll dolls began in the small town of Gjøl, Denmark, during the economic precarity that followed World War II. According to board game designer Tim Walsh’s 2005 book Timeless Toys, Thomas Dam (1915-1989) was a baker whose livelihood vanished when the local flour factory shuttered. Struggling to su…
See more on smithsonianmag.com

The Rise and Fall

  • By 1962, Dam’s trolls had become an international sensation, fueled by a new network of factories spanning New Zealand to Florida. With prices ranging from roughly 65 cents up to $5.95 per doll, trolls were a vehicle for pricier add-ons, such as clothing and accessories. A 1966 Sears advertisementtempted shoppers with exclusive releases, including a troll village playset and a “p…
See more on smithsonianmag.com

The Comeback

  • By the 1970s, enthusiasm for the wrinkled creatures faded. But in the words of Walsh, “toys are unusual in their ability to stick around.” This is, in part, because some toys invite nostalgia that translates into generational waves of sales. When troll doll enthusiasts grew up and started families, they naturally wanted to introduce their children to the toy. Right on schedule—two dec…
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The Next Generation of Troll Fans

  • In 2013, DreamWorks ushered in a third phase of enthusiasm for trolls by acquiring the official licensing rights from Dam Things. Its adaptation—which starred Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake as technicolor trolls with a musical flair—introduced trolls to a new generation of children, whose parents may have played with Russ Berrie trolls or Norfin trolls in the 1990s. Wh…
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1.Troll Doll History and Collecting Information - The Spruce …

Url:https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/troll-dolls-overview-774728

13 hours ago  · Although troll folklore has existed for centuries, Thomas Dam, a Danish woodcutter, is considered to be the father of the very first troll doll as we know them today. Dam dolls were created in 1959 and spread to the U.S. in the early '60s.

2.Troll doll - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_doll

18 hours ago The History of Troll Dolls and How They Became Popular. The first Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. He carved the dolls from wood and then painted them with bright colors. His daughters loved the playful dolls, and soon Dam’s workshop was churning out thousands of them.

3.The Colorful History of the Troll Doll - Smithsonian …

Url:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/colorful-history-troll-doll-180974634/

16 hours ago  · The company Dam Things was started by Thomas Dam, a Danish man who invented the original trolls. Dam, a woodcutter, made the first troll for his daughter out of wood when he was too poor to buy her a toy. Other children in the town soon wanted one so Dam started a company to make them out of plastic.

4.Troll Dolls - Trolls Trollpedia

Url:https://trolls.fandom.com/wiki/Troll_Dolls

32 hours ago The Troll Dolls were originally made to look like human babies, and were loosely based on the mythical trolls. The first Troll doll was made by a woodworker and fisherman named Thomas Dam for his daughter, who was deeply upset at the time as a means to cheer her up. Therefore, the first Troll doll was a wooden carving.

5.Vintage Troll Dolls | Collectors Weekly

Url:https://www.collectorsweekly.com/dolls/trolls

20 hours ago While dolls representing mythical troll creatures likely date back to ancient times, modern troll dolls were born in 1959, when Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam (pronounced like "Don") created a wooden troll to give his young daughter for Christmas. Once he saw the toy’s popularity among other children in Gjøl, Denmark, Dam began making more and eventually formed a company …

6.Original Troll Doll | Etsy

Url:https://www.etsy.com/market/original_troll_doll

23 hours ago Original TROLL Doll - Thomas Dam - Made in Denmark 1950’s - Hand Made Clothes Ad by PaperMoonCurios Ad from shop PaperMoonCurios PaperMoonCurios From shop PaperMoonCurios 5 out of 5 stars (116)

7.Do Old Troll Dolls Have Any Value? – Toyz School

Url:https://toyzschool.com/do-old-troll-dolls-have-any-value/

12 hours ago By knowing what a real Troll doll looks like you may be able to identify if you own one of the rare and timeless toys. If so, you could have something very valuable. Collectors value vintage Trolls very highly with the original Dam dolls being the most expensive. Thanks to Dreamworks animation, Troll dolls have made a comeback recently.

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