But then I found this collection of miniature bisque dolls on ebay and the baby in the middle deAinitely reminded me of Myrtle’s doll and this baby has “Japan” stamped or etched on the back. [Link] The seller suggests it’s from the 1930s. Then, I also found this other collection of miniature bisque dolls that also looked similar to Myrtle’s. Even though this ebay listing takes a guess at the date -‐-‐ from the 1910s to 1920s -‐-‐ we can’t be too sure they are correct. However, after looking at all the other variations and time periods, I’m thinking their guesses are pretty close. [Link] I feel somewhat conAident about the information for now. This doll was probably made sometime before or around Myrtle’s birth or early childhood and because of that, it may have been a toy passed down to her from her mother, or it may have been one that was maybe purchased and given to Myrtle. It was probably manufactured in Japan, or maybe even Germany. Most importantly, Myrtle’s photograph tells us she deAinitely had and played with baby dolls when she was a child. RESEARCHING HANDMADE TOYS What about the handmade toys like Toy’s handmade tractor and hoop? How do we research those types of toys? We must sit down and visit with those older family members, ask them for their toy stories, ask them about their toys, Aind out what their favorite toys were, and see if they will reveal the stories hidden in their toys. Then, record what they remember and photograph the toys if they still exist. Here are some general questions to ask them: What do you remember about the toy? How did you get the toy? Who gave the toy to you? When did you get the toy? Birthday? Some other special holiday? How often did you play with it? Did you share it?
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