FAMILYFUN
The Bobblehead Museum is located in the Walker’s Point neighborhood of Milwaukee. Guests from all over the world come to the museum to search for their favorite icon.
very first custom bobblehead – Michael Poll – a 20-year University of WisconsinMilwaukee Panthers manager and a good friend of the museum’s owners. Co-owner Phil Sklar said the iconic knick-knack – described as a character with a spring under its head – is an American tradition. “Bobbleheads are a great way to honor someone,” said Sklar. Sklar and business partner Brad Novak have been producing bobbleheads
Personalized Bobbleheads The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum creates personalized bobbleheads, which are often given as birthday presents, made as wedding toppers and gag gifts. “We’ve made bobbleheads of people sitting on the toilet in the nude,” said Phil Sklar, the museum’s co-founder. But no request has ever been so distasteful they’ve had to deny it, he said. First a customer sends in an image of the person, or pet to replicate. Then the design is brought to a crafter who hand sculpts and paints the clay bobblehead. “They look remarkably like the image,” said Sklar.
since 2013, and the production, collection and interest in bobbleheads has grown in that time. The museum’s receptionist Ariel Kassulke said tour buses, families, kids, sports fans and people from all walks of life come to the museum. “Everyone is very shocked when they walk in here; no one is expecting this many (bobbleheads),” Kassulke said. Total, Sklar and Novak have 10,000 bobbleheads in their collection, 3,500 of which are in storage. Some are timely, like “chance the snapper,” the alligator that mesmerized Chicago in July, by becoming the city’s only reptile caught in a lagoon. Or Sister Jean, the 98 year old nun and superfan of the Loyola University Chicago basketball team. Three thousand of the bobbleheads are from the owners’ personal collection, like The Beatles bobblehead set, which was made in 1964 and is known to be the rarest collector worth roughly $1,000. A large portion of the collection, however, comes from donations. “We get donations on a weekly basis,” Kassulke said. The largest was from Robert “bobblehead Bob” Manak, who gave them 1,500 just one month before he died of cancer. A fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns, Manak
‘The most bobblin heads the world around’ Midwestern singer and songwriter Pat McCurdy produced the personalized theme song for the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. Co-founders Phil Sklar and Brad Novak made a bobblehead of McCurdy to honor his local celebrity status in Milwaukee. McCredy like it so much, he agreed to write a theme song, said Sklar. “It’s catchy and everyone loves it, “ said Sklar. If you want to see heads bobble up and down The most bobblin’ heads the world around. Superstar, athletes and VIPS, Politicians, doctors and celebrities, Where can you go to see? At the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. Bobblehead, bobblehead, bob bob bobblehead had searched garage sales, antique shops and the internet to find them. Sklar said Manak wanted everyone to enjoy his collection as much as he did. Manak did hold back two, however, to be buried with him. “His family is coming to the museum to visit this summer,” Sklar said. “It’s pretty special.” Owners hope the collection continues to grow, although they despise the occasional dusting of the 6,500 figures in the museum. “Fortunately we’ve only had to do that once,” Sklar joke. l
Do you know?
Bobblehead history dates back to the 18th century, but it wasn’t until the 1960’s that bobbleheads became a tradition at stadiums and homes around the country. Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Willie Mays were the first player-specific, non-mascot bobbleheads. WINTER 2019/2020 YOUR FAMILY 25