Obsessed with Engel Puppe Disney Dolls

So the title says it all. I'm completely obsessed with these dolls. I have been trying to collect them all, and have added two to the collection in the last couple of months. First, let me present Alice:

Now, you may be saying, "Wait a sec, that's missing something...". Well, yes, she is missing the embroidery on her apron. Let me explain. I finally got so tired of waiting for an Alice to appear for sale, I contacted the Engel Puppe company directly. I asked if they happened to have any of the dolls or outfits left over from the Disney Parks. Mr. Engel wrote me back and told me that, unfortunately, the only thing they had left were some of Alice dresses that had not yet been embroidered, but he would be happy to make me an Alice doll and put her in the dress. Of course, I said yes!! 

 

Markus Engel's signature on my Alice

I was thrilled to be able to get this doll custom made and signed especially for me. If you have never ordered from Engel Puppe directly, I highly recommend them. The customer service is great, and the quality of the doll is incredible. There is actually only one issue I have with the dolls, and that is their inability to stand on their own. Otherwise, they're absolutely perfect!

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I found this beauty for sale. 

She loves Minnie, I love Minnie, it was a match made in heaven. 

She was a little dirtier than some of the other dolls I've gotten, so I washed her dress in ice cold water. I was really afraid the red would run into the white polka dots. I didn't even think about the black bleeding into the collar, which it did. Before it dried, I used some OxyClean and was able to rinse all the black ink out of the collar, then I blow dried it so the still damp bodice wouldn't run into it anymore. Worked like a charm. 

 I'm so happy with my additions to the collection, and eventually, hopefully I'll have them all!

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Disney's Engel Puppe Dolls

On my top 10 list, there is an Alice in Wonderland doll from Disney World. In the Germany Pavilion at Epcot, there is a store called Der Teddybar that used to make and sell Engel Puppe dolls. You could purchase an Engel Puppe doll dressed as a Disney character, but the price was prohibitively high, somewhere close to $200. So of course, by the time I was an adult and able to purchase one, the doll making at Der Teddybar ceased to exist. I did find out the reason for this. Helmuth Engel, former owner of the Engel-Puppen company, actually worked there to make the dolls and sign them, and some years after he passed away, the dolls were discontinued at Epcot.

Since I discovered this, I have been searching for one of the Alice dolls. Well, last week, one appeared on eBay. Sadly, I FORGOT TO BID!!! How could this happen?!!! Life's not fair. Or is it? The Alice doll sold for $105. This is still less than her original purchase price, and she was MIB. I started searching around on eBay and happened to discover a Mulan Engel Puppe doll. She was not listed correctly, so I bid, and won! For a paltry $4.25!!!! I lost Alice, but got Mulan! I am way luckier than I deserve.

Here she is!

She is so pretty. Her outfit is very well made and has multiple layers. She was obviously played with, but I really don't mind, especially considering the price I paid for her.

Close up of her pretty face

She is even signed!

It almost makes me sad that she was signed to a Chloe, and Chloe no longer loves her. But she came to the right place. What I wouldn't give to have one signed to me...

The tag on her dress.

I also have the Engel Puppe Belle dress, but no doll. Over the next few years, I suspect I will try to collect a few more of these. Does anyone else remember the Engel doll making area at Der Teddybar? I would love to hear from you if you do!

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