This is the first book to be published on the popular area of British dolls of the 1950s which explores how a new material – plastic – revolutionized the doll trade and made dolls affordable for people of all classes – mass explosion of toy dolls which are now very collectable, partly because of the nostalgia element as the collectors would have grown up with or desiring them. The book focuses on the doll manufacturers, including must-buy dolls, what to spot when buying dolls, how to avoid buying fakes and includes a directory of where to buy dolls. It also lists doll hospitals and specialist museums. The second book British Dolls of the 1960s will be published within six months of this volume, also written by Susan Brewer. AUTHOR: Susan is a renowned doll specialist and lives in Harlow, Essex Publications include My Weekly, Collect It!, Collectables, Collectables Magazine, Teddy Bear Scene, Teddy Bear Times, Antiques and Collectibles, Collector's Gazette. She contributes extensively to the World Collectors Net (www.worldcollectorsnet.com), as well as several other web sites. She also founded and edits a quarterly subscription-based magazine, Doll Showcase. SELLING POINTS: Discusses the main manufacturers of dolls Focuses on the most collectable dolls from the ear Discusses the influence on doll manufacturers e.g. the birth of the teenagers, multi-cultural impact etc Advice on what to buy and what to avoid Directory of specialist dealers, doll hospitals and museums 75 colour photos