The Mary Hoyer Doll Manufacturing Company began in 1925 as a yarn and craft shop in Reading, Pennsylvania USA.  Mary designed knitted goods for infants and children and later added a slim doll  that could model her clothes along with a pattern book.  The doll was supplied through an agreement with Ideal Novelty & Toy company, so early dolls only bear the Ideal markings, this was the Mayfair body doll with a twist waist and twist upper torso, although the clothing should have the Hoyer label.

Mary Hoyer 14" tall, all composition with  side glancing, painted blue eyes, painted leashes.

Around 1937 Mary approached Bernard Lipfert a well known doll sculptor, to create her own doll, it was a composition doll, that was produced by the Fiberoid Doll Products Co. in New York, for the Hoyer company.  These dolls will often be marked: The/Mary Hoyer/Doll in raised print.  Dolls are all composition, wigged, most have blue sleep eyes with a lid above the eye (some are brown), real upper lashes, painted lower lashes and a closed mouth.  Some dolls have painted eyes with painted lashes, too, these maybe from the area of World War II (1935-1949), when supplies were hard to come by.

After 1946 the dolls were made of hard plastic and are often marked; ORIGINAL/Mary Hoyer/Doll/Made in USA (some composition dolls have this marking too) and some were marked: Made in USA within a circle without the Mary Hoyer name, and maybe dolls bought, dressed and sold by other doll makers.  Dolls have mohair wigs, usually blue sleep eyes with a lid above the eye, real upper lashes, painted lower lashes and closed mouth.

Left is Cindy Lou on right Mary Hoyer

Mary Hoyer doll molds were also sold to the Richwood company, who then redressed and sold them as their Cindy Lou walker doll, these are marked with the Made in USA in a circle, without the Mary Hoyer name (and YES the mold was sold to others too).

Here's the Richwood - Cindy Lou doll page for a comparison - doll is made from the Mary Hoyer doll mold and face, with the walker body marked: Made In USA in a circle without the Mary Hoyer signature.

See also the A.B.C Toys Co., - Mary doll page for another Mary Hoyer face doll - this one has molded hair beneath her wig and no molded ears.

See also the Hoseley doll page, Mary Hoyer sold the walker doll mold to the Hoseley Group - who then redressed the doll in fancy costume (only 50 dolls or so were made) and called them Hoseley Party Dolls. These also bear the Made in USA in a circle marking without the Mary Hoyer name, must have the Hoseley tag to identify.

See also the de Angeli - Hedwig dolls, also made from the Mary Hoyer doll head mold.  The de Angeli-Hedwig dolls must have their original hangtag to make a definite identification.

The Ideal doll page, for other examples of the Hoyer face mold.

The Mary Hoyer Doll company closed in the 1970's, however recently family members reintroduced a vinyl 13 1/2" Mary Hoyer doll based on the characters in  "The Doll with the Magic Wand" book written by Mary Hoyer, now for contemporary doll collectors.

  Here are Mary Hoyer dolls we have found 1937-1970s:

1925 Mary Hoyer, 13" tall, Mayfair body by Ideal with twist waist and upper torso, all composition, jointed body, wigged, sleep eyes.  Doll was manufactured by Ideal, sold to Hoyer who redressed and sold the doll.  Doll is marked : Ideal Doll.

If she does not have Hoyer marked clothing or her original box - your out of luck to make a correct ID as a Hoyer doll.

Mary Hoyer 13",

Ideal Mayfair body twist waist

1937-1946 Mary Hoyer, 14" tall, all composition jointed doll, mohair wig (some have molded hair beneath the wig), sleep eyes usually blue but some root beer brown have been found, or painted eyes with painted lashes, real upper lashes, painted lower lashes, closed mouth, many different outfits were made for this doll, as well as patterns were sold, that could be knitted or sewn by the dolls owner.  Mary Hoyer made clothing will have a Mary Hoyer tag.  Doll marked: The/Mary Hoyer/Doll in raised print.

1937-1946 Mary Hoyer, 14"

1946-1950's Mary Hoyer, 14" tall, all hard plastic, jointed body, mohair wig many colors & styles, some with molded hair beneath, usually blue sleep eyes. closed mouth. Marked: Original Mary Hoyer Doll inside a circle.  Blonde, hard plastic Mary Hoyer doll, in her lavender Hoyer marked tutu. Many different outfits were made for this doll, as well as patterns were sold, that could be knitted or sewn by the dolls owner.  Mary Hoyer made clothing will have a Mary Hoyer tag.

1948-1950's Mary Hoyer, 14" 

1937-1946 Mary Hoyer - Boy Doll, 14" tall, all composition or 1946-1950's all hard plastic, jointed body, wigged with short hair, sleep eyes, closed mouth, (this doll is often thought to have had a haircut).  Shown at right in the original Prince tagged clothing.  

Marked same as above hard plastic girl: Original Mary Hoyer Doll inside a circle.

The boy or male Hoyer doll commands a slightly higher price as they did not make as many, thus, supply & demand from collectors today make him rather hard to find in good condition.

Mary Hoyer, Prince, 14"

1950's Gigi, 14 or 18" tall, all hard plastic jointed strung body, wigged, sleep eyes, closed mouth, both sizes should have the Mary Hoyer mark within the circle, very few of these dolls were produced, made by the Frisch Doll Company. 

If doll is an unmarked, it's likely to be from another doll maker, possibly the Royal Doll Company.  Doll shown is 18" tall, hard plastic jointed strung body, hard plastic head, auburn hair wig, blue sleep eyes, real upper lashes, closed mouth, dressed in elegant pale blue and tulle gown.

1950's Gigi, 18"

1957 Vicky, 10 1/2" tall, vinyl head on a hard plastic jointed fashion body, twist waist, rooted hair, high heeled feet.  Vicki is marked Uneeda on neck and was purchased and redressed and sold as a Hoyer doll. (it's Uneeda's Suzette doll).

1957 Vicky, 10 1/2"

Items pictured here are for reference only - not for sale.

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