Mary Hoyer Dolls 1925-1970s

The Mary Hoyer Doll Manufacturing Company history - they 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, these maybe from the era 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. 

Left is Cindy Lou on right Mary Hoyer

Photo courtesy of Lina

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 doll face mold.

The Mary Hoyer Doll company closed in the 1970s, 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's a link to the official Mary Hoyer Doll Company web site for current dolls and complete history and company timeline.

  Below are 1925-1970s Mary Hoyer Dolls Identified

1925 Mary Hoyer doll, 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 doll 13"

Ideal Mayfair body twist waist

1937-1946 Mary Hoyer doll, 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 doll, 14"

1946-1950s Mary Hoyer doll, 14" tall, all hard plastic, jointed body, mohair wig many colors & styles, some with molded hair beneath, usually blue sleep eyes. closed mouth. Doll marked: Original Mary Hoyer Doll inside a circle.

Shown Mary Hoyer doll, blonde, hard plastic, 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.

1948-1950s Mary Hoyer doll, 14" 

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

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

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

The Prince doll, 14"

1950s Mary Hoyer Gigi doll, 14 or 18" tall, all hard plastic jointed strung body, wigged, sleep eyes, closed mouth, both sizes should have the Mary Hoyer Doll mark within the circle, very few of these dolls were produced, made by the Frisch Doll Company.  If your doll is an unmarked, it's likely to be from another doll maker, possibly the Royal Doll Company, whose doll faces are often mistaken as Gigi.

Doll shown is the 18" tall Gigi, 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.

1950s Gigi doll, 18"

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

1957 Vicky doll, 10 1/2"

1958 Mary Hoyer Margie doll, 10" tall, all vinyl doll with short rooted hair, sleep eyes, closed mouth, toddler type jointed body, doll marked AE, made by the Unique Doll Company or possibly by Allied Grand Doll Company.  Doll will need her original box, tagged clothing to be sure it's the Hoyer sold Margie doll, as many other companies used this same face mold and sold it as their doll.

1958 Margie doll 10"

1960s Mary Hoyer Becky doll, 14" tall, all vinyl doll with rooted hair, sleep eyes, closed mouth, jointed body, marked on head AE.   Probably purchased from Allied Grand Doll Company, dressed and sold by Mary Hoyer.

1960s Becky doll 14"

1965 Mary Hoyer Vicky doll, 12" tall, all vinyl doll with rooted hair, jointed body, doll marked AE on back of neck.  Probably purchased from the Allied Grand Doll Company as this is the same head mold they used for their Tammy clone doll, with the three painted corner eyelashes, dressed and sold by Hoyer.

1965 Vicky doll 12"