Madeline & Malachi Dressel
Avid doll collectors Madeline & Malachi Dressel collect a wide variety of vintage play line dolls and modern Japanese anime dolls. They are most well known in the doll community for incorporating their extensive collections of vintage child size "companion" dolls, mid-century modern collectibles, pets, and themselves into nostalgic and often humorous compositions that can be both charming and creepy depending on the viewers perspective. In 2019, they began collecting 1/3 scale Japanese anime dolls, particularly Smart Dolls and have opened an Etsy shop devoted to clothing and accessories for that scale. They share their joint work on Instagram under the username @all.my.plastic.children and their individual work under @rushbox_concepts (Malachi) and @madhatterwhatnot (Madeline).
Madeline with Ideal Patti Playpal dolls Sarah-Ann (left) and Polly-Marie (right). This baking shoot was setup for our Barcroft TV documentary video and highlights our vast collection of MCM dishes and kitchen accessories. Photography Credit: Malachi Dressel
This is arguably our most famous viral photograph. We have lost track of how many Facebook groups and other instagram accounts have shared it. We setup this photo because we are often asked "How do you sleep at night with all your dolls looking at you?" The dolls were purposefully arranged to be as unsettling as possible. The doll on the bed is a vintage Vogue Brikette, the same type doll used as Talking Tina in the Twilight Zone episode, Living Doll. Pictured: Madeline Dressel.
Photography Credit: Malachi Dressel.
The photo that started it all. This is one of the first family photos that we did featuring the "plastic children." Initially just a joke to send to family and friends, it ballooned into something much larger - eventually taking on a life of its own. Pictured are Malachi and Madeline Dressel with (front to back) Syroco (1961 American Character Chuckles) Polly-Marie and Sarah-Ann (Ideal Patti Playpals) and Baker (Ideal Peter Playpal). Photo Credit: Madeline & Malachi Dressel.
Malachi with "the children" Christmas morning: Polly-Marie and Sarah-Ann (Patti Playpal), Syroco (1961 American Character Chuckes) and Baker (Peter Playpal). These shoots are always fun, since we have so many vintage toys and so much vintage Christmas decor. Photography Credit: Madeline Dressel
We've had the privilege of being interviewed on some wonderful doll focused YouTube channels:
Munecas, Poupees, and Dolls and Lamby's Nursery.
Please check out these videos and be sure to subscribe to their channels.