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The first figures that resembled what
is commonly know as a bobble head doll came from Germany
and were called Nodders. They nodders made were mostly
of animals and were made from ceramic. The name nodders
or bobbers described the motion of the bobble head doll.
It wasn't until the late 1960's
that bobbles came back into vogue. A wide variety of
sports, political and cartoon characters were being
imported from Japan. The best source of bobblehead information
from this period is the book; Bobbing Head Dolls: 1960-2000
by author Tim Hunter. Tim does an excellent job cataloging
the various types of bobbles, and their present day
value. To learn more about Tim's book click
here.
The SGA
Bobble heads didn't really hit their
stride for another 40 years. In 1999, the Stadium Giveaway
(popularly known as the SGA) burst on to the scene.
The San Francisco Giants revamped the novelty by giving
away a Willie Mays bobble head at a home game, and the
rest is history.
Bobble head collectors have their
own online discussion forums and track all SGA Bobble
head dolls. Ebay is also a popular place to find bobble
head dolls. A current search will bring back several
thousand current auctions.
One of the most poplar recent SGA
bobbles was American Idol, Clay Aiken. The game in which
the bobbles were given away was a sell-out.
Bobble Heads Today
Today's custom bobble heads are no
longer made from ceramic. They are manufactured from
polyresin. Poly-resin is a special mixture of oxylite
and polystone. Also known as alabastrite, polyresin
is a stone-based material, which can be molded as needed.
This material can produce great detail, such as hair
texture and sports team uniform detail. Stronger then
ceramic, polyresin has become a material known to bobble
head aficionado as collector quality material.
Most of the bobbles manufactured today,
are made in China. There are several factories, like
the Bobble Factory who manufacture nothing but bobble
head dolls. The Bobble Factory offers wholesale custom
made bobbles to the exact specifications of their customers.
Bobbles are not just for sports teams
anymore. Nowadays it seems that just about everybody
has his or her own bobbling doll. Corporate mascots,
company executives and even wedding couples now bobble.
Due to the lower pricing structure and minimums involved
it is now more affordable than ever to have your own
bobble head doll.
The Bobble Head Future
The biggest growth in bobble head
dolls is seen in the corporate marketplace. As companies
try to think of new ways to promote their products and
brand names, the bobble is the promotional product of
choice. It is not uncommon to see a complete advertising
campaign in magazines or television to be based upon
a bobblehead doll.
Another growth area is in the school
fundraising market. Schools and booster clubs are now
selling team mascot bobble head dolls at pep rallies,
basketball and football games. Because bobbles remain
a very strong collectible item, they sell very well.
A properly orchestrated bobble head fundraiser can earn
a participating school as much as $15,000.
If you have any questions about
creating your own custom made bobble head doll,
contact
us.
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