Summary

Black and White photograph of Sterne Doll Company product display consisting toy dolls.

Description of Content

A Product display of Leo Sterne dolls consisting of 10 dolls. The dolls in the picture all possibly have their model numbers (1-7) written in blank ink above their head/on their clothing. This may have been used as a way of quickly identifying the dolls for making orders. The doll in the back row second from the left is holding a Leo Sterne Doll Co. trade sign entitled 'Sterne Dolls Melbourne. Each doll model is wearing a different dress and hat. From the back row from left in photograph:Doll model one is wearing a poncho/raincoat and hat/rain hat, Doll model two is wearing a black coat and matching black hat, Doll model three is wearing possibly a tunic/possibly shorts/possibly traditonal Austrian dress consisting of a dirndl (type of Austrian/German/Bavarian female dress) and possibly a matching tyrolean hat (type of Austrian/German/Bavarian Alpine hat), Doll model four is wearning a dirndl (type of Austrian/German/Bavarian female dress) and matching white possibly a matching tyrolean hat (type of Austrian/German/Bavarian Alipine hat), Doll model five is wearning a white blouse, black jacket and skirt and matching black hat, Doll model six is wearing a white dress, matching jacket and bonnet (there are four dolls of this model in the picture all in the front row.),Doll model seven is standing and wearning possibly a dirndl (type of traditional dress worn in Austria and Germany) and matchinhg white possibly traditional Alpine hat.All dolls are all displayed on a decorative cloth fabric and all dolls appear to be wearning matching shoes and socks. Some are displayed sitting while others are not.

Physical Description

Black & white photograph with a straight edge.

Significance

This item is part of a growing collection of material relating to the migration and settlement experiences of Leo and Hilda Sterne who arrived in Melbourne in 1939 and immediately established a business that became one of the most successful doll and toy manufactures in post-war Melbourne.
The L.J. Sterne Doll Company (1939-71) is significant as one of the few surviving collections related to an Australian toy and doll manufacturer, a once thriving industry in Australia. Only the A.L. Lindsay and Co. archive at the Powerhouse Museum and the Jakas Toys collection at Museum Victoria are comparable.
This collection of photographs, business and promotional documents, dolls, and toys enables the exploration of many Australian post-war historical and social themes including: local television and manufacturing industries; design and production innovation; marketing and merchandising; childhood; gender and cultural representations; leisure and sport; and key cultural and historical events.

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