Bradley Doll, Japan Reference Gallery

This reference gallery focuses on Japanese cloth-faced dolls with individual cloth fingers. It contains many Japanese Bradley-type makers alongside original Bradley dolls.

Bradley Dolls, also called "big-eyed dolls," Kawaii dolls, Shōwa dolls, and pose dolls, were made in Japan. Bradley Import Co. was founded in 1954. They manufactured them for 30 years, from 1954 until 1984, when the company was bought by Hasbro, who sadly discontinued the line. 

Bradley dolls were lightweight and constructed over a wire frame, covered in foam, with a stockinette body. Legs were long and thin, with hands featuring individual wired fingers. The faces were exactingly painted, and they wore lavish wigs of very silky synthetic, often featuring sausage curls.

Bradley produced dolls of many different types and sizes, dressed in lavish frilly costumes made of synthetic fabrics. They stated on the box that their musical dolls "danced" or rotated when wound up. Bradley dolls started as inexpensive display items, available at Five-and-Dimes, drug stores, and as prizes at county fairs. Today, well-preserved Bradley dolls are sought after by collectors for their delicate and unique beauty.

This reference gallery focuses primarily on Japanese cloth-faced dolls with individual cloth fingers. It contains many Japanese Bradley-type makers alongside original Bradley dolls. 

Known makers of Japanese Big-Eye Pose dolls: 

• Bradley of course
• Ayumi Uyama, whose dedicated gallery is linked at the bottom
• Sukiyo Doll
• OIKE GANGU CO., ltd.

Also called "Kawaii dolls."
Definition of 'kawaii':

• 1. denoting a Japanese artistic and cultural style that emphasizes the quality of cuteness, using bright colors and characters with a childlike appearance. Noun. 2. (in Japanese art and culture) the quality of being lovable or cute.

Also called "Shōwa dolls"
Definition of 'Shōwa:

• The Shōwa era was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa (commonly known in English as Emperor Hirohito) from December 25, 1926, until his death on January 7, 1989.

Hang Tags found on standing dolls, 3-legged stool dolls, and chunky kid dolls include:

• Belle - TD 903 ALL NEW MATERIAL, plastic hands
• Elegant Dolls by Bradley
• France Doll - Oike, A big oval letter "O" with the letters "ike" written inside
• HEKINEN DOLL
• Kelvin International - Treasure Dolls
• Masterpiece Dolls by Bradley, Painted by Thomas Gainsborough, Huntington Art Gallery, San Marino, Calif.
• ORION
• Smart & Gorgeous Treasure Dolls by Kelvin
• Sakura Doll with fingers, with a gold star-shaped tag
• Sakura Doll, with mitten hands, appears in the Holiday Fair gallery
• Special Doll
• SUKIYO
• Sukiyo Doll
• Sukiyo Doll - embossed into tag
• Sukiyo Doll Instituted - embossed into tag
• Treasure Dolls - by Kelvin
• Voguemont Fashion Doll - printed in white in a red heart shaped tag
• Yoshitoku
    

• ACE SENPO
• WIND-UP MUSICAL FASHION DOLL REVOLVES ON STAND AS MUSIC BOX PLAYS TUNE - all new material - ACE - Tokyo Japan

Stickers found on seated dolls include:

• Made In Japan
• No. CIIO
• Treasure Dolls, by Kelvin

Stickers found on top of the stand stating a doll name include:

• Blue Boy - on a Masterpiece, Bradley doll
• ORION

Stickers found on the back of music box frames and under musical doll chairs include:

• Sankyo
• SENPO
• Tokyo SENPO - musical not to the right

Molded-into-plastic words found on musical doll chairs include:

• SENPO
• TOKYO JAPAN
• Made in Japan
• Japan

Ink stamped onto wooden base include:

• F751
• P1507
• MADE IN JAPAN

Woven tags found on dolls include:

• LARCO IMPORTS
• Oike, A big oval letter "O" with the letters "ike" Sewn into clothing

Woven tags stapled onto the underside of wooden chairs include:

• Made of virgin material - Made of synthetic foam

Stickers and large decals found on original boxes include:

• Bradley's Doll Creations - BIC - Made in Japan
• Doll tied in. Cut string before removing
• Musical Fashion Doll 
• OIKE GANGU CO., LTD. - Special DOLL
• OIKE GANGU CO., LTD. - Special DOLL - F S 230-180
• YOSHITOKU
• SUKIYO

Printing on doll boxes include:

• Toys - Dolls

Printing on ORION doll boxes include:

• "Dolls" - in a field of blue, red, and yellow bubbles
• "ORION" in a rectangle shape attached to a balloon bouquet

Songs played by Bradley Japan musical dolls include:

• I Could Have Danced All Night, and more

Conclusions and findings:

• Handwritten tags stating a doll's country of origin are usually just best guesses. Keep those tags intact!
• Some taller dolls in full gowns had no legs and stood on a cone-shaped, wired frame.
• Bradley Korea Dolls were sometimes made with plastic hands.
• Japanese Bradley Sukito dolls made in the elaborate French gown style are the most well-preserved specimens because many have been preserved in glass cases.

Related Bradley Galleries:

• Japan, Bradley Doll, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-Doll-Japan-Reference-Gallery-32p213.htm
• Korea, Bradley Doll, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-Doll-Korea-Reference-Gallery-32p251.htm
• Bradley-type Doll, Gayle Wray Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-Type-Dolls-by-Gayle-Wray-32p265.htm
• Bradley-type Doll, Ayumi Uyama, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-type-Dolls-by-Ayumi-Uyama-32p255.htm
• Bradley-type Doll, Chubby Kids:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-type-Doll-Chubby-kids-32p262.htm
• Bradley-type Doll, Mermaid, and Kappa, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Bradley-Doll-Mermaid-Water-Spirit-Kappa-Japan-Reference-Gallery-32p254.htm
• Bradley-type Doll, Showgirl, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=260&adminPreview=1
• Holiday Fair, Japan, Pose Doll, Reference Gallery:https://www.gaylewraydolls.com/store/pc/Holiday-Fair-Pose-Doll-Reference-Gallery-32p214.htm

Bradley and Bradley-type doll sellers include:

• Gayle Wray's website: https://www.gaylewraydolls.com
• Ayumi Uyama's website: http://ayumiuyama.com
• Feeriqueshop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/feeriqueshop
• VintageKitschToys: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vintagekitschtoys

Bradley doll art, prints, and postcard sellers include:

• https://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleMissModShop?ref=l2-about-shopname
• https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmmaMount?ref=l2-about-shopname

Disclaimer: This page is a general guide only and should not be used as a definitive reference to the origin of untagged dolls, as dolls without identifying marks can result in misidentification. Please keep the original tags intact and displayed, or reattach them securely under the dress to preserve the heritage of these fantastic ladies for future generations.