Red haired boy Sasha doll wearing a shirt and shorts made in England by Trendon Ltd

The PVC doll is wearing a white shirt, grey shorts and matching hand knitted knee high socks. He also has a brown leather belt and matching lace-up shoes. He has brown eyes and pale pink lips. The dolls has lightly tinted red nylon hair, which is rooted into the head. Tied to his arm by string is a blue, red and white tag that has Sasha written across it.

Given by the Doggart Family

The Sasha doll was intended to be affordable and to have a universal appeal. They were designed by Sasha Morgenthaler (1893-1975), a Swiss artist in the mid-1960s. She was a keen observer of children and wanted to produce a doll that reflected the world's diversity.

Sasha dolls have a highly distinctive stylised form, a range of skin tones, and well realistic proportions. All the clothing produced for them was hand made, including the knitted stockings.

They were produced by two manufacturers: German company, Gotz-Puppenfabrik Gmbh, from 1965-1970, and again from 1995 to 200; and British company, Trendon Toys Ltd, which was owned by the Doggart family who donated these dolls to the museum. Trendon produced the dolls from 1966 to 1986.

The unique design and range of Sasha dolls meant they became very popular with collectors.

B.60-2009