My collection of Trendon and Götz era Sasha and Gregor dolls

This is my collection as it currently stands of Sasha dolls by Trendon and Götz. I had a Gregor doll (the male friend of Sasha) as a boy that was sent to me from an aunt and uncle who served in the United States Air Force and were stationed in England, a Gregor Dark Jeans by Trendon Ltd. who I loved immeasurably. A few years ago, following an illness and rather lengthy recovery period that left me home-bound for a time, I became interested in the history of my former friend and began to learn about and collect Gregor dolls, and by extension anything tangentially related to his creator, the Swiss artist Sasha Morgenthaler, an absolute genius of a woman who adored diversity and intellect and was loved and respected by everyone from fellow Swiss artist (and friend) Paul Klee to occasional dinner guest Albert Einstein!

Now I have over a dozen of the dolls made by Trendon of Stockport, England as well as a few of the later male Sasha dolls produced by the German company Götz in the mid- to late-1990s (including a rather terrific piece called Alberto, based on an old 1950s Studio doll by Sasha that was itself based on a work by 19th century Swiss artist Albert Anker). It is a small collection, but one that I am very proud of, and that is rich in variety. From my "replacement" Gregor (a 1982-86 Dark Jeans) I have added such treasures as a 1970 hand-painted Gregor with "crayon tube" packaging wearing Pyjamas, a 1972 Gregor wearing the obscure and uncommon Mushroom Suit, a 1974-75 Gregor Sport (with unusual stick-straight hair and large "puddle" eyes, and his very difficult to find, and oft lost, yellow football), and one of my very favorites, Gregor's black best friend Caleb (a later 1980-86 version with the identifying herringbone trousers, making he and Gregor of similar age to be "schoolmates").

I also have the separately available outfit London, made only in 1970-71, in its original box packaging, wholly intact, which I regard as a special treasure. In addition to a few Sasha Baby dolls I've added over time, I've picked up some curiosities along the way, from the 1940-60s animal card game created by Mrs. Morgenthaler for the Swiss market called Tier-Quartett, to a miniature reproduction that is Sasha-sized created by volunteers for a Sasha Festival in the early 1990s. I even have a few different sizes and variations of English synth/new wave band Yazoo's early number one single Don't Go, which features dozens of Sasha, Gregor, Cora, and Caleb dolls on its artwork, making it a great time capsule of British life in the early 1980s!

What began as a search for a comfort object from my childhood has turned into something else entirely, and I'm glad for it. Learning about Sasha Morgenthaler and her love for the world and its cultures, her appreciation of children and respect of their autonomy and intelligence, has enriched my own life and views of the modern world I live in. Her progressive values and keen understanding of the workings of a child's mind, shaped by her experiences as a wife, mother, midwife, and even as a guardian for Jewish and ethnic minority refugee children during World War II, are a great source of inspiration and hope and represent a kind of critical and respectful way of thinking worth aspiring toward. I'm hopeful by sharing these photos and thoughts that others will be able to see and enjoy her work in a similar way, and be inspired by her intelligence, respect for others, and artistic achievement.