Here is a gallery of Michael Langton Hitty dolls which includes photos of the Stockbridge Library Collector’s Set Hitty, Perfume Hitty, the rare Secret Keeper Hitty and more! Click on any photo to enlarge and view captions. Thank you to everyone who sent photos of their dolls for this gallery. For more about Michael Langton’s life as an award-winning doll artisan, see “Michael Langton Interview.” If you are curious about the measurements for Perfume Hitty, see “Hitty Dimensions.” If you would like me to add photos of your Michael Langton doll to the gallery, please Contact Me.
-
-
Michael Langton Interview
MEET THE MAN WHO “CLONED” HITTY Only one real Hitty exists (see “Who is Hitty”), and she resides in the Stockbridge Library in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. But what if there was a way to make “clones” of Hitty for multiple collectors to own? I am referring to the resin Hitty dolls made by artist Michael Langton. My post called “Hitty Dimensions” featured some of his Hitty dolls, such as the Stockbridge Hitty, part of the Stockbridge Library Heirloom Collector’s Set. Stockbridge Hitty was created using a 3D laser scan of the original doll. Michael made molds from the digital data and filled those molds with “porcelite,” a wood and resin mix.…
-
Isabella Van Rensselaer
Sometimes I find an antique doll which I can’t resist. When I saw this wax over paper mache antique doll with big, bright blue glass eyes, I knew she had to be mine. She was missing an arm, but she had wooden legs, turned on a lathe. Her wooden body seemed unusual. All the other wax-over paper mache dolls that I had seen had cloth bodies. Plus, the shape of her body reminded me a lot of Hitty’s. Lucky for me, I won the ebay auction and put her aside until I had time to restore her. Her big, blue eyes and curly brown hair reminded me of eight-year-old Isabella…
-
Hitty Doll Resource List
My new year’s resolution is to share the fun of Hitty with others. A great way to do that is by gifting a doll to a friend or relative. The people who make Hitty dolls, clothing, and accessories are hand-crafting each item with love and care. By supporting these artisans, you are helping to keep the legacy of Hitty alive and thriving. Once you have gifted a doll to someone, the fun can begin. Sewing, crocheting or knitting for Hitty, bonnet-making, miniature making, or the excitement of searching out and finding tiny treasures all await. Traveling with Hitty and taking photos, then sharing them with others can bring great joy.…
-
MICRO Mini Hitty Book
January 2025 marks a special milestone for fans of Hitty. Under U.S. copyright law, any book written in the year 1929 is now in the public domain. That includes the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field and Dorothy P. Lathrop. To celebrate, I designed a miniature Hitty book which contains the entire first chapter. This was created from a scan of the original book. I also used my “Hitty Book Cover Classic” design (see The Book Cover Dresses) to make the cover. You can print as many of these books as you like or even sell them if you choose, as long as you give credit to…
-
Hitty’s Clothes
An article about Hitty’s clothing was written by Patricia Fifer shortly after she and her husband, Bill, visited Hitty at the Stockbridge Library in 1996 (see Bill Fifer’s Gift). It was previously published in the Friends of Hitty Newsletter, Volume III, Issue 1, Spring 1997. The descriptions of Hitty’s underwear and the Library Dress are of interest to any Hitty admirer, but especially to those who want to recreate her clothing. Patricia’s article was one of my sources for “Hitty’s Wardrobe in the Stockbridge Library,” in the Fall 2024 issue of Doll News. The photos taken by Bill and Patricia are extra special because they show Hitty’s clothes before restoration.…
-
Bill Fifer’s Gift
Recently, I was contacted by Bill Fifer, the Hitty carver and miniature artisan. He had saved photos and other information about Hitty over the years and wanted to pass it along to someone who would appreciate it. Bill had heard of my article in Doll News magazine about Hitty’s wardrobe and wondered if I would be interested in his treasure trove. You can imagine how surprised and honored I was to hear from him. I promised him that I would preserve his archive and share it with others on my website. Below is a brief biography and history of how Bill and his wife, Pat Fifer, became so involved in…
-
Kitty’s Birthday
Halloween is a very special holiday at A Tale of Two Hittys. It is the birthday of Mary Angela Dickens, granddaughter of Charles Dickens, and also the day that she receives her doll Kitty on her 6th birthday, in my fictional tale. This year Kitty is making plans for a very special party with her friends. She tells them to come dressed in costumes, but not to bring gifts. Instead, she will share a special surprise with them. MacKenna dresses as as a candy-striper nurse and brings her new friend, Sienna, with her. Sienna is dressed as a doctor. Maeve appears as Robin Hood. Mabel and Cleo wear their costumes…
-
Meet Lacie
This month I took Kitty to a special “Afternoon Tea Time” event at the Ohio National Doll Show. The title was, “From Clay to AI, the Changing Landscape of Doll Design.” In the center of the table were special gifts for everyone courtesy of Rachel Hoffman and Virtual Doll Convention. Each guest received a t-shirt and boots for a 16” fashion doll and other trinkets. A small paper box shaped like a teapot held chocolate candy. Everything looked so sweet and appealing. The guest of honor was legendary doll designer, Robert Tonner. He had prepared a selection of fantastical images to showcase the potential of AI as a doll design…
-
Hitty’s First Dress
When Phoebe Preble wanted to play with her newly created doll, “Hitty,” Phoebe’s mother insisted that she needed a dress first. This dress, as described in the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, was made from “a buff calico strewn with small red flowers.” Six illustrations by Dorothy P. Lathrop in the book show Hitty wearing her very first dress of calico roses. When she was accidentally left behind at the Preble’s church, she spent a harrowing few days underneath a pew, frightened by a bat and hemmed in between a footstool and an illustrated Bible. I loved reading the part when she tried to get the attention of the…
