Many thanks to Lauren Tombari of Lafayette for lending her outstanding doll collection to LHS for display. Ms. Tombari’s collection of dolls represents the 1950’s, including clothes made by Jane Miller who lived in Lafayette at the time. Ms. Miller’s fine doll clothes could be found wherever Madame Alexander were sold. We have two complete displays of these dolls. One is in the History Room and another in the Library & Learning Center near the Homework Room.
Please come in and enjoy these amazing displays and a big shout out to Lauren Tombari!
I have an 8″ Md. Alexander doll straight leg from early 50’s. She is dressed in a girl scout outfit, tagged Jane Miller. Appraised by Patricia Smith and put in her book in early 90’s. She said the only one she had seen, but knew there was one. Very rare.
Jane Miller was my mother. I was about 6 years old when she started making doll clothes in the kitchen of our house on Solano Dr. in 1952. Initially they were for I. Magnin’s in the City, but then it all mushroomed. Before long they had a small factory off Mt. Diablo Blvd. behind Butler-Conti Dodge. About 1957 the operation moved to Walnut Creek, and then in 1959 we moved to Southern California, and the Jane Miller name was no longer used.
After my mother died in 1973, my father wrote an 8-page history of her involvement in the doll business. I have an extra copy of this if the Historical Society would like one.
The Lafayette Historical Society would love to have a copy for our archives. You can send it to ~ PO Box 133, Lafayette CA 94549. If you are on Facebook, please follow us…https://www.facebook.com/LafayetteHistoricalSociety.
Thank you your comment and offer.
Hi Stephen and John,
I was wondering if Stephen ever sent in the 8 page history of Jane Miller he mentioned? (Those are my dolls and my Jane Miller clothes that were on display.) Thank you either way!
Stephen, if you ever read this, your mom made such beautiful clothes!
I honor your mother! I have always wanted to learn more about this talented lady. Is a book or article available?
I just purchased a trunk which contained a couple of pieces made by your mom..what beautiful quality in her workmanship. my mother sewed beautiful Barbie clothes from remnants from our clothes..I wish I had those but were given to a neighbor less fortunate than us..I know that the clothes she made must be priceless to you..enjoy
Hi Steven,
My mom, Dorothy Freiburghouse, worked for your mom. I think they were also friend. Didn’t they also made exclusive, one-of-a-kind dresses for I Magnin? The fabrics were died to display the works of an artist. Was the artist’s first name Lillian? They also made Halloween costumes, including a very popular, and wholesome by today’s standards, Davey Crocket.
I would love to read that article.
do you by chance have another copy of the information regarding your mother and Dolls..I’m a member of a doll Club and would love to do a presentation about your mother as I have several outfits for the Ginny doll with her name tag. Please let me know. Joy Hill
I have some Jane Miller doll clothing. Is there someone I can donate them to?
Lovely dolls on display !!
I have a few pieces of Jane Miller doll clothing for 8 inch dolls.
Just beautifully made !!
Many outfits were made by Jane Miller for the adult-figured Madame Alexander 20 inch Cissy fashion dolls in the 1950’s and are are beautifully done !!
Cissy pre-dated the Barbie dolls, as she originated in 1955 and Barbie@ 1959. If you were to Googleher outfits I’m sure some would pop-up fromthat era !!
Lauren, nice to see another name I recognize from the doll world! I found this page when searching Jane Miller’s doll fashions. I just bought a Ginny wearing a poodle-skirt outfit and coat/hat with her tags; the Ginny is modern, but now I know, based upon Stephen’s comment from September 2021, that I should dress a vintage Ginny in it!
My mother, Lucy, worked for Jane Miller during the 50s, and all of my Ginny dolls were exceptionally well-dressed! When I was 8, the designer made a wedding dress in my size, and I was photographed holding a Ginny Doll who was also in bridal dress. I think this photo appeared in Doll World in 1956. Does anyone have a copy of this photo? Thanks!
Hi Janice,
My mom also worked for Jane Miller during the 50s! Her name was Dorothy Freiburghouse. I was probably about nine when you were eight. I’m about to write an Author eNewsletter about my doll collection then, my doll collection now, and the “reflection of me” character in my second novel, Twintuition. That’s what caused me to Search for and find this site. Are you still in Northern California? I’m in the Central Valley, in a small town called Ripon (between Manteca and Modesto.)
I had a Ginny Doll in a wedding dress. I called her my “Bride Doll.” Like someone else above, most of my dolls in my first collection went one by one to little girls who “were not going to have a Christmas,” including my bride doll. In my new collection, my Bride Doll is Princess Kate Middleton.