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The extraordinary Simpich Character Doll enterprise
operated from this Old Colorado City building for nearly thirty
years. Beautiful handmade figures were created here and shipped
to points across the globe; and visitors were welcomed to tour
the workshop areas where each character was painstakingly
crafted. Because of skyrocketing production costs, in early
2007—after 54 years of production—doll artists Jan and Bob
Simpich decided to close their business, thus preserving the
distinct legacy of every Simpich Doll being handmade in
Colorado.
THE SIMPICH DOLL MUSEUM now carries Bob and Jan’s amazing
endeavor to a new dimension as the intricate history and
remarkable artistry of their joint effort is explored and
celebrated. Over fifty diorama exhibits carry visitors from the
early 1950’s where the dolls were made in a tiny cottage in
Manitou Springs through the mid 2000’s where the Simpich Doll
operation peaked in artistry and complexity. Many exceptionally
rare and one-of-a-kind figures are displayed, as well as
creation processes, unusual memorabilia and family heirlooms.
Many displays are scheduled to rotate to accommodate appropriate
space for the nearly 500 distinct characters in the Simpich
family’s collection, which remains the largest and most
comprehensive in existence.
Also on display is A GALLERY ON STRINGS, displaying a
large variety of performing marionettes from the Simpich
repertoire of string-puppet productions.
Simpich Showcase also offers a
museum shop with specialty items and
Simpich Doll consignment service.
Below is a sample of some of the more than 50 displays in the museum.
Click thumbnails to enlarge. |
