Troll doll
A small toy figure with brightly colored, upright hair, based on Scandinavian troll characters and popularized by Danish toymaker Thomas Dam.
Thomas Dam: A Danish woodcarver and toymaker who created the first troll dolls. His handmade figures in the 1950s established the doll’s distinctive design.
Upright hair: Hair arranged to stand vertically above the head, often in a tall, brightly colored tuft. Its exaggerated shape is the troll doll’s most recognizable visual feature.
Good luck charm: An object believed to bring good fortune or protect its owner from harm. The dolls were marketed and carried as tokens of good luck.
Cabbage Patch Kids: A line of soft-bodied dolls introduced by Xavier Roberts and marketed widely in the 1980s. Their adoption-style backstories and cloth bodies contrasted with troll dolls’ simple, iconic figures.
Dam Things: The Danish company founded by Thomas Dam to produce and sell his toys. The company carried Dam’s troll dolls from Danish workshops into international markets.
Toy: An object made or used for play, especially by children. Troll dolls are collectible playthings as well as toys.
Toy collecting: The hobby of acquiring and organizing toys for enjoyment, study, or investment. Collectors seek troll dolls across eras, makers, sizes, and editions.
Beanie Babies: A line of small plush toys filled with plastic pellets, introduced by Ty in 1993. Both became collectible toy crazes, but Beanie Babies relied on plush animals and limited releases.
Scandinavian folklore: The traditional stories, beliefs, and customs of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and nearby regions. The doll’s name and fantastical appearance draw on Scandinavian troll traditions.
Collectible: An object valued and sought after as part of a collection. Variations in size, clothing, and hair color encourage collecting troll dolls.