Martha Chase Dolls
In the 1890s, a woman named Martha Chase, having fond memories of a beloved childhood doll, decided to bring similar joy to the lives of other children. She began constructing dolls and soon gained a large following enabling her to found the Martha Chase Doll Co. in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
One of the more innovative of the Chase dolls was the 1910 Chase Hospital Doll, which had a water-tight rubber interior to permit the teaching of medical treatments to student nurses learning how to care for sick babies. This unique doll was available in five sizes, from a newborn infant up to a four-year-old.
All of the Chase dolls bear a label which reads: “The Chase Stockinet doll. Made of Stockinet and Cloth. Stuffed with cotton. Made by Hand. Painted by Hand. Made by Especially Trained Workers.” Martha Chase died in 1925 — having never patented her wonderful dolls!