Inspiration. Design. Pride.

By Pam North

Their faces are unique, their hairstyles are unmatched, and their clothing is extraordinarily characteristic. A departure from more conventional dolls, Zwergnase dolls have their own special charm.

There is a slightly caricatured humanity about these dolls that reflects the awkward stages in childhood. Their lopsided grins show the unevenness of emerging adult teeth typical of 6 and 7 year olds, and their crinkled eyes hint at mischief and fun. Their hairstyles are the careless ones common to active children, with wisps escaping scrunchy-bound ponytails and tangled curls framing each lively face. These are not portrayals of pristine, perfect children but of more real-life kids at play, with disheveled clothes and skinned-up knees. These are dolls that children can relate to and feel comfortable with, and adults can regard with appreciation as reminders of their own experiences growing up. Zwergnase dolls—or “Z dolls,” as collectors often call them—resonate with their owners and make them smile.

The artist behind these charismatic dolls is Nicole Marschollek-Menzner. Born in Rauenstein in eastern Germany, Nicole loved art even as a child, expressing herself in original, splashy jewelry designs. She eventually enrolled in the College of Design and Mechanical Engineering in Sonneborg and earned a bachelor’s degree in toy making and mechanical design. The fall of the Iron Curtain that had once divided Europe in two gave her more freedom to pursue her dreams. After working for Götz, a local doll manufacturing company, she soon established her own company: Zwergnase. The name references a German storybook character—a dwarf with a large nose—who, despite his small size, battled giants and achieved great feats, a rather appropriate symbol for a small company with such high aspirations.

Nicole lives just outside of Schalkau, Germany, with her husband, Bernd, and their two children, Mees and Greta. Here they are close to their factory in the mountainous region of Thuringia, an area steeped in a long tradition of doll manufacturing (prestigious doll makers such as J.D. Kestner, Kämmer & Reinhardt, and Armand Marseille had factories here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). Bernd manages their business, and Mees likes to hang around watching everything run. Nicole has a very small staff of assistants, usually numbering no more than 10. Zwergnase is a small, hands-on operation. In fact, the entire manufacturing process of Zwergnase dolls takes place under one roof, and under Nicole’s watchful eye. She is personally involved in every step of production and takes tremendous pride in her efforts to maintain the traditions of previous Thuringian doll manufacturers.

Nicole’s sculpting is her joy; she loves the process of translating her observations of children into clay. When the sculpt meets her satisfaction, a mold of it is created first in wax, then from the wax to silicone, which then evolves into the form for producing the ultimate vinyl versions.

Doll eyes are made of fine mouth-blown glass, similar to those made as replacement eyes for human beings. Oftentimes she will set them in a side-glancing position, which adds that extra panache to a doll’s character.

Their wigs are made of human hair or mohair in a variety of natural and attractive shades and textures, lending both realism and styling possibilities to the dolls. Hairstyles are designed to complement each doll’s personality and may range from simple, soft curls or waves to imaginatively ornamented braids or topknots.

Freckles, an extra touch for the faces, are painstakingly hand-applied one by one using the head of a straight pin. Such attention to detail is seen in all Zwergnase dolls.

Costuming is also an important part of the Zwergnase dolls’ appeal. Nicole designs all of the clothing worn by her dolls. She visits fabric trade shows twice a year and selects natural fabrics in complementing small-scale patterns and colorful hues. She combines cottons and silks into stylishly funky layered outfits that perfectly suit the personalities of her dolls. Her 2006 costume collection features marvelous trims of peacock and other feathers, net flounces, faux fur, velvet ribbons, and felt flowers as highlights.

Turning back the pages of earlier Zwergnase catalogs reveals a surprising gamut of facial expressions. Looking at these past dolls, it is easy to imagine their lively interactions and childlike motions: Benedetta and Heloise giggle loudly to each other; Zwaantje winks in a playful yet sneaky way; Kicky shrieks in laughter. A profusion of emotions flitter across the faces in the collections. Zwergnase dolls don’t just sit in their places—they live there. They have a presence all their own and cannot go unnoticed. They clamor for attention, each to a degree that its own personality dictates.

Seventy-three sculpts were created between 1995 and 2005, and 2006 has welcomed eight new sculpts to the collection, all as exciting as their predecessors. Kajsa appears somewhat chagrined; Amalia’s face mirrors concern; Tora comes across serenely meditative; Margharetha radiates ingenuous delight; Dianne is an image of innocence; Vivianne seems happily anticipatory; and Elise looks wide-eyed into a world that must appear vast and perhaps even a bit daunting as well.

Nicole takes incredible pride in the work she does. She uses only the finest materials for her dolls. She also remains environmentally conscious and uses natural materials for her creations whenever possible rather than synthetic materials. Limited editions—even smaller this year to preserve interest, quality, and value—allow her to maintain her high standards of quality and to infuse her creations with the artistry and originality that remain so dear to her heart.

“In the future, I want to continue to work in my own personal style. I’m not interested in following market trends, only in expressing myself,” she says. As to what motivates her, Nicole confides, “My inspiration is children. I observe them closely and often take photos. I look for unique expressions and sculpt my dolls to portray them.”

Aside from these marvelous maverick dolls, Nicole has even found the time to design an appealing line of simpler play dolls for children and beginning collectors, as well as an annual group of whimsical mohair bears that have already caught the attention of collectors everywhere. These bears are an outlet for her sense of humor and are an endeavor of real fun for her.

Ultimately, Zwergnase creations embody realism, charm, and quality, but perhaps most of all, fun!