ABOUT THE AUTHOR - DON JENSEN . . .

Don Jensen has been researching and writing about dolls for more than 20 years. He and his wife, Arlene began their extensive collection when his late mother gave them her own childhood treasure, an antique bisque porcelain German doll.

From that point, their doll interests have expanded, deeper and broader, to include American-made composition dolls, wonderful French cloth and felt types, celebrity and comic characters, and more recently, the vinyl-head dolls of the post-1950s.

Their southern Wisconsin home also has its share of antique teddy bears and stuffed animals with “attitude,” especially Duck Rupert, ever the literary critic, and Mr. Monkey, always understanding, who look over the author’s shoulder as he sits at his computer, writing.

And, indeed, he is a longtime writer and editor, with nearly four decades as a "seen-it-all" newspaper reporter covering police and court cases, and nearly as long as a freelance magazine writer on many subjects.

In retirement, he has been a frequent contributor to collectors’ magazines, including Doll Reader, Doll News, Antique Doll Collector and Contemporary Doll Collector. His first reference book, Collector’s Guide to Horsman Dolls – 1865-1950, was published by Collector Books in 2002.

Previously, Don and Arlene Jensen served as associate co-editors of Doll News, for which they received a United Federation of Doll Clubs’ Award of Merit. In 2004, Don received the Cathie Lifetime Achievement Award from Modern Doll Collectors, Inc. An experienced researcher, author and speaker, he frequently presents seminars and programs on doll collecting.