Annalee Dolls
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Collectible dolls |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Barbara Annalee Davis (later Thorndike) |
| Headquarters | Meredith, New Hampshire , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Puerto Rico |
Key people | David Pelletier (CEO) |
| Products | Collectible dolls |
Number of employees | 30 (2006) |
Annalee Dolls, Inc., which also operates under the names Annalee Mobilitee Dolls Inc. and AMD Holdings Inc., is a privately held enterprise located in Meredith, New Hampshire that specializes in producing collectible dolls. Established in 1955 by Barbara Annalee Davis (later Thorndike), the company originally received a commission from the state of New Hampshire to create dolls aimed at boosting tourism. By the 1950s, Annalee Dolls had become a familiar sight in department store displays across Manchester, New Hampshire and Boston.
At its height, Annalee Dolls functioned across more than with seven buildings covering , generating roughly US$15 million annually and employing around 300 people. The brand wielded considerable influence in the collectibles market, with certain dolls commanding auction prices as high as $6,000. It has been recognized as "the most famous manufactured item to come from New Hampshire in the 20th century."
By 2006, the workforce had decreased to 30 employees, and in 2008 the company closed its museum and sold the Meredith manufacturing facility as part of a strategic pivot toward outsourcing production and enhancing profitability. Leadership continuity has been maintained through key executives from the Thorndike family, preserving expertise within this specialized sector.
History
Barbara Annalee Davis was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1915 and began crafting dolls at an early age, initially marketing them through the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. After relocating to Boston, she expanded her distribution network to include retailers such as S.S. Pierce and Co..
In 1941, she married Charles "Chip" Thorndike, a Harvard alumnus, and together they moved to Meredith, New Hampshire, where they initially ran a poultry business. When egg prices declined, they shifted focus to doll production, financing a line of skier dolls through sales from their farm. This venture evolved into what became known as the Annalee doll "Factory in the Woods," culminating in the formal incorporation of Annalee Mobilitee Dolls in 1955.
By the late 1950s, Annalee dolls had gained commercial success, featuring prominently in window displays throughout Manchester, New Hampshire and Boston and serving as promotional tools for New Hampshire tourism efforts. By 1960, their distribution extended to forty U.S. states as well as Canada and Puerto Rico.
In 1964, expanding operations required moving out of the Thorndikes' home into a dedicated factory complex that eventually covered over fourteen acres with seven buildings totaling .
Annalee Dolls achieved national prominence when President Gerald Ford received their dolls for display on the White House Christmas tree in 1975. In 1990, the company supported U.S. Ski Team athlete Christopher Pederson by sponsoring him and creating co-branded merchandise.
Ownership transitioned partially to their sons Townsend and Charles Thorndike in 1992; Charles took over daily management by 1995.
Confronted with a declining collectibles market during the late 1990s, Annalee shifted production overseas by 2001 while maintaining design and marketing functions at their Meredith headquarters. Founder Annalee Thorndike passed away in 2002.
After legal disputes between the sons concerning company control, Annalee Dolls was acquired in 2008 by David Pelletier, Bob Watson, and Hong Kong-based Imagine Company—the manufacturer responsible for producing their dolls. That same year, the company sold its "Factory in the Woods" premises for $1.05 million to the Winnipesaukee Playhouse theater group, which intended to redevelop it for performance arts use. The corporate offices remained on-site while museum dolls were auctioned off to streamline operations.
By mid-2010, Annalee Dolls relocated its outlet store and administrative offices to a former grocery store site on Route 104 in Meredith. CEO David Pelletier highlighted the importance of preserving local roots while modernizing facilities with , including dedicated retail space.
In 2016, Annalee Dolls moved again to 339 Daniel Webster Highway, continuing its enduring role within New Hampshire’s collectibles industry.
Dolls
Annalee dolls are flexible figures constructed with felt bodies and feature painted faces modeled after Annalee Thorndike. Their sizes range from just a few inches tall up to 6 feet, with the larger versions typically used for retail displays and the smaller ones marketed to consumers. The collection includes themes such as elves, animals, and clowns. In the early days, Chip Thorndike was responsible for creating the wire armatures and wooden accessories, while Annalee handled the sewing and painting. Starting in 1986, each doll has a label indicating its year of manufacture.
As popularity grew, Annalee and Chip expanded their team by hiring additional staff; however, in 2001, the company transitioned production overseas following a strategic shift. Currently, new designs inspired by Annalee’s original creations are developed by designers at the Meredith headquarters. The manufacturing is carried out by the Imagine Company in Hong Kong, with completed dolls then shipped back for distribution. CEO David Pelletier emphasized that despite relocating production abroad, the company preserved its tradition of home-based craftsmanship.
In 1992, a Halloween girl doll from the 1950s sold at auction for $6,000, underscoring the dolls’ collectible status and market demand. This high level of popularity has also resulted in counterfeit challenges that impact brand reputation.
Factory in the Woods
The Annalee Doll "Factory in the Woods," situated in Meredith, New Hampshire, once covered more than fourteen acres and included seven buildings totaling 34,000 square feet. It functioned both as a production facility and a prominent tourist destination in the Lakes Region, featuring amenities such as picnic spots, vintage car exhibits, a covered footbridge, the Annalee Doll Museum, and a gift shop.
The museum's exterior was designed to resemble Annalee Thorndike’s childhood residence. In 2008, portions of the museum’s collection were auctioned off as it moved toward a digital format, enabling worldwide access to its artifacts without requiring visitors to travel to New Hampshire.