At Pollock's Toy Museum in London you'll find three floors full of dolls and toy theatres from the 19th and early 20th century. And yes, some of those dolls might be a little creepy.
The horror industry has spent a lot of effort trying to convince us that old dolls are scary, but I’ve never really bought into that. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it’s inherently creepy.
Case in point: the poor little lady above. This wax doll, made in England in 1822 and named “Caroline,” isn’t just creepy because of the cracks across her face. No, it’s more delicate than that; it’s the way her eyes seem a little too wide, and the pupils far too big. It’s the way her hairline starts in the middle of her head, like she’s Larry from the Three Stooges.
This well-dressed chap has perhaps the most classic “creepy doll” sense of style. It’s always a little surreal to see a child in a suit, and that’s only amplified when it’s not a child but a doll who is also wearing a hat. His multihued eyes are almost entrancing, pulling us in like headlights freezing a deer in its tracks, and there’s a clear hint of malice upon his smile. He’s just too, and it triggers our innate sense of mistrust.