Did you have a troll doll with wild hair standing straight up, and did you rub its hair for luck? Maybe it sat on your dresser, rode in your pocket, or wore a little Santa hat every December. Trolls have been bringing people luck since the late 1950s, and they've had more than one big comeback. Here's how to tell who made yours, about how old it is, and what collectors look for.
Our vintage Smithy troll Santa stocking, with a smiling vinyl troll face, white plush hair and a red Santa hat, is $36. He's 31" to the tip of his hat, and he's the only one we have.
See the troll stocking →
Thomas Dam and the first trolls
The troll doll we know started in Gjøl, a small village in Denmark. Thomas Dam lived there and carved wooden figures as a hobby, and the story goes that he carved a little troll for his daughter. Other children wanted one too. In 1956 a Swedish department store hired him for a Christmas window, and shoppers wanted to buy his little figures.
Early trolls were made by hand. Some had spring bodies, and by 1957 Dam was making rubber trolls stuffed with wood shavings. In 1959 he opened a small factory in Gjøl and founded Dam Things Establishment. Production switched to vinyl, and the dolls were sold as "Good Luck Trolls." The first ones had sheep's wool hair and glass eyes.
The 1960s troll craze
Trolls were a hit in Europe first, then in America. They were one of the biggest toy fads in the U.S. from about 1963 to 1965, and sales stayed strong into the late 1960s. Dam trolls were made in Denmark, and factories in Hialeah, Florida and New Zealand made them too.
Trolls came in every size, from tiny pencil toppers to big shelf dolls. They came dressed as doctors, cowboys, tennis players and more. There were troll animals too, like lions and giraffes.
The copyright mix-up and all those knockoffs
Here's why there are so many trolls out there. Dam's copyright notice had an error in it, and in the mid-1960s the troll design was treated as being in the public domain. That meant anyone could make one, and lots of companies did.
- Scandia House: Dam Things sued Scandia House Enterprises for copying, and the judge ruled that trolls were in the public domain. The two companies later teamed up, and Scandia House got the U.S. rights to make and sell Dam trolls. Some Scandia House trolls have a "© 64" mark on the back.
- Uneeda Wishniks: the Uneeda Doll Company sold its trolls as "Wishniks" and made millions of dollars from them. Wishniks often have a horseshoe-shaped mark on the bottom of the feet.
- Unmarked trolls: many trolls from the craze have no mark at all. Leaving off a name was an easy way to cash in without a lawsuit.
The story has a happy ending for the Dam family. Thomas Dam died in 1989, and in 2003 a change in U.S. law restored the Dam copyright. Uneeda challenged it in court, and the court sided with the Dam family. About ten years later, DreamWorks Animation bought the Trolls rights from the Dam family, and the Trolls movie came out in 2016.
The 1980s and 1990s revival
Trolls came roaring back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, this time with potbellies and bright neon hair. Lots of companies joined in.
- Norfin: this was Dam's own line in the U.S. E.F.S. Marketing Associates of New York imported and sold Dam trolls under the Norfin name. Look for "Adopt A Norfin Troll" on the tags.
- Russ Berrie: Russ made a huge range of trolls in the 1990s, from tiny ones to big plush-bodied dolls, in every theme you can think of. Many Russ trolls are marked "Russ" on the feet or lower back, and many still have their Russ tag.
- Treasure Trolls by Ace Novelty: these are the ones with a sparkly plastic gem in the belly button, called a wishstone. They were sold as lucky trolls in the early 1990s.
- And more: Applause, Hasbro and Mattel made trolls too. So many were made that the market got flooded, and sales dropped again.
Holiday and Christmas trolls
The 1990s troll boom was a natural fit for Christmas. Russ made Santa trolls, troll ornaments and trolls in Christmas pajamas. You'll also find troll Christmas stockings, troll angel ornaments, and plush trolls dressed as reindeer from that era.
Troll stockings are a fun corner of the hobby. They usually have a vinyl troll face or head on top of a big red plush stocking, sometimes with soft cloth hands and a Santa hat. Some carry a "Smithy" tag. The Smithy name also shows up on plush Christmas stockings with teddy bear and reindeer heads, but we couldn't find a reliable history of the company, so we can't tell you more about who made them. If your stocking has a tag, keep it. It's a big part of what collectors want.
See it in person: trolls and Christmas nostalgia in the shop
A troll Santa stocking, plus a few more pieces that bring back the 80s and 90s. Each one is a single piece, so when it's gone, it's gone.
How to identify and date a troll
- Look at the feet and back: this is where most marks are. Dam trolls may be marked "© DAM," "© T. DAM" or "DAM THINGS," and early ones may add "MADE IN DENMARK." A Dam troll in the Victoria and Albert Museum is marked "DAM THINGS EST. 1964" on the back of the neck and "DAM THINGS ESTABLISHMENT 1964" on the bottom of its foot. The year is a good clue, but treat it as a starting point, since a mold could be used for years.
- Crisp or soft details: real Dam trolls have sharp wrinkles and deep, clear stamps. Copies made from molds of an original often look softer, and they're often a bit smaller. A smooth spot or scrape marks where a stamp should be can mean a mark was removed.
- Eyes: early Dam trolls have glass eyes, often brown or amber, set deep in the face. Later trolls usually have plastic eyes.
- Hair: early Dam trolls have sheep's wool hair, and collectors know Dam hair for its soft, fluffy wool look. Most 1980s and 1990s trolls have synthetic hair, often in bright neon colors.
- Body: the very first trolls were wood, then rubber, then vinyl. Most trolls you'll find are vinyl. Good Dam vinyl feels soft, while many copies are made of harder plastic. Some 1990s trolls have plush cloth bodies with vinyl heads.
- Tags and boxes: a Norfin tag, a Russ tag or an original box tells you a lot. Keep them with the troll.
Condition issues to check
- Hair: look for matting, frizz, cut hair and bald spots. Lots of trolls lost hair from years of play and wishing.
- Discoloration: vinyl can yellow or fade over time, and it can pick up stains. Check the face and hands closely.
- Cracks and damage: look for splits in the vinyl, chewed fingers and toes, and loose joints.
- Missing clothes: many trolls came dressed in felt outfits, and those were easy to lose. Original clothing adds a lot.
- Smells: trolls stored in a damp basement or a smoky house can hold onto odors.
What collectors look for
- Marked Dam trolls from the 1960s: especially big ones and Dam animals like lions and giraffes.
- Original clothes and tags: a troll in its first outfit, with its tag or box, is worth more than a bare one.
- Full, original hair: uncut hair in a nice color, with no bald spots.
- Unusual pieces: rare colors, odd sizes, and pencil toppers and other troll items.
- Holiday trolls: Santa trolls, ornaments and stockings are popular with people who grew up with 80s and 90s Christmases.
Caring for vintage trolls
- Keep them out of the sun: sunlight fades hair and can damage vinyl.
- Keep them dust free: a display case or a closed shelf helps a lot.
- Clean gently: wipe vinyl with a soft cloth and a little mild soap and water, then pat dry. Don't soak the troll.
- Go easy on the hair: handle it as little as you can. If it needs help, comb it slowly with a wide-tooth comb and let it air dry.
- Plush stockings: spot clean only, and store them flat or loosely folded so the vinyl face doesn't get crushed.
For more on cleaning old materials, see our guide to cleaning and caring for vintage finds.
Trolls and Christmas nostalgia in the shop
- Vintage Smithy troll Santa Christmas stocking, with a vinyl troll face, white plush hair, cloth hands and a Santa hat, 31" to the tip of the hat.
- 1989 Christopher Radko spin top ornament, in pink, blue and gold glass with its original label.
- 1980 Fisher-Price airplane #171 with pilot, a chunky blue plane with a spinning propeller.
- 90s Disney Lion King lunch box with Aladdin thermos, in teal plastic, straight from the troll revival years.
Love dolls with a longer history? Our guide to antique bisque dolls covers Kestner, Simon & Halbig and Jumeau.
Keep browsing:
Holiday decor →Vintage toys →Gift guide →
Keep reading: Antique Bisque Dolls · Collecting Vintage Figurines · Vintage Gifts Under $25 · How to Clean and Care for Vintage Finds
Did you have a troll as a kid? What color was its hair, and did you ever make a wish on it? Tell us about it.
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