Simpich Santas
Joy has always been at the center of the Simpich Character Dolls, and nowhere is that joy clearer than in the Simpich Santas. Although early experiments date back to the 1962, the collection truly began in the mid-1980s with Santa with Toy Bag—the only Santa ever placed into general production.
Every Santa that followed, from 1986 through 2006, was created as an artist’s proof or limited edition, marking two decades of evolving creativity. These pieces culminated in the final Simpich Character Doll ever designed, bringing the Santa Collection—and the Doll Shop era—to a meaningful close.
This Weeks Featured Designs
Browse three handpicked pieces
Every great journey must come to an end.
The caboose in Santa’s hand is bright red, lettered EOL on the side for End of the Line, and painted right into the frame beneath it: Simpich © 2006. Robert Simpich designed this Santa as the final piece the doll shop would ever release, and he said so in the piece itself.
Then look at what this Santa is wearing. It isn’t the great fur-trimmed coat. It’s a suede work apron, its pockets filled with a hammer, a ruler, a pencil, a paint rag, a candy cane, and a paintbrush with the color still on its tip. Half of it is a toymaker’s kit. The other half looks suspiciously like the working tools of the doll shop. It is hard to hold this piece and not see the artist standing inside the Santa.
At his feet, a shaggy dog in a red collar marked JINGLE sits looking up, waiting on him the way dogs wait on someone who is almost done working for the day.
And Santa is waving. One hand holds the finished caboose; the other is raised, with a small gold band on his finger. Hello or goodbye — in 2006, it was both.
Robert Simpich, who founded the doll shop with his wife, Jan, sculpted the original design. Each piece in the edition was then cast, hand-painted, and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop, and set on a wooden base. Released at the end of 2006 in an edition of 750, End of the Line Santa is the final Simpich design and the most sought-after piece in the line. Twenty years on, that has not changed.
This is number 272 of the 750, signed by Robert Simpich on the base.
Condition: Pristine | Limitied Edition of 1000 | Introduced in 1990
Santa has stopped mid-sentence.
He holds the book open in one hand, with a red ribbon marking his place. His other hand is raised the way a storyteller’s is when he gets to the good part. His spectacles are down on his red nose, and his pipe is clamped in his beard. Look closely at the pipe and you’ll see a small bearded face carved into the bowl.
The pages are carved and lettered by hand: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This isn’t a Santa in a sleigh. It’s a Santa reading the Christmas story the way a grandfather reads it to a room full of family.
He’s dressed for a night at home. He wears a red vest piped in black, a homespun shirt with a ribbon of little red hearts down the front and at the cuffs, a black belt with a brass buckle, red knickers buttoned at the knee, and laced black boots.
At his feet, an orange-and-white cat with a red bow at her neck has curled up on a crocheted rug, sound asleep. She’s heard the story before.
Each piece was hand-painted and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop, then set on an oval wooden base. Underneath is the Simpich Character Dolls label, the date 1990, the edition number in ink, and the signature of Robert Simpich.
This is number 150 of 1,000.
And this Santa Reads is signed by Robert Simpich, something that is very rare for the early Santas in particular. It is the first signed one I’ve ever seen.
Details
Introduced 1990
Limited edition of 1,000. This piece is #150/1000
Signed by Robert Simpich on the underside of the base
Hand-lettered pages from Isaiah 9:6
Includes the sleeping cat on her crocheted rug
O’ Be Joyful
Look at their hands first.
Old Nick and Mrs. Nick are clasped palm to palm, held high mid-dance, and on her finger is a small gold wedding band. That ring is there for a reason. O’ Be Joyful was made in honor of Bob and Jan Simpich’s 40th wedding anniversary, and it is a dance between two people who had spent four decades making things together.
It is also the rare piece where both of their hands show up in the same design. Bob designed Old Nick and Jan designed Mrs. Nick.
He’s dressed for a folk dance, not a sleigh ride. He wears a red velvet vest edged in braided black and gold cord, an embroidered band at his chest, and green velvet knickers with brass jingle bells at the knee and red-and-white ribbons tied at his boots. His spectacles sit low on his nose, his head is thrown back laughing, and a small squeezebox is tucked under his arm.
She’s mid-twirl. She has one hand in his and the other lifting the hem of her red calico skirt, which shows an olive satin underskirt and a layer of lace beneath. She wears a lace-trimmed cap, a green bodice with four brass buttons, a white apron edged in lace, and a red ribbon at her collar. From behind you can see the gathered bustle bow. She’s smiling up at him.
Each face was hand-painted and each costume hand-sewn in the Simpich doll shop. The pair sits on an oval wooden base with an engraved brass plaque. Underneath, the base carries the Simpich Character Dolls stamp with the shop’s 2415 West Colorado Ave address, and it is signed and dated by both Robert Simpich and Jan Simpich, 1992.
This is number 1 of 2,500.
In all the years I’ve worked at finding new homes for Simpich Character Dolls, I’ve found many wonderful dolls, from Artist Proofs to final editions, to pieces with both Robert and Jan Simpich’s signatures. However, I have never sold a 1 of 2500. This O’ Be Joyful stands alone as the first O’ Be Joyful completed. What a wonderful find.
Details
Designed by Robert Simpich (Old Nick) and Jan Simpich (Mrs. Nick) for their 40th wedding anniversary
Limited edition of 2,500. This piece is #1/2500
Signed and dated 1992 by both Robert and Jan Simpich on the underside of the base
Hand-painted faces and hand-sewn costumes on an oval wooden base with an engraved brass plaque
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Condition: Heirloom (pristine and signed by the artist) | Limited Edition of 1,200 | Introduced in 2005
#661/1200
“Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse” … except this one. Santa has found the plate of cookies left out for him, and a little gray mouse has beaten him to it, sitting up among the chocolate chips and looking up at Santa as if waiting to see whether he’ll share.
Even a Mouse was created by my father, Master Puppeteer David Simpich, and introduced in 2005, less than two years before the Simpich Doll Shop made its last dolls in January 2007. This one is #661 of 1,200, hand-numbered and signed on the base, and even the cookie plate is marked “© Simpich 05.”
Sculpted by David Simpich, then cast, hand-painted and dressed in hand-sewn red velvet in the Simpich Doll Shop in Colorado Springs.
A Santa for any family that still leaves cookies out on Christmas Eve.
The Ghost of Christmas Present – A Christmas Carol Collection
Condition: Pristine | 19 Inches Tall
In A Christmas Carol, the second spirit greets Scrooge with a laugh and an invitation: "Come in! and know me better, man!" The Simpich Ghost of Christmas Present looks like he's saying it right now. His arms are spread wide, his palms are open, and his eyes are crinkled nearly shut from laughing.
Dickens described this spirit carefully, and this piece follows him closely. In the book, the spirit wears a simple green robe bordered with white fur, a holly wreath set with shining icicles, and no shoes. He has long, dark brown curls. Here, the robe is deep green velvet, trimmed in thick white from collar to hem and around both sleeves. The holly crown is dotted with red berries and threaded with gold for the icicles. His curls and beard are sculpted in heavy ringlets. Beneath the robe he wears gold-flecked trousers, and his bare feet stand on a round wooden base.
At 19 inches, he is the largest Simpich doll ever produced, and the size lets the small details come through: the laugh lines around his eyes, the knuckles on his open hands, the toenails on his bare feet, and the twisted gold rope belt with its tasseled ends.
He was sculpted by [designer], then cast, hand-painted, and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop.
Condition
Pristine, as shown in the photos.
In the story, this is the spirit who takes Scrooge to the Cratchits' Christmas table, and he's a natural centerpiece for a Christmas Carol display alongside the Cratchit Family.
Condition: Pristine | Limited Edition of 1,000 | Introduced in 1999
This Dear Santa is #15 of the 1,000 numbered pieces in the edition, hand-numbered on his base along with the 1999 date. (Artist proofs made while the design was being developed were left unnumbered, so the numbering begins with the finished edition.) Of all the Simpich Santas, he is the one that captures the classic Santa style, and he carries the tradition of letters to Santa right along with him. From his black boots and wooden stand to his white beard and Elizabeth’s letter, he is in pristine condition.
The letter is the heart of this piece. Santa has paused to read a note pulled from his mailbag, and that note was written by my sister, Elizabeth. More letters peek out of the black “Mail – North Pole” bag on his shoulder, waiting their turn.
He wears red velvet trimmed in white fur, small round spectacles and a bell at the tip of his cap.
Sculpted by my grandfather, Robert Simpich, then cast, hand-painted and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich Doll Shop in Colorado Springs.
For any family that still writes letters to Santa, he belongs by the tree.
The Cratchit Family – A Christmas Carol Collection
Condition: Pristine | Complete Signed Set of Five
Bob Cratchit comes home through the snow with Tiny Tim riding on his shoulder, and the whole family is there to meet them. This is the complete Cratchit Family from the Simpich A Christmas Carol Collection: Bob with Tiny Tim, Mrs. Cratchit, the Cratchit Girl, and the Cratchit Boy.
Each of them is bringing something to Christmas dinner. Mrs. Cratchit holds the pudding on its plate, iced and topped with a sprig of holly. The Cratchit Boy carries a carved wooden bowl heaped with red apples. The Cratchit Girl holds a candle burned low, its wax dripping down over the holder. Above them all, Tiny Tim raises his crutch in a red mitten, plaid scarf wrapped around his neck, while Bob looks up at him with a grin under a white top hat trimmed in holly.
Look closely and you'll find a patch on every member of the family. There's a tweed square on Bob's knee, calico on Mrs. Cratchit's skirt, a red diamond on the girl's pinafore, and a mend on the boy's breeches. Dickens wrote the Cratchits as a family with very little money and a great deal of joy, and these small mends tell that story in fabric. He described Mrs. Cratchit as "brave in ribbons," and there's her blue ribbon tied at the back of her dress.
Each figure was sculpted by [designer], then cast, hand-painted, and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop. Their outfits include wool coats, a linen shawl edged in lace, a lace cap over painted ringlets, and a gingham shirt under a felt vest.
Condition: Pristine | Limitied Edition of 1000 | Introduced in 1990
Santa has stopped mid-sentence.
He holds the book open in one hand, with a red ribbon marking his place. His other hand is raised the way a storyteller’s is when he gets to the good part. His spectacles are down on his red nose, and his pipe is clamped in his beard. Look closely at the pipe and you’ll see a small bearded face carved into the bowl.
The pages are carved and lettered by hand: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This isn’t a Santa in a sleigh. It’s a Santa reading the Christmas story the way a grandfather reads it to a room full of family.
He’s dressed for a night at home. He wears a red vest piped in black, a homespun shirt with a ribbon of little red hearts down the front and at the cuffs, a black belt with a brass buckle, red knickers buttoned at the knee, and laced black boots.
At his feet, an orange-and-white cat with a red bow at her neck has curled up on a crocheted rug, sound asleep. She’s heard the story before.
Each piece was hand-painted and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop, then set on an oval wooden base. Underneath is the Simpich Character Dolls label, the date 1990, the edition number in ink, and the signature of Robert Simpich.
This is number 150 of 1,000.
And this Santa Reads is signed by Robert Simpich, something that is very rare for the early Santas in particular. It is the first signed one I’ve ever seen.
Details
Introduced 1990
Limited edition of 1,000. This piece is #150/1000
Signed by Robert Simpich on the underside of the base
Hand-lettered pages from Isaiah 9:6
Includes the sleeping cat on her crocheted rug
Yule Log Boy (The Teenage Boy) | Simpich Character Dolls, Caroler Collection
Condition: Pristine
Every caroling party has one kid who isn't quite paying attention to the music, and in the Simpich Caroler Collection, it's this one. Yule Log Boy has one black mitten thrown up over his head, waving at somebody down the street or at the first snowflakes, and his mouth is wide open, though whether he's singing the carol or shouting hello is anybody's guess. Behind him, on a length of twine, he's dragging home the yule log.
He's a freckle-faced blond in a heathered blue knit pullover, black felt trousers and black shoes, with a long Fair Isle stocking cap in red, navy, green and white that flops down past his shoulder, and a matching knit scarf that hangs nearly to his knees and finishes in a fat white yarn tassel. Both are the real thing, tiny knitted pieces rather than printed fabric, and the pattern is picked out with little stitches of yellow. The log itself is a sculpted piece with bark texture and growth rings on the cut ends, tied with a red ribbon and a sprig of holly, ready for the hearth.
He is the natural companion to the Teenage Girl, and the two of them together read as a pair of siblings sent out to fetch the log and finding it more fun than they expected. On his own, he's the piece that gives a Caroler display its motion: everyone else is standing still and singing, and he's the one about to break into a run.
Santa Takes a Break
Christmas is over, and Santa has finally sat down.
He’s on a small wooden stool with one hand resting on his knee and the other holding his pipe. A wisp of smoke curls up out of the bowl. He’s looking up with his mouth open, mid-laugh or mid-story. Maybe he’s telling someone how the night went.
The big red coat is off. He’s down to his shirtsleeves, a white shirt with a ruffled collar, a ruffled front, and amber buttons, and the cuffs are loose at the wrists. His red knickers are held up by black suspenders woven with tiny red and pink roses that cross at his back, and the same ribbon runs around his waistband and his knees. Below the knees, his white stockings have slid down and bunched around his ankles, and his feet are in a pair of worn brown slippers. His wire spectacles sit on a red nose, and blue eyes look out over a beard and the bald crown of his head.
This is the Santa nobody sees: no sleigh, no list, just a man who worked hard all night and is enjoying sitting down.
Each piece was hand-painted and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop. This one is set on a square wooden base. Underneath you’ll find the Simpich Character Dolls stamp, the date 1989, the edition number in ink, and the signature of Robert Simpich.
This is number 813 of 1,000.
Details
Dated 1989 on the base
Limited edition of 1,000. This piece is #813/1000
Signed by Robert Simpich on the underside of the base
Seated on his own wooden stool, with fiber pipe smoke
Condition: heirloom quality
The Organ Grinder | Signed by Robert Simpich | The last and rarest Simpich Caroller
One red-mittened hand turns the crank, a pipe is clenched in his grin, and his cheeks are pink from the cold and from laughing. Whatever tune is coming out of that organ, he knows every note of it by heart.
The organ hangs from a leather strap across his chest, its face carved with a row of gilded pipes. And riding on top sits his partner: a small brown monkey, tail curled over his back, one hand pressed to his cheek, wearing a little red cap with a gold button to match his master's. Of the two of them, the monkey is the one watching you.
Turn him around and the story keeps going. A fringed red plaid scarf hangs down the back of a black wool coat. His trousers are black-and-white tweed. All of it is hand-sewn from real fabric, not painted on. On the back of his red cap, pressed right into the brim, is the mark: © Simpich.
The Organ Grinder was the last new figure added to the Simpich Carollers, released in 2005, less then two years before the doll shop closed. Making the Organ grinder one of the hardest to find, since they were only produced for a very limited time.
Robert Simpich, who founded the doll shop with his wife, Jan, sculpted the original. This piece was then cast, hand-painted, and dressed in hand-sewn clothing in the Simpich doll shop, and set on a wooden base. Turn it over and you'll find Robert Simpich's signature across the base, the year 2005, and the doll shop's gold foil label from 2413 West Colorado Avenue.
He has been well cared for. The scarf's fringe is intact, the wool is unfaded, the gilding on the pipes is still bright, and both the crank and the monkey's little cap are still with him.
Details
The last new Caroler, released 2005
Signed by Robert Simpich on the base · dated 2005 by hand · original gold foil shop label
Condition: heirloom
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About Toby Simpich
General Manager of Simpich Family Traditions
Hello, and welcome to Simpich.com, the home for all of my family's artwork. My grandparents Bob and Jan Simpich started the Simpich Character Dolls in 1952, and since then the Simpich Family has only grown and expanded their creative legacy. From my father David Simpich's marionette productions, to my brother Kemper Simpich's landscape photography — I'm so proud to share it all here on Simpich.com.
I live in Woodland Park, just west of Colorado Springs, with my wife Kinsey. I've been working in the family business since 2009, when I took up selling concessions outside my dad's Marionette theatre in Old Colorado City. Since then I've worked to sell tickets to his shows, sell the fine art by landscape photography by Kemper Simpich and paintings of Robert Simpich, and of course the Simpich Character Dolls. I've rehomed thousands of these characters in my attempt to keep the legacy of my grandparents alive. If you are interested in learning more about any aspect of the Simpich Family's legacy, reach out using the form below.
If you would like to explore my photo and video work, check out my website!