A Christmas Carol
On December 19, 1843, Charles Dickens released A Christmas Carol, a story that helped revive and redefine the spirit of Christmas. More than a century later, as the tale continued to warm hearts around the world, Bob and Jan Simpich began sculpting their own three-dimensional interpretations of Dickens’ classic—an artistic endeavor they continued to refine until some of their very last designs in 2006. Today, the Christmas Carol Collection stands as a cherished celebration of Christmas past, present, and future, and a gentle reminder of the hope first promised on that very first Christmas.
This Weeks Featured Designs
Browse three handpicked pieces
Condition: Pristine
“The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached…” Dickens’ unforgettable description of the third Spirit sets the tone for one of the most haunting moments in A Christmas Carol. It was this very passage that guided Bob Simpich during the final era of the Doll Shop, when he took on one of the most daunting creative challenges of his career: capturing the Ghost of Christmas Future in three-dimensional form. Concealed beneath a cavernous black shroud, with only a skeletal hand emerging from the darkness, this Simpich figure echoes the novel’s chilling imagery — a presence that seems to carry gloom and mystery in the very air around it.
Robert sculpted the Spirit as Dickens envisioned it: silent, faceless, and pointing unflinchingly to Scrooge’s own tombstone. The heavy black robes fall in deep, sculptural folds; the ghostly hand stretches toward the grave marker with a gesture that is both dreadful and necessary. It embodies the pivotal moment in the story — the instant Scrooge realizes his time is not endless, and that the future can only change if he does.
Across decades of writing about Simpich Character Dolls, joy has often been the theme I return to — the joy Bob and Jan poured into their work, the joy their creations continue to spark for collectors. And though some might say that Marley’s Ghost and the Ghost of Christmas Future stand apart from that joy, I would argue the opposite. Few pieces point us toward joy more clearly than these two Spirits. By exposing the consequences of a life lived for comfort, accumulation, and self-interest, they illuminate the path toward generosity, compassion, and transformation.
In this figure, Robert Simpich captured more than a character — he captured the turning point of Dickens’ entire tale. A solemn reminder, rendered with extraordinary craftsmanship, that joy is not something we receive by chance but something we choose, cultivate, and give. The Ghost of Christmas Future stands as one of the most powerful and meaningful entries in the Simpich Christmas Carol Collection: a silent, shrouded guide urging us toward the better future.
Condition: Pristine | Ultra Rare
“The same face, the very same — Marley.” Dickens’ chilling passage has inspired generations of illustrators, but few have ever attempted to give Jacob Marley a truly three-dimensional form. For decades, Robert Simpich wrestled with the challenge of the ghostly bookkeeper — a character so iconic, so atmospheric, and so technically demanding, that he hesitated to attempt it until the final years of the Simpich workshop. As the close of the Doll Shop approached, Robert knew he could not leave Marley absent from the Christmas Carol Collection.
What emerged is one of the most striking figures ever crafted by the Simpich family: a levitating, chain-bound phantom rendered in icy grays and spectral whites, with billowing gauze that seems to drift straight out of Dickens’ pages. His transparent, death-cold expression — sculpted with remarkable fidelity to the novel’s description — captures both the terror and the tragedy of a life spent in greed. The figure’s rising posture, ethereal wrappings, and meticulously draped chains evoke the haunting warning Marley brings to Scrooge and to us.
A masterful interpretation of Dickens’ ghost, this Jacob Marley stands as a testament to Robert Simpich’s artistry — a final, unforgettable spirit whose presence continues to define the heart and depth of the Simpich Christmas Carol Collection.
God Bless Us Every One — Scrooge & Tiny Tim
1999 · Limited Edition #134 of 800 · Condition: Pristine
The only limited edition ever produced in the Simpich Christmas Carol Collection — and one of the rarest pieces in the entire Simpich body of work.
A transformed Ebenezer Scrooge, dressed for Christmas dinner in his green tailcoat and lace jabot, gathers Tiny Tim onto his knee. Tim, crutch in hand, reaches up to touch the old man's face — the moment Dickens' story has been building toward, rendered in sculpted detail down to Scrooge's weathered hands and worn shoes.
The wooden stool beneath them carries the story in Bob Simpich's own hand-lettered engraving: "Tiny Tim did not die! Scrooge was a good friend" and "He knew how to keep Christmas well as any man alive" — Charles Dickens, crowned by the words "God bless us every one."
Mounted on an oval mahogany base, stamped and hand-numbered 134/800, dated 1999. In pristine condition — a rare opportunity for the serious Simpich collector.
Simpich Character Doll Shop
Latest Additions
New finds are listed often, this is the perfect place to stay up to date with our inventory.
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
Meet Ebenezer Scrooge, the iconic curmudgeon from Charles Dickens' beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. This meticulously crafted piece captures Scrooge's grumpy essence, complete with his signature nightgown and a "Bah! Humbug!" attitude, making it a standout addition to your collection.
Designed to be displayed alone or alongside the legendary ghosts and scenes from the story, this piece beautifully celebrates the spirit of the classic tale. Ebenezer Scrooge, addd a touch of literary charm to your holiday décor.
Embrace the magic of Christmas and the power of redemption with this timeless figure from a timeless story!
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.
The Caroler Girl | Simpich Character Dolls, Caroler Collection
Condition: Pristine
Base dated 1989
If the Caroler Collection has a lead singer, this is her. The Caroler Girl is the bright, blonde center of nearly every Simpich Christmas display, and the piece most collectors start with, because everyone else in the chorus seems to be singing alongside her.
She's caught mid-verse, chin up and mouth open, blue eyes lifted toward whatever is above the lamplight. She wears a fitted red felt jacket with a wide cape collar and a black satin bow at the throat, over a high tartan collar in red, navy and green with a fine gold overcheck, the same tartan as her full, gathered skirt. Two black bead buttons close the front; turn her around and there's a half-belt with two more, above a pleated peplum, the kind of tailoring Simpich put into the back of a doll knowing most people would only ever see the front. Her blonde hair is swept back and tied with a black satin ribbon, and a peek of lace petticoat shows at the hem. Cream felt mittens hold an open songbook trimmed with felt holly and three red bead berries.
This particular Caroler Girl stands on her original branded wood base, dated 1989, from the 2413 West Colorado Avenue studio, which puts her in the classic era of the collection, when the Carolers were at the height of their production and the shop was at its busiest.
She's the piece that makes a Simpich display look like a Simpich display. Whether she's the first Caroler you bring home or the one that finally completes the set, she is the voice the rest of them are harmonizing to.
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.
Condition: Excellent
He's looking up at someone.
Head tilted back, mouth just open, dark eyes fixed on a face somewhere above him. It's the look every dog owner knows, the one that says I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere until you notice. Set him at the feet of your Carolers and he'll look up at whoever is singing.
A lot of work went into that coat. Every tuft of his shaggy red-brown fur is sculpted in, with a darker wash worked into the grooves so the texture shows from across the room. His ears hang long and heavy, his nose is painted glossy black, and there's a small catch of light in each eye. Around his neck is a plaid ribbon in red, green and cream, tied off to one side in a bow.
Turn him around and look at the tip of his tail, where it rests on the base. The mark is pressed right into it: © SIMPICH 85.
Robert Simpich, who founded the doll shop with his wife, Jan, sculpted the original. This piece was then cast and hand-painted in the Simpich doll shop, his collar was tied on by hand, and he was set on a wooden base.
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
McNair and Friend — Simpich Character Dolls, Caroler Collection | Heirloom Condition | Designed and Signed by Robert Simpich
Most people assume the gentleman is McNair. He isn't. McNair is the scotty lovingly held under the mans arm.
Caught mid-carol with one mitten raised, this portly old fellow is singing his heart out on a snowy street, and tucked under his arm is his small companion, McNair, a shaggy West Highland terrier with a red collar and his tongue out, gazing up at the singer as if he'd join in if he could. The Friend, then, is the man, and once you know that, the whole piece rearranges itself: it's the dog's story, and the old gentleman is simply the one lucky enough to be carrying him.
The Friend wears a grey felt hat with a black band over a full head of white hair and a bristling white mustache; his cheeks are pink from the cold and his mouth is open on a long note. He's dressed in a plum wool overcoat, a soft grey tartan scarf woven with red, green and blue, grey felt mittens, and black-and-white checked trousers over black shoes, all mounted on a beveled walnut base.
McNair and Friend is one of the rarest and most sought-after of all the Simpich Character Dolls. He was a late addition to the Caroler Collection and was produced for only a handful of years, so relatively few were ever made and he seldom comes up for sale. For collectors building a complete Caroler scene, this is often the last piece to find, and one of the hardest.
Certified Simpich
Every Simpich Character Doll we rehome goes through a rigorous inspection, authentication, and in some cases restoration. So that you know you are getting an authentic Simpich Character Doll ready to warm your home for years to come.
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!