The history of Berenguer dolls
The history of Berenguer Dolls began more than half a century ago in Spain when José Berenguer began a lifelong passion for doll design in 1944.
By the 1950s, José Berenguer dolls had earned an excellent reputation for quality craftsmanship and beauty. The most popular during this decade were the Chelito and Pepin dolls.
Her passion for making and designing dolls was passed on to her son Salvador, who was also born in Spain, a country that has inspired many artists. Salvador comes from a family where the gift of sculpture has been passed down from generation to generation and he inherited the family legacy from him.
He has personally sculpted many Berenguer doll masterpieces that capture the essence of a child’s beauty. He is an expert in recreating the look of innocence and purity that reflects childhood.
He is the creative genius behind the ingenious designs of today’s Dolls by Berenguer, now owned by JC Toys. With his experience as a sculptor and a keen eye for detail, Salvador has created countless dolls that reveal the varied emotions of childhood. He draws inspiration from everyday life and, closer to home, from his own children and grandchildren.
Salvador took over from his father in the 1960s and continued his pleasure of a canvas with the same passion and dedication as when he began more than 40 years ago.
Today Salvador is Head Sculptor of the JC Toys company that has offices in Florida, Hong Kong and Spain.
JC Toys Group dolls were first introduced to the US market in the early 1980s. You’ve probably heard of them by another name: they were known by the popular name BERJUSA.
Berjusa dolls had a considerable effect on the doll market at the time due to their astonishingly realistic features and innovative soft facial sculptures that had never been seen like this before. Popular doll brands of the 1980s and later were Tunene and Minene.
Later in that decade, new baby dolls were introduced to the range such as La Newborn and La Baby.
Today, JC Toys is an international designer and manufacturer of collectible and specialty dolls, with one of the largest ranges in the world. And the name Berenguer remains synonymous with dolls of superior quality and unique design.
That is the legacy of Salvador Berenguer.