Every woman can think back to her childhood and reminisce about her favorite baby dolls. Perhaps her most treasured dolls were popular dolls with ever-changing outfits and accessories, dolls that had long tresses that could be brushed, or collectible porcelain dolls handed down for generations and displayed in a special case or on a special shelf. These treasured memories are the reason that collectible dolls are so popular today.

Today's collectible dolls aren't necessarily antique dolls; more often, they're contemporary dolls that are, in essence, artist dolls - collectible dolls in limited editions that are carefully crafted by artists. Some of the most popular and treasured collectible dolls today are made by the following companies and artisans:

Adora Doll Company: The Adora Doll Company makes two types of baby dolls, those that are affordable and therefore accessible to many collectors, and limited editions that appeal to serious upscale collectors. Adora baby dolls are available in all races, eye colors, and hair colors, making them welcome additions for any doll collection.

Lee Middleton: Although the company's namesake passed away in 1997, this popular and award-winning company continues to produce baby dolls that have amazingly realistic and unique facial expressions.

Robert Tonner: Robert Tonner, known throughout the world for his award winning dolls and fashions, began his career as a head designer for Bill Blass after graduating from the Parsons School of Design. Robert Tonner has many lines of popular collectible dolls, including Mary Englebreit dolls, Betsy McCall dolls, and Tiny Betsy McCall dolls.

Zawieruszynski: Polish-born Zofia and Henry Zawieruszynski have won many awards, such as Dolls of Excellence and DOTY, for their collectible porcelain dolls that have hand-painted faces and human hair. These high-end collectible dolls are signed and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Uta Brauser: Each of Uta Brauser's collectible porcelain dolls are one-of-a-kind and are so unique that they're often found in art galleries.

Nancy Latham: Nancy Pedroso Latham was born in Havana, Cuba and came to the United States in the early 1960s. Her collectible dolls, "The Wistful Children," are inspired by antique photographs of children. The dolls are costumed to represent these children, and accompanying some of the dolls are photographs of the children they portray. The dolls' bodies are made of cotton, while the faces are structured and covered with cloth, and then hand-painted.

Collectible dolls are a wonderful way to recapture the joys of childhood, while at the same time building a foundation that can be passed on to future generations.