The History of Bobbleheads

If you’re looking for an interesting and unique gift for a baseball fan, consider the history of bobbleheads. From the first toy to become an instant classic, the bobblehead has a long and varied history. At one time, these colorful and fun figurines looked like cartoonish young boys and were not nearly the promotional marketing pieces they are today. Bobbleheads first became popular in Japan and later spread across the world. Their popularity was catalyzed by a sports meeting.

Despite their zany appearance, bobbleheads have been around for almost four centuries. In mid-1700s China, nodding-head figurines were widely imported, including to England, colonial America, and other countries. By the 1800s, European countries had become a major market for wagging-head dolls, which were used as home décor and furnishings. In the early 1900s, bobbleheads were produced in Germany. Bobbleheads lasted from six to eight inches.

Bobbleheads were first made popular as collectibles for professional sports teams. The San Francisco Giants, for example, gave away 35,000 Willie Mays nodders at a game in 1999. They were a hit amongst Giants fans. In the following decades, bobbleheads fell out of fashion as collectors invested in other team-related collectibles. Then, action figures became the popular collectible.

In the early 2000s, bobbleheads began to make a comeback, spurring the creation of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame. The popularity of the bobbleheads also prompted its inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records, with the current record being for the largest collection of bobbleheads. Dog bobbleheads were the most popular and have made the biggest comeback among collectors. There are several notable figures in this history of the bobbleheads.