I’ll always remember the moment I first set my eyes on the sweet boy in the powder-blue clown costume. With his happy smile and twinkling eyes, Jason forever changed the course of history for Ashton-Drake Galleries. In 1985, Jason became the very first limited-edition doll offered by Ashton-Drake.
Jason’s head, arms and legs were all meticulously sculpted by award-winning Venezuelan doll designer, Yolanda Bello. Bello’s creations are best known for their realism, sculptural excellence, and rich depth of emotion. Jason was also the first issue in Bello’s Picture-Perfect Babies series. Once Bello designed the sculpt, Jason was cast and then put into production, where Ashton-Drake artisans hand-finished each individual doll.
The artistry of Bello’s sculpt is easily seen in Jason. His delicate features are well defined, and his beautiful blue eyes have a depth and intensity of color rarely achieved. Bello’s attention to detail continues as Jason has the proportions of a real infant. His hands are so lifelike, seemingly in motion. You’re drawn to reach out to him so that he can curl his fingers around yours.
If you come across Jason now, you will easily see the heart and effort artisans placed into each individual doll. Each doll was hand-painted with the highest quality pigments, to bring out Jason’s vibrant realism and personality. Even his costume (also designed by Bello) was hand-tailored with single-needle stitching, resulting in perfect ruffles to frame his face, hands and feet. As a limited edition, each doll was individually numbered and came with a matching certificate of authenticity.
Following his release, Jason quickly became a legend in the doll world. He was only produced for a single year, was a first issue in a series, and was Ashton-Drake’s very first limited-edition doll. Four years after being introduced, Jason sold at auction for $1,050. To us, Jason is invaluable.
