My Very Own Robert the Doll

Ghost lore is full of tales of haunted and possessed dolls.  There’s just something inherently creepy about an innocent child’s toy being inhabited and/or controlled by an otherworldly presence. Arguably, Annabelle, the Raggedy Anne doll made famous by her portrayal in a series of recent horror movies, is one of the most well-known haunted dolls in the world.  But…years before I read about Annabelle, I had heard the tales of Robert.

The lines between fact and folklore blur quite a bit when it comes to Robert the Doll, but the basic story is that Robert was a gift given to artist, Eugene Otto, when he was a young boy. Otto named the doll Robert, which was actually his first name, although he went by Eugene or Gene. Robert is a Steiff doll, and the consensus seems to be that he was a birthday gift from his grandfather.  However, early ghost stories claimed that Robert was given to Eugene by a maid or some other young girl who imbued the doll with voodoo as a retaliation against the family for some reason.  In any event, Robert and Eugene were inseparable, despite the fact that weird things allegedly started happening with the doll. Eugene claimed that he awoke one night to Robert standing by his bed, staring at him. Any time Eugene got in trouble for something, he would exclaim that “Robert did it!!”

Robert and Eugene pretty much remained inseparable for Eugene’s entire life.  Robert stayed in the Otto home (now known as the Artist’s House) while Eugene was off studying art and getting married, and was waiting for him when Eugene returned to the home with his wife, Anne.  Anne was rightfully creeped out by Robert, and he was banished to the attic, where he allegedly was heard moving about on his own.

After Eugene and Anne died, the home was purchased by Myrtle Rueter, who claimed that Robert would roam around the home on his own, and that his expression would even seem to change. Any strange noise or unexplained event was blamed on Robert. He stayed with Myrtle until he was donated in the mid-1990′s to the Fort East Martello Museum.

Robert the Doll still currently resides in the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida and is a HUGE attraction for the museum, even garnering his own website and online store. Robert is kept in a clear glass case for his protection…but perhaps for the protection of others as well. I remember reading stories about museum staff stating that they believed Robert would move around on his own; in the morning, they’d find him in a different position from where he was the night before. Electrical and surveillance equipment around him tended to malfunction, especially cameras. It is believed that visitors to the museum must first ask Robert permission to take his photo, and must treat him with respect.  If they fail to do so, they run the risk of angering Robert, and experiencing a string of bad luck!  In fact, the area around where Robert is displayed is filled with letters sent to the museum by people who have offended Robert, sharing their stories and begging for his forgiveness. 

Despite all that, there is an endearing quality to Robert, and the museum store and website began selling little replica Robert dolls. Just recently, I ordered my very own Robert the Doll!  The store offers a variety of Robert items, but I opted for the $45 Deluxe Set that included a replica Robert, a postcard, and an autographed copy of his book, Robert the Doll. Although I had wanted one of these dolls for YEARS, this was actually an impulse buy. Robert celebrated his 116th birthday on October 25, and offered his fans a 20% discount on store items.  So, I went for it, lol. And I’m so glad I did!  Robert and his accessories came well packaged in a vinyl bag.  Now, I have my own little Robert (who is so freaking adorable!) and a new book to add to my library! You can follow Robert on Facebook for more updates, sales, etc.