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Paper Dolls I
20TH CENTURY AMERICAN

PAPER DOLLS PART I

PRESENTED BY LIDDLE LAURIE

Paper dolls have been available since before the 19th century and from many different countries. The were thought to have originated with European pantins which are sometimes called jumping jacks. Pantins are cardboard figures with attached strings to move their arms and legs.

Paper dolls throughout the years have portrayed fashions, celebrities, children's dolls, current events,etc. This study focuses on 20th century American paper dolls.

This first picture shows a 1913 book published by M.A.Donohoe and Co. from Chicago. It is illustrated by Margaret G. Hayes.

Pansy Prattle is from 1922 by American Toy Works and also contains a story.

Peek a Boo combines several circa 1920's Charles E. Graham books. I rescued this example from the floor of a small store that was being torn down in my town.

The Saalfield Publishing Co. was formed in 1900 by Authur Saafield in Akron,OH. He began with chidren's books and then went on to publish paper dollls. One of his most successful ventures was in 1933 when the company gained exclusive rights to print Shirley Temple items.

This Saalfield book is from 1918.

Magazine paper dolls were published monthly in many magazines. Dolly Dingles began in 1913 in Pictorial Review and ended in 1933. The series was drawn by Grace G. Drayton who also drew the Campbell's kids.

Many Sunday newspapers printed paper dolls in their comic sections. Here is an early Dolly Dingles and Dale Arden from the Flash Gordon series-10/7/34.

These next two items survived my Mother's childhood uncut and are from Saalfield.

Dotty Double is a unique doll with clothing for both her front and back. The artist is Corrine Ringel Bailey.

Let's Play Store is a grocery store punchout drawn by Fern Bisel Peat.

The Dionne Quints from Canada were the first surviving birth of 5 babies in North America. This book was a Colgate Palmolive premium from 1937.

Baby Nancy is from 1935 by Whitman. The artist is Queen Holden. She also illustrated for other companies. Her books are prized among collectors today.

Whitman began as a subsidary of Western Publishing which was formed in 1907 in Racine, WI. Their books are noted for their lovely paper dolls of celebrities, children, Barbie and others.

These next two sets are from 1939. Sonja Henie was a very popular skater and actress in the 1930s and 40s. This set is by Merrill. Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret Rose appeared in the Princess Paper Doll Book by Saalfield.

Here is Saalfield's 1938 Shirley Temple and Her Movie Wardrobe.

1942 The New Shirley Temple by Saalfield

and

1940 Jane Withers by Whitman

1938 Edgar Bergen's Charlie McCarthy

This 1941 Whitman book is drawn by Florence Sarah Winship. It has three sets of dolls: a wedding, a family and three teen dolls along with ten pages of clothes.

Here is the inside cover of The Big Big Cut Out Doll Book.

Platt and Munk Co. was founded in 1920. They also published chidren's books. In the 1960s they became a division of Questor Education Products. This a boxed set from 1937 drawn by Gladys de Beaulieu.

Merrill Publishing Co. was formed in 1934 by Marion Merrill. They printed over 160 books. After she died the company was sold in 1979 to Jean Woodcock, a collector and author.

Weddings have always been a popular theme for paper dolls. Here are a couple of pics from Merrill's 1939 Double Wedding.


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