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Cloth dolls have been some
of the earliest types of dolls made, some of the most popular were the
Pillow or Rag type dolls and Folk art Dolls made from print, lithographed
onto fabric and meant to be made, then stuffed as a craft item.
Most of these were made in the New England States in the 1880's in the
USA. During the war years when materials were scarce, Rag type
dolls were particularly popular, as you can imagine, there are
many manufacturers, artists and the home sewer who could re-create these mass produced dolls,
sold to the public in kits or One Of A Kind doll (referred to as OOAK).
Here
are some cloth dolls
or manufacturers of cloth dolls we have found:
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A. P. W. Paper Company
1924, Albany, NY USA, made 12" black rag dolls on printed
cloth, that was cut out and then stuffed. It is unknown if
the cloth was imprinted with the maker.
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Photo N/A Black
cloth rag doll |
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Alabama
Indestructible Doll 1904-1925 - USA, 11-24" tall, all cloth, molded face
with oil painted facial features, applied ears, wigged or
painted hair, tabbed joint sturdy cloth body, some have
stockings & shoes painted on. Created by the Ella
G. Smith
Doll Company.
There were both white
and black babies and children dolls made. Often marked:
Pat. Nov. 9, 1912 No.1 Ella Smith Doll Co or Mrs. S.S.
Smith Manufacturer and dealer to The Alabama Indestructible
Doll Roanoke, Ala. Patented Sept. 6, 1905.
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Alabama Indestructible Child Doll, 24" |
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Alma
Doll Company 1920-1930s of Torino, Italy, Lenci look a like dolls, have elastic strung
heads, usually have a label sewn into the clothing or on the
dolls foot |
Alma
Doll 15" |
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Art Toy Mfg.
Company 1919-1921 - made Misska
( trade name) cloth dolls, from 9 - 30" tall,
of plush covered,
kapok filled cloth bodies in white, pink or blue with stamped
trimming and velvet faces. They came in several styles; style
No. A. had long plaits and style No. B had a
muff.. |
Photo N/A 1919-1921
Art Toy
Mfg. Company |
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Maggie Bessie ca. 1910 +, Dolls of
various sizes, all cloth doll with painted facial features, made
in Salem, NC USA by the sisters Margaret Gertrude Pfohl
(1877-1965) and Caroline Elizabeth Pfohl (1870-1959) both who
remained unmarried. |
ca. 1910 Maggie Bessie
Doll |
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Bradley,
Glamour Doll or Big Eyed Girl Dolls
1970s, 12-13" tall, foam with
beige nylon over wire body, came in many different long gowns
and other accessories and were on a wood stand. Made by
the Bradley Company, which may be a division of Milton
Bradley and sold to Hasbro in 1984.
These dolls may have
been sold thru catalog type companies like Sears Roebuck or
Montgomery Ward from the 1960's to 1980's. Doll shown is
marked © Bradley, Made in Korea 1977. Another
later doll found with tag that says - Hasbro © Bradley,
Made in China 1985 a similar big eyed type doll.
Similar big eyed cloth wired dolls are by Holiday Faire Inc.
Co. 1960s-?, made in Japan. |
1977
Glamour Doll, 13" |
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Chad
Valley Co. LTD. 1897-1978, England, cloth doll 16" tall.
Chad Valley began producing cloth dolls around 1917.
Earliest dolls have stockinet faces, later they hand painted
felt faces with a velvet or velveteen body. In 1938
Chad was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment - "Toymakers
to her Majesty the Queen". Palitoy acquired Chad Valley in
1978. Woolworth's acquired the Chad Valley trade name in
1988. |
1920's
Chad Doll, 12" |
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Chase, Martha Doll Company
1880-1970, USA
- shown is a pre-1920's Martha Chase
cloth and stockinet doll with jointed elbows
and knees.
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Pre-1920's
Martha
Chase Doll, 23" |
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ca. 1920's Martha Chase Cloth Doll, 16"
doll, bobbed hair (popular during this era). Dolls made
in the 1930's are characterized by painted hair with a side
part. |
Martha
Chase, 16" doll, bobbed hair |
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ca.
1930's Martha Chase, Hospital Doll, USA, 25", these later
dolls do not have the jointed elbows & knees. The
stamp will now read "Chase Hospital Doll". See
above shown Stockinette label |
ca.
1920's Martha Chase Hospital Doll, 25" |
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Dean's
Rag Book Company
1903-Present, England, made lots of cloth dolls and
toys.
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1930's
Dean's Rag Doll, 15" |
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Richard G. Krueger Dolls 1920s-1930s, USA -
made cloth dolls, rag dolls and stuffed animals in the
1920s-1930s. Maintained a close working relationship with
King Innovations, who was the sole licensed manufacturer
by Rosie O'Neill of cloth stuffed Kewpie dolls. The cloth dolls
are similar to Averill, Mollyes and Knickerbocker dolls.
Body & clothing is usually well marked with a cloth tag: K
Krueger/NYC.
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Photo N/A
1920-1930s Richard G. Krueger |
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Käthe
Kruse Dolls 1906-Present, (Kathe Kruse) German, 15" Boy, has a celluloid
face with cloth body. Kathe Kruse used the doll mark KK.
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Käthe Kruse Doll,
15" |
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Lenci 1919-Present,
Di Elena Scavini Dolls, Italy, cloth doll. |
1930's
Valtellina,
10"
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Norah Wellings 1926-1960, cloth dolls, Victoria Toy Works Co, England -
manufactured cloth children, adults, character, ethnic cloth
dolls from 6 - 36' tall, made of velvet, velveteen, plush and
felt, dolls are marked with a cloth tag on bottom of foot. |
Norah
Wellings - Island Girls, cloth dolls, 16"
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