Horsman Dolls 1940s Identified USA
Edward Imeson Horsman (E. I. Horsman) founded a toy company in New York City, New York in 1865 and became a leader in the toy industry. By 1930 Horsman acquired the Louis Amberg company a competitor and continued to produce some of Amberg’s dolls, notably the Vanta Baby and Peggy It dolls. In October 1933 Horsman became a subsidiary of the Regal Doll Company USA and the Horsman name continued.
Horsman dolls 1904+ | 1920s | 1930s | < 1940s > | 1950s | 1960s+ | 1970s
ca. 1940s Horsman Art Doll 11″ tall, all composition, molded painted hair, painted side glancing eyes, open closed mouth, composition jointed body, wearing original clothing bonnet and shoes. Unknown how doll is marked. The box states A Horsman Art Doll, #4391 and probably had a hangtag as well.
1942 Horsman Bright Star doll 12-21″ tall, all composition jointed dolls, braided pigtail or ringlet curled wigs, several different head molds were used that are all Bright Star dolls, with sleep eyes, open mouth, dolls are unmarked.
From a 1942 Butler Brothers catalog are the following Horsman Bright Star doll names with pigtail wigs; Betty 15″, Honey 18″ and Judy 21″or with ringlet curls wig Carol 15″, Patty 18″ and Jean 21″ tall.
ca. 1946 Horsman Enchanting Eyes doll 15-16″ tall (probably other sizes as well), composition flange head, full or partial composition arms or legs, cloth stuffed body, brown painted molded hair, flirty sleep eyes that also move side to side (some have been found with non-flirty sleep eyes too), closed mouth, doll marked A Horsman Doll.
1946 Horsman Betty Bedtime doll 12, 18″ tall, an Art doll, composition head with molded hair or wigged hair, cloth body, composition lower arms and legs, came in a box that converted into a bed for the doll to sleep on, wore a white dress with open eyelet weave trimmed with lace and ribbon, matching bonnet, socks and tie bootie shoes, pink robe and night hat and four dainty dot safety pins, doll mark Horsman Doll or unmarked.
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1949 Horsman Squalling Baby doll 19″ tall, soft vinyl head and limbs (vinyl forearms, hands and legs to just above the knees), cloth body, molded hair, painted blue squinting eyes, red angry painted cheeks, wide open mouth – like it’s crying or “squalling”, sometimes doll marked Corp. Lastic Plastic 49.
1949 Horsman Squalling Baby doll 16″ tall, like the doll larger with slight changes – only head, hands and feet are vinyl, rest is cloth, this one is a squeaker, crier, doll is unmarked, same squalling face. Note: not everyone agrees that either Squalling Baby doll was made by Horsman.
Ideal and Fleischaker Novelty also made a type of squalling baby doll. ca. 1930s Georgene Averill made a composition and cloth Baby Yawn doll, who has a yawning face with closed eyes and open mouth. 1980s Horsman reissued the Squalling Baby doll.
Horsman dolls 1904+ | 1920s | 1930s | < 1940s > | 1950s | 1960s+ | 1970s
Additional 1940s Horsman doll not shown: