Chad Valley Dolls 1897-1978 English

Chad Valley began producing cloth dolls around 1917.  Their earliest dolls have stockinette faces with glass or painted eyes, later (1924) they hand painted felt faces with a velvet or velveteen body, all the cloth bodies were filled with kapok stuffing. 

By 1919 Chad offered jointed cloth dolls with stationary or sleep eyes. 1920 to 1921 Chad had a line of cloth dolls that came with wrist watches. In the 1920s Chad employed several notable designers; Mabel Lucie Atwell, Hilda Cowham and Norah Wellings. In 1923 Chad registered cloth printed aerolite rag dolls.

In 1938 Chad was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment “Toy makers to her Majesty the Queen”.  During this time Chad made cloth dolls of young Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret Rose. Most of Chad’s cloth dolls were of girls, a few boys and babies dolls.

In 1978 Palitoy acquired Chad Valley, then Woolworth in 1988. In the 1980s Chad Valley / Palitoy made a plastic Barbie or Sindy doll clone or competitor named Sweet Suzie doll, 11 1/2″ tall, has rooted platinum hair, painted light blue eyes with a twist and turn waist, doll mark on head is illegible, doll body marked Made in China, shown below.

Chad Valley Dolls Identified

More Chad Valley cloth doll names are English Palace Guard, Golliwog, Jack-O-Jingles, Little Black Sambo, Nurse, Peggy, Peter Pan, Pierrot, Pixie, the Rajah, Red Cloud, Red Riding Hood, Road Scout Mascot, Soldier, Sonia, Snow White and Tango Tar Baby.

Chad Valley Doll Marks Identified

Most Chad Valley cloth dolls had a label sewn to the dolls foot, clothing and/or a hang tog.