Horsman 1930s Vintage Dolls 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 Amberg doll company – their 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.
Dolls 1904+ | 1920s | < 1930s > | 1940s | 1950s | 1957+ |1960s+ | 1970s
1930+ Amberg / Horsman Peggy 14″, Peggy Jr. 12″ dolls, called the It Girl, are all composition, molded lightly painted hair with a pin hole or metal loop for a ribbon, has a right bent arm, fully jointed, painted or sleep eyes. All Peggy dolls are from the Amberg acquired doll molds. The 12″ tall, Horsman Peggy Junior doll is all composition and is marked IT. The 14″ tall Horsman Peggy doll is all composition with a body twist waist, doll marked Amberg, Pat. Pend., L. A. & S. © 1928.
1930+ Peggy Ann doll 20″ tall The 20″ tall, Horsman Peggy Ann doll has a composition shoulder plate head on a cloth body, doll is unmarked.
1931+ Horsman Baby Buttercup doll 12″, 16-22″ tall, the first dolls have a composition head with lightly molded hair, arms and bent baby legs, a cloth baby body, in 1932 Buttercup’s head was replaced by hard rubber so it became an all rubber doll, came dressed in a sheer dress with matching bonnet, doll mark E.I.H. Co., H © C.or H c Co.
1938 Horsman Baby Buttercup doll 11″ tall an all rubber fully jointed baby doll with dark painted molded hair, brown sleep eyes, open mouth, the face mold looks similar to the Sister and Whatsit dolls with an open mouth, doll mark © Horsman.
1931+ Horsman Baby Darling doll 20-26″ tall
1931+ Horsman Babs 12″, Sue 14″, Jane 17-18″ and Nan dolls 20″ tall, Horsman’s Patsy type competitor; all composition, jointed bodies, molded painted hair, painted or sleep eyes, closed painted mouth, all dolls are unmarked. These are Horsman’s Patsy type competitors and replaced the Peggy dolls. Sue at 14″ may have a body twist waist.
When identifying a Patsy look a like doll, try to match the unique molded hair curls pattern hair style.
ca. 1934-1939 Horsman Rosebud doll 16 to 24″ tall, composition shoulder plate head, cloth stuffed body with crier, sleep eyes, open mouth with four upper teeth, dimples, mohair wig, composition limbs, doll mark Rosebud or unmarked, had a paper hang tag with dolls name. The Rosebud head mold was used on other Horsman unnamed dolls, too.
1937 Horsman Brother doll 21″ tall and Horsman Sister doll 23″ tall, both have composition head and limbs, tin sleep eyes, molded hair, she has a small topknot, cloth body. Both have comical faces with small puckered closed mouth, hers more so than his, doll mark Brother or Sister © 1937 Horsman.
1937 Horsman Jo Jo doll 12″ tall, all composition, came as both a boy or girl doll, who has molded hair underneath her mohair wig, Jo Jo has a long mohair wig in blond or brunette pigtails, closed rosebud mouth, blue painted or tin sleep eyes, doll mark Jo-Jo © 1937 Horsman.
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ca. 1937 Horsman Shirley Temple look a like doll 26″ tall
1937 Horsman Whatsit dolls, dolls are 14 or 16″ tall, all composition with molded hair, right arm is bent (like Patsy) came dressed in a cotton dress with leather shoes; Jeanie doll has molded hair with a small topknot, tin eyes, mama crier, Naughty Sue doll with a topknot molded hair, Roberta doll with brown molded hair in braids curled into a bun over each ear, Winee doll with molded hair, dolls are usually marked Name © 1937 Horsman.
1938 Horsman Sweetheart doll, a Horsman Art Doll 21, 24 or 28″ tall, all composition with hard rubber unbreakable arms, slender jointed body, brown mohair wig, green sleep eyes, open mouth with six upper teeth. Horsman Sweetheart dolls are unmarked. The Horsman ad reads “A true reproduction of girls between the ages of 10 and 16, they are dressed in the latest fashions, sculpted by the famous sculptor Ernesto Peruggi”. Horsman portrait doll of Jeanette MacDonald an actress, singer used this head mold.
1939+ Horsman Baby Precious doll 18-23″ tall, Mama type doll, composition flange head and composition wired on partial or full arms & upper legs, stuffed cloth body with stitched hip joints, some dolls have a mohair wig over molded hair, sleep eyes, closed mouth or an open mouth with two upper teeth and felt tongue, doll marked A Horsman Doll or most often unmarked.
Same doll with molded hair head mold was sold by Madame Alexander, doll mark Alexander. 1950s+ Horsman Baby Precious doll, same head mold produced in hard plastic as a white or black doll.
1939+ Horsman Gold Medal Baby doll 16-24″ tall (probably other sizes too), composition flange head, arms and lower legs with cloth stuffed body or all composition jointed body, molded painted hair beneath wig, sleep eyes, open mouth with two upper teeth, doll mark A Horsman Doll or unmarked.
Dolls 1904+ | 1920s | < 1930s > | 1940s | 1950s | 1957+ |1960s+ | 1970s
Additional Horsman 1930s vintage dolls not shown
1939-1940s Horsman Gold Medal dolls 13-18″ tall, all composition, some have slim child bodies others are chubbier toddlers, sleep eyes, closed mouth, some dolls came with a tag that said “Gold Medal Doll” doll mark HORSMAN or unmarked, doll came with a hangtag.