Vintage Kewpie Dolls
About the Antique or Vintage Kewpie Dolls
Vintage Kewpie dolls, also ‘Cupies’, are dolls based on the drawings of Rose O’Neill that appeared in the Ladies’ Home Journal in 1909. They were extremely popular among young girls, and was even mentioned in Anne Frank’s diary and the literary novel ‘Of Mice and Men’
The name Kewpies were derived from the word ‘cupid’. The dolls were made of bisque and then of celluloid. Later it was made in hard plastic. It was manufactured in a small town in Germany, Ohrdruf, a tiny but famed town for its toy manufacturers.
Kewpie dolls are certainly a huge hit during their time, and has appeared in a 1939 New York World’s Fair time capsule. At its high point, a Kewpie mania was sparked, and the doll’s image has graced on several children’s books, greeting cards, coloring books, plates, salt and pepper shakers, cups, and other items.
A Brief History or the Kewpie Doll
Rose O’Neill, creator of the Kewpie doll, was a famed artist, illustrator, author, sculptor and businessman during the early 20th century. Born in Pennsylvania & grew up in Nebraska, she was an exemplary talented individual since at a very young age. She won her first drawing contest at 14 years old! Rose O’Neill moved to New York to work as an illustrator.
Her dolls were born out of her drawings she made when she was still a young girl. The drawings were based on her baby brother, and his cute looks & gestures were all incorporated into the dolls.
The Kewpie Dolls – Types and Budget
Doll enthusiasts often collect Kewpies. But doll collectors should remember that Kewpie dolls have different price ranges, depending on its type and the material being used.
There are Kewpie dolls, produced of all sizes – from one inch to more than three feet. This makes collecting Kewpies very fun and diverse.
The first dolls being manufactured were made of Bisque, which is a type of ceramic made using a mold. They are among the most expensive Kewpies, and prices go higher if these dolls were signed. Later on celluloid Kewpies were made, followed by dolls made of plastic, paper and wood.
The most common one is Kewpie dolls made of vinyl—these are modern dolls but are still mass produced using the original bisque Kewpie molds.
Until now, the Kewpie dolls are still in production until this day. However, if you wish to own the vintage Kewpie bisque dolls, be ready to pay a whooping amount for it because these dolls are still very high in demand and could fetch for thousands of dollars.
Carnival Kewpie Composition Author: >Visit My Dolls
