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FDR'S Fala and the Fad for Scotties
There has been any number of well-known presidential pooches in modern history, including Richard Nixon's infamous spaniel, Checkers; LBJ's beagles, Him and Her; Gerald Ford's golden retriever, Liberty (much spoofed by Chevy Chase in the early days …Read more.
The Yo-Yo Story
The yo-yo, like many other things, has been around for so long that we tend to take it completely for granted, not thinking about how it originated or, for that matter, how it got its distinctive name. But now that the yo-yo is becoming something of …Read more.
Recollecting and Collecting Mutt and Jeff
Even today, more than a century after they entered the realm of popular culture, this comic-strip team's name is part of the common vernacular — put a tall guy and a short guy next to each other and they'll almost inevitably still be called …Read more.
For Collectors, the Milkman Cometh
You may have noticed that glass milk bottles are gradually reappearing on supermarket shelves, bringing them back into the modern era. But for people of a certain age, there is still no sound quite as nostalgic as the clink of milk bottles jangling …Read more.
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Still Charmed By Cute Kewpie DollsOf all the dolls in dolly land, the Kewpie is one that has most successfully retained its impish image and lovable reputation, almost the definition of the word cute. For while most collectible dolls gaze out through icy blue-glass eyes, or slightly warmer brown ones, many with an expression that's both disdainful and distant, the Kewpie, with its laughing eyes and elfin grin, is quite the opposite Collectors refer to them as Rose O'Neill dolls, as the Kewpie was just one of several models designed by O'Neill (1871-1944), a successful commercial artist from the age of 15, as well as a sculptor, poet and novelist. (A legendary hostess, she was also the inspiration for the song "Rose of Washington Square.") The Cupid-like character with the little blond topknot made its debut in two-dimensional form as a line-drawing illustration at the conclusion of the artist's poem, "Kewpie's Christmas Frolic," in the "Ladies Home Journal" issue of December 1909. It caught the public's fancy immediately, making subsequent appearances in "Good Housekeeping," "Woman's Home Companion" and other magazines. In 1912, paper cutouts of them were printed in the "Women's Home Journal". O'Neill decided to capitalize on this success by taking the Kewpies into the third dimension. When a handmade rag doll she submitted to the George Borgfeldt Co. was rejected, however, she advertised for someone more skilled to create a doll from her character. The successful applicant was a Pratt Art Institute student named Joseph Kallus, who modeled the original bisque and celluloid doll, which was accepted and manufactured by Borgfeldt in 1913. Twelve years later, Kallus founded the Cameo Doll Co., which went on to produce an all-star cast of O'Neill creations, with names like Miss Peep, Scootles, Baby Mine, and Peanut. From the beginning the blue-winged figures had as much, or more, appeal for adults as they did for children. The demand was so great that at one point more than 30 American and German factories were supplying the American market with O'Neill dolls.
At the peak of the Kewpie craze, the little figures were used to decorate everything from dishes to radiator caps to garters. German manufacturers were among the earliest Kewpie doll makers, and also used the cheerful figure to decorate chinaware and other items. The grinning image is still seen on items ranging from Christmas cards and cake ornaments to fabrics and wallpaper today. Here are some recent prices, which might have fallen a bit by now, at the high end of the scale for Kewpie dolls and other Kewpie products as listed in the 2009 edition of Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide. Note: Early German-made dolls have the O'Neill name incised on the bottom of the foot: — Kewpie bisque action figure, with baby and bottle, Germany, 3 1/2 inches $5,400 — Kewpie bisque action figure, sitting in a green chair, holding a book, 5 1/2 inches $3,900 — Kewpie bisque action figure, "The Actor," carrying a top hat and cane, $3,300 — 23-piece child's tea set with Kewpies on blue with brown shading, made in Germany, mint in box $3,125 — Kewpie bisque action figure, German soldier with movable arms, Germany, 4 inches $2,765 — Kewpie bisque action figure, Roughrider, jointed arms, Germany, 5 1/2 inches $2,750 — Kewpie Doodle Dog, black and white with blue wings, 3 inches $2,200 — Kewpie bisque action figure in striped bathing suit, with pail, 4 1/2 inches $2,050 Linda Rosenkrantz has edited Auction magazine and authored 18 books, including "Cool Names for Babies" and "The Baby Name Bible" (St. Martin's Press). Visit her baby names website at http://nameberry.com. She cannot answer letters personally. To find out more about Linda Rosenkrantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
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