Sunday, January 11, 2015



The 1930s

The depression marked the end of the flapper styles.  People became more serious and home and family became the center of life.  Into this atmosphere came Patsy and her look-alikes.  These long legged dolls with their short skirts seem to emphasize an idealized view of a child's life.  Patsy had an outfit for every occasion.  Most outfits had matching combination underwear.  She was leading a child's life of luxury while in the real world people were struggling.

Pictured above an 8" tagged Patsy, Arrenbee's Nancy, and a Patsyette knock off.

Kewpies and Mamma Rose

There is a nice article on Rose O'Neill and the Kewpies in the August 2014, Doll Castle News.  There is also an article by me on the fashions of the 1910s which features this UFDC souvenir doll of Rose O'Neill by Lita Wilson.  I redressed the doll to represent a fashion of this period.  The Kewpie is an old one from my collection.

O'Neill was an accomplished illustrator and it is a joy to find one of her old illustrations when paging through an antique magazine.  A wonderful book about her is "Rose O'Neill, The Girl Who Loved to Draw" by Linda Brewster published by Boxing Day Books.  This book is entertaining for both children and grownups and is generrously illustrated.