 Kewpie
dolls are one of the most unique dolls that have been created. Kewpie
has the sneaky looking side glancing eyes and the quaint little smile that
make people wonder what is that Kewpie doll thinking. Well nobody
is sure why, but the doll has held up to years of changing trends and fashions.
Maybe it is a smile of victory from enduring time, in the dolls own simplicity.
The Kewpie doll, in its entirety is proof of an age in American history
when time was hard, money was hard to come by and hard work was underpaid.
Rose O'Neill was ahead of her time when she designed the Kewpie doll.
It is often said in the art realm, "Less is more." And that's just
it, Rose O'Neill created something so simplistic yet it is so complex in
detail. Joseph L. Kallus took the
drawing and made the Kewpie rendering into doll form. From Rose O'Neill
and Joseph L. Kallus, the rest was history. In some respects it was
a national effort to bring the Kewpie doll to the masses of young and old
alike. Several doll companies in the U.S. had been involved in the
Kewpie production. Even Germany produced bisque dolls and sold the
dolls on the American market. One source indicates that Germany was
making the bisque Kewpie dolls during World War I, a boat full of Kewpie
dolls was being shipped to America. The war activity in the Atlantic
came to a hault when the Kewpie shipment came through, bound for America
to be delivered for Christmas time gift shoppers. Rose O'Neill once
said,"...but there is a difference. Cupid gets himself into trouble.
The Kewpies get themselves out, always searching out ways to make the world
better and funnier." Once again, the Kewpie doll had prevailed in
a time of uncertainty. The older generation of Port
Allegeny, Pa. had a hand in helping bring the doll forth also.
Some of the local woman of Port Allegeny, Pa. would go to the Cameo Doll
factory and pick up a bundle of clothe that was pre patterned for clothes
to suit the Kewpie dolls. The woman local woman worked at the Cameo
Doll factory too. That, in my opinion, is a reason that the older
Kewpie dolls are so heart warming to see and behold.
The Cameo Doll Factory Trade Mark
Kewpie Doll, front view
Kewpie Doll, right side view
Kewpie Doll, back view
Kewpie Doll, left side view
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