The History of Kewpie Dolls

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By evale
eHow Contributing Writer

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The first Kewpie dolls were manufactured by J.D. Kestner in Waltershausen, Germany, in 1913, and were designed by Joseph Kallas. Kewpie dolls were five inches tall, made of bisque, with jointed arms that could move up and down, painted eyes and molded facial features.

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Designer

Poet/artist, Rose O'Neill, created Kewpie dolls. Featured in magazine drawings in 1909, Kewpie dolls were patented in 1913. "Kewpie" comes from the resemblance to infants called cupids, after the Roman god.

Effects

During the next few years, the popularity of the Kewpie doll increased. Products such as books, baby rattles, and salt and pepper shakers were made in their image.

Manufacturing

Kewpie dolls were originally manufactured in Germany, but after World War I the dolls were made in Belgium and France. Kewpies were one of the first toys produced on a massive scale.

Plastic Versions

The first plastic Kewpie dolls were manufactured by Effanbee in 1949. Effanbee Doll Company manufactured Kewpie dolls are highly collectible and valuable. More valuable are Kewpie dolls made of bisque.

Popularity

Rose O'Neill enjoyed her success in designing Kewpie dolls for three decades, but the popularity of Kewpie dolls began to decline, and during the Great Depression Rose lost most of her fortune and fame.

Collecting

To collect Kewpies, look for dolls with a footmark with O'Neill in the middle of a red and gold paper heart. Cameo is now the premier maker of Kewpie dolls.