I've recently come across a website that has scans of the Sears, Montgomery Ward, and JCPenney catalogs for your viewing pleasure! christmasmusetechnical.com. I was so thrilled to come across this because, they can offer a lot of information on vintage dolls and toys that were released through the years. Sadly, only scans of the books from 1940 up until 2017 are available. So, here's what I found using the scans...
A foreword, Sears and Roebuck Stores released their first mail-order catalog in 1888, which sold jewelry and watches. Each year their catalogs added more and more products to them and it was easy to order from. You can read more here on how Sears catalogs became a household name.
While searching through and looking for rubber face plush toys... Sadly, they were not featured in the catalogs until about 1945 in a Sears Christmas Catalog. The first fabric face bear plush was named, "Windsome Bear". He was a 'lovable, huggable little fellow for little tots'. He stood about 15 inches tall, and made of rayon, and a mask face with hand painted features. He was sold at the time for about $1.96! How cool is that?! Though it would've been nice to find an earlier catalogs to see if there were other rubber face plushies. But because some catalog years are not listed, he will be considered first, at least in a Sears catalog. The other issue is that the listing doesn't show the company names who made them. So we can only guess or if we already know from what the plush or item is.
By about 1946, the catalog featured another fabric face plush, a bunny named, "Oswald the Rabbit". He stood about 19" tall, and had rayon fabric body with 'magic skin' synthetic hands. A first, to mention rubber features and not a fabric face. His original price was $3.89. Around 1950s, it was Ideal's musical bear and cat that are featured in the catalog that year, with its first, 'vinyl face' plush bear and cat. "Music Box Bear", was about 15" tall and cost about $5.89, whereas, the "Kitten with Squeaker Tail" was also 15" tall and priced at $2.79.
By 1952, the catalog finally featured a Rushton Toy Co. plush, "Buddy Bearkins" and "Sleeping-eye Bear". Buddy, is a happy two-some of a brother and little brother bears. Buddy being 15 1/2" tall, and sold at $4.79. The Sleep-eye bear was about 13 1/2" tall and cost only $3.69 each. It wasn't until the 1953 Sears Christmas catalog when Rushton's popular "Chubby Tubby" was introduced. See next catalog page after.
What I've also found is that Zippy, is a constant plush pal offered through out the years since his first print back in 1957. In fact, he is still offered in the catalogs all the way up until early 80s prior to Rushton Toy Company closing down by 1984. I've only seen him in the catalogs up until the 1980's Sears Christmas Catalog. It's no wonder you can find Zippy a lot when you search for Rushton plushies. It's because he was the plush they kept offering until the Rushton Co. closed it doors.
By 1979, you can see the adorable "Mouse" with big ears in the Christmas Book. Called, "Novelty Mouse" here and sold at $9.99 back then. Well, that's it for now. I am sure there will be other things we can find out. But, those are the things that stood out for me. It is amazing that the website shared the books and each scanned page in detail for us to peruse drool over and enjoy for free too!
Enjoy, while you can! These are amazing pieces of history and a wealth of information that we can get from these catalogs scans. Thanks to christmas.musetechnical.com for sharing the catalogs! We truly do appreciate the site.
Thank you for looking! ~ ggsdolls
My sister had a seal plush like the one in the last picture, which my Dad brought back from a business trip in the mid 1980s. It had the name Wowo after my Mum tried imitating the noise of a seal! I'm sure sure if my Mum still has it somewhere.
ReplyDeleteRichard, that's awesome dear! Thank you so much for sharing that story. I always enjoy reading memories that it brings back for others. Thank you and many hugs from Guam, Gigi
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