Interview with KewtKitsch!!

  Interview with a Collector - ggsdolls blog Series

Here's my monthly series on my blog where I share some of the most amazing collectors, sellers, and creatives, that have become friends of mine and what they collect and why?

    For the month of October, my blog interview is with the gorgeous, funny, and creative human behind the best and only website for The Rushton Toy Company Rubber Faced plushies of Mary Rushton's creations, KewtKitsch on Instagram. 

When I asked KK where she was from she said this, "Living that old people, sweaty all year, Florida life!" KK works at a bakery, and she gets paid to eat sweets and punch cakes with her fist before they throw them away. She asked me if I've ever punched a cake, and said that I should try it sometime! LOL I asked her what her age was...

KK: "I'm in my flirty 30's! The first time I ever saw a Rushton toy was probably a decade ago. While browsing for my kawaii, pastel 90’s toys on eBay, I saw this really ugly, bizarre, weird looking fish. I totally didn’t want it. Little did I know what my future would hold. I think I remember watching it and it sold for around $300. That was too much for me to be spending on toys. BUT OH BOY. IF ONLY MY YOUNGER SELF KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING TO START SPENDING ON TOYS IN MY FUTURE. 

I never imagined I would now want these ugly, weird toys in my life. Staring at me at all hours of the day while I lay in bed and sleep. And that I would sell my soul and sacrifice food and water to have them. Just kidding, It’s not that extreme. I just gave up buying my 90’s toys and switched over to 50’s toys instead. Speaking of my other collections, yes, I still very much love my Japanese kawaii toys, girly 90’s toys. I also collect 50’s nursery planters, bathroom mermaid plaques, and of course, the rubber face plush toys. Can I throw in antique furniture, things with cats on them, and my cats whiskers that fall out?"

Gigi: How do you describe your relationship with your collection? What attracts you to it?

KK: "My toys and I have a pretty good relationship. As long as they do their part of the house work, which is looking cute 24/7, I don’t kick them out of the house. But no really. I actually answered the next question first, before starting this one. So I feel like the magical part of my toys is mostly described below on Mary Rushton’s amazing, realistic work. That’s the magical part of it to me. 

 

Also, I guess another thing that makes them magical is that these toys survived this long and that I have the honor to own them. When they are as original as possible (a little dirty or not) as when they first were made, is so great to me. And that, makes it special. 

 

My relationship with them has grown over the past few years. I use them in my art and use their realistic expressions to express my own struggles or joy in life. It’s like they are all a part of me. When I am sad, I am “Scrappy” bear. When I am happy, I am “Happy” bear or “Laughing Pup”. Rather than taking photos of myself, I’ll use my little, spawn, toy children to do the work for me in my art. All of us can relate to these toys and become them. But overall, I am their mother and they are all just my babies. They do as I say or else they get the hose again."

Gigi: What is it about the vintage Rushton's that distinguishes it from other Toy Companies?

KK: "I guess, to me, it’s really more about Mary Rushton’s work and talent that separates her toys from the rest of the other rubber face brand toys. Mary didn’t just make toys, she was a skilled artist. She made the faces (at times) so realistic, so human like, that they really stand out to people. People who have never seen these kind of toys before, the first time they see one, it can freak them out. It’s creepy to them. And I think a lot of that has to do with because the facial expressions are so human like, it’s just weird. 

 

You aren’t used to seeing that on an animal toy. Lots of people have smiling teddy bears and no one cares or even thinks about it. The My-Toy company and Knickerbocker made toys showing human emotions (or just anthropomorphic) but they are more cartoon-y looking. Mary’s work isn’t like a cartoon. It’s like a real, alien kind-of-creature from another world. Her work was the best when it came to her talents and especially the quality of the bodies (pre 70’s production). She was toy queen of her time and I (and others) still worship her work."

Gigi: Tell me a bit about your collection, how it started, what your first items were and how it has grown?

KK:  "I always loved toys in some way. I never grew out of them. Just what I collected would change over the years. At first, when I became a teenager and knew what I wanted to collect, it was creepy dolls, BJDs, dark, goth looking stuff. Then I wanted everything pink and Hello Kitty. THEN, Japanese modern kawaii toys + 90’s American, pastel toys. I started buying simple “soft plush” (not rubber face) vintage toys and 50’s nursery planters. THEN! That’s when I started my rubber face toy adventure and beyond! 

 

I’m fixated on having only vintage or (reproduction) vintage looking items right now. (I still make some exceptions for my kawaii stuff). But my theme and what I always look for is = pink, cats, desserts, cute, baroque, vintage, and if I can make room for it in my house. I now have to be very selective or else my room will start looking wacky."

Gigi: What has been the reaction of your family, friends and coworkers on your passion for your hobby?

KK:  "One time my sister saw my Rushton cow and said “Whoa….”  The guy I live with loves all the 50’s stuff I have. It’s probably his favorite. So, I know if I buy 50’s kitsch, he won’t be mad I spent more money on 50’s stuff, haha. 

Not many people in real life (who actually see me) know about my collections. Everyone will think it’s weird, I already know this. I try to stick to my online world when it comes to sharing my collection because I know no one in real life will really understand anyway. It’s cool. At times, I really so think I prefer to keep it a secret from anyone who isn’t connected to me online. If people want to know, I will share. Otherwise, I’m perfectly happy locking myself away in my room with everything I’m in love with."

Gigi: Tell me about your favorite item and why it is so special?

KK:  "Girl, you know I have too many. But if we have to pick, it’s my “Diaper Baby” bunny who I just call “Baby”. Because she was my first and started it all. I would be halfway in my closet putting on my “cake-punching” work clothes and shoving my fat, chocolate loving, butt in my work pants and just stare at her face while doing it. I’m sure she didn’t love that. But I would constantly think, “Her cheekies are so cute and dumb, wow, she is so cute!”  Then I bought 346843 more rubber face toys after her. But she’s still and will always be my babyyyyyy!"

 

Gigi: If any item could just land in your lap for free, what would it be and why? 

 

KK:  "For many reasons, I'll keep my wishlist a secret. I will fight amongst the many, anonymously, for what I want (So if I don’t get it, y’all don’t know I’m over here crying) But my cat lands in my lap free of charge daily. So at least I have that to enjoy."

 

Gigi: Have you seen an increase in popularity or demand for what you collect? If so, why do you think that is so?

KK:  "It’s like Voldemort, the one name we do not speak of who has brought the kitsch community more attention. If you know, you know. When you love someone influential, sometimes you want to become them and have what they have. I think that’s part of it. But it can bring in the wrong kinds of people which is something we’ve had to deal with.

 

Otherwise, some of the people who are into kitsch/rubber face toys, show it off very well with their art, aesthetic, ideas, photography, etc. And I think because of this, it brings more attention to that person and what they are showcasing because it’s all so well done. It introduces people to something they didn’t know about before. So if it’s a collection of rubber face toys in a nicely done setting of their aesthetic and style, people like that and want to replicate that in some way in their home or in their art. And it just spreads from there. 

 

I think that applies to anything, not just toys. So now we see other parts of communities (some that weren’t kitsch at all) making kitsch toy art and selling it on clothes, key chains, etc, to match their style and aiming it to their already large audience. Which then, introduces more people to these toys. It’s a chain reaction. It will probably die down eventually. That’s just my guess. Every trend dies. Rubber face toys have been around for decades and no one payed much attention to them until now. Peoples interest change. Us, more dedicated toy fans, hope that our toys will be forgotten again and we can continue to collect without having to fight with everyone and spend multiple paychecks for one toy."

 

(Above, KewtKitsch also sculpts her own adorable Rushton Style Animal wall art! 

You can find them and purchase here, KewtKitsch shop on Etsy!) 

Gigi: Is there anything else you might like to add?

KK:   "Watch out for all the fake bidders on eBay! And Rushtons that sell on eBay getting relisted on Etsy by zero feedback sellers. I see it all the time. I always report them. Rushtons are that popular right now that there are many scammers. Sometimes, if it seems too good to be true, it is.  Be careful of who you make friends with in this community as well. It’s sad to say, I don’t even want too. But some people out here are selfish and will literally steal a toy from underneath you if they can. You don’t always need to clean your toys! Sometimes we have somewhat dirty toy children and that’s okay! Not all toys will be beautiful and shiny like they used to be. Some people like that look. If you are not experienced, you can destroy the toy and an important part of history. 

But most importantly, do not forget the woman who created our toys!

! Mary Rushton !

For she, is too often lost, forgotten, and over shadowed by others in this rubber face toy world."

Well said KK! Thank you to the wonderful KewtKitsch for sharing her story and collection with us! If you want to learn more about Mary Rushton and her creations be sure to visit The Rushton Toys on wordpress. A special thanks to KewtKitsch for creating this website and providing us a place to go for the history and information of our Rushton toys!! 

See you next month when we talk with a fellow toy artist and collector from Canada!! Until next time for another installment of ggsdolls Interview with a Collector!

Thank you for reading! ~ ggsdolls