More vintage doll factory history! Take a look! ~ ggsdolls
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Sears Christmas Catalog Pages!!
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
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
More About Meyercord Co. The Decal Makers...
Leaving this world site stated, Meyercord produced wooden and glass signs for various companies and industries across the country. Meyercord continued to manufacture decals through to the 1960s. Its success was based on its head start over competitors. Sadly, other techniques began to overtake decals as a preferred use in advertising, and eventually Meyercord found a niche in making decals that appealed to the domestic market. Many a home in the 1940’s – 1960’s decorated nurseries, furniture and toys with their decals. (Designs featuring fruits and flowers can still be found at antique stores and eBay, some are very valuable and collectable). The Meyercord Company name still exists but it is a company that has nothing to do manufacturing decals.
Sadly, there is no other information that deals with the designs of the nursery decals in particular. Hopefully one day someone, who has historical information and facts about their design, etc. will come forward and share with us what they know. I've had discussions with a few collectors and we believe there quite possibly were prototype plush toys made to help create the decal. These plushies were then posed and photographed to create the adorable anthropomorphic features we see them in. Hmmm, one can wonder right? Hopefully we will find out. Either way, they are oh so cute and we love em' no matter how they were created!
References:
https://www.antiqueadvertisingexpert.com/meyercord-company/
https://www.leavingthisworld.com/decalcomania-decals-guitar-decoration-pt-1/
https://creativepro.com/scanning-around-gene-almost-lost-art-decal-printing/
Thank you for reading! ~ ggsdolls
Updated, I found another site with some insight to one of the men involved in Meyercord Decal's
popularity!
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Lady Prince by Iwai Co.
Continued from my last post, here. I decided to contact, Hello Iwai, a fellow collector, from Instagram, about these Twiggy style dolls. That was Sunday, of course, it was the weekend, so the response was, that he would check their catalog and get back to me on Monday. Little did I know, I was DMing the CEO of Iwai Industrial Co. Ltd. in Japan. Oh my! Mr. Hideyasu Iwai, III, is the grandson of the creator and former CEO of Iwai Co.! He shared with me that his father took over the company at the time and now him. His father/Eddie is photographed with their most popular doll, "Hi Hi" on their Instagram page. For further information their main website for Iwai Co. Ltd. or you can also click for the English site here.
I was star struck for the moment, and had to remind myself, to be humble and show respect. Mr. Iwai was very kind and shared with me on Monday, a catalog picture of the very doll, I had shown him Sunday.
He said that my dolls were in fact, real Iwai products and that these were the dolls produced and release back in 1972. From google's translation, It says, "Ladies Fashion - Lady Prince! Ladies Fashion is a refreshing friend." Due to release in May of that year. Oh my it was just amazing and to have the information of the dolls I have admired since seeing the first one back, in 2015!! The catalog ad continues on with, "Three styles created, "Gaucho", "Midi", and "Pantalon". At the time, Gaucho's were very popular in the early 1970s, these were short pants that were originally worn by Horsemen from South America, but they became a popular style for women in the 1970's - Wikipedia/Pinterest. So, my girls Amy and Twiggy have that style, made in two colors. "Midi" style were dresses or skirts that stopped at the mid-calf, also called, "Longuettes"- Wikipedia/Pinterest . This fashion is worn on the doll, I do not own in my collection, also in two colors. Last, is "Pantalon" I think it meant, "Flared Pants" style, also known as "Bell-Bottoms"- Wikipedia/Pinterest, and that is what Cynthia and Marsha from my collection are wearing. I grew up wearing these as a child of the 70s!
Quite unique how Iwai Co. choose to use the latest fashion trends of the day! Because, I'm sure those who owned a Lady Prince, were into the stylish look and probably displayed the dolls in their homes. They probably greeted you at the door on a side counter in a shop or perhaps were decorative on the work desk at the reception, of an office or restaurant... How exciting to imagine! They were only 600yen about $6 at the time.
I truly appreciate Mr. Iwai's help and giving me the information I needed on these amazing dolls. Now, to just find the gals in the Midi dresses, and my collection will be complete! The Iwai co. has many other dolls and products that are equally desired, visit their website! The ones we collectors see often are, "The Moodies" and they are also made by Iwai Co.!!
Thank you for reading! ~ ggsdolls
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