Category Archives: 1940s

Dolls from the 1940s

1940s China Head Doll

My first china head doll was sold undressed. My mother brought it back from a visit to Provincetown, MA in the 1940s. To my surprise, she made a calico dress that perfectly fit the 7 in. doll, and she did it without a pattern. This was a big favor for me because she preferred sewing for people, not dolls. Years later I crocheted the blue accessories.

1940s China Doll

1940s John Passa and Marie Quoddy Dolls

Occasionally my Mother and Aunt Sue would visit relatives in Nova Scotia. After one trip in the late 1940’s, Mother brought back this 7 in. couple from New Brunswick. These hand made dolls were dressed in hand woven and hand knitted garments. They were called Friendship dolls. I gave them a home safe from moths in a box frame and consider them a work of art. The little 1939 dog with them came from Mrs. Parker’s shop in East Gloucester, MA. I recently learned that four of these dolls are in a collection at the Tides Institute and Museum in Eastport, ME. They described them as follows.

“JOHN PASSA! MARIE QUODDY! Two of these hand made dolls (man and woman) just came into our collections to join the two already here. In the process, we learned more about their origins. The man was called John Passa and the woman Marie Quoddy. They were made in St. Andrews, New Brunswick solely for the St. Andrews based business, Cottage Craft, by two women (Mary Bryant made the bodies and she and a friend Phoebe Lowrey made the woven and knitted outfits). One of the owners of Cottage Craft painted the faces.”John Passa Marie Quoddy Dolls

Toddles Dolls

In 1937 the 8 in. composition Vogue dolls, later to be known as Ginnys, were called Toddles. They were grouped into several different series. For instance, the Nursery Rhyme Series in the early 1940’s had a Bo-Peep. Little Red Riding Hood shown here is from the Fairy Tale Series. In 1951 when Toddles were made from plastic with sleep eyes, she had a tag on her arm reading, “Hi, I’m Ginny.”

 

In 1937 the 8 in. composition Vogue dolls, later to be known as Ginnys, were called Toddles. They were grouped into several different series. For instance, the Nursery Rhyme Series in the early 1940’s had a Bo-Peep. Little Red Riding Hood shown here is from the Fairy Tale Series. In 1951 when Toddles were made from plastic with sleep eyes, she had a tag on her arm reading, “Hi, I’m Ginny.”

1940s Pinocchio Walt Disney Doll

Pinocchio

Pinocchio, dating from the 1940’s, is 7 in. tall. He has a composition swivel head with wooden jointed body. He is marked “Pinocchio, DES. © BY WALT DISNEY, made by Ideal Novelty & Toy Co.” He was the star of the first movie I saw, a 1940 animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the story, The Adventures of Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi. Before taking his photo I had to re-string him and find a feather for his cap.