Kewpie Dolls and Needlework: A Fascinating Link
Chapter 14
When I was a child, my mother (1913-2005) often mentioned Kewpie Dolls as a type of doll that she had when she was quite young. The first Kewpie doll I ever saw was in a locked glass case in an antiques shop. The price was high, and that day, the doll was not purchased. In a subsequent visit to another shop, there was a well-used, stained, frayed baby quilt with recurrent Kewpie doll figures embroidered on its surface. The quilt was tied, and its Outline Stitch embroidery designs had utilized the unmistakable pastel colors of the 1930s. Considering its condition, only the memory of it came home with me that day.
When a loved one dies, there is no longer a chance to ask questions. After my mother's death, I began to wonder about Kewpie dolls. In trying to locate more information about them, I have discovered the wonderful work of early twentieth century artist, Rose O'Neill, upon whose illustrations, Kewpie dolls and so many derivative items are based.
The image to
the left is a Kewpie embroidery pattern from 1914 which I acquired
from Virginia Butler, a vendor on eBay. The design of Kewpie removing
petals from a daisy, in the style of, “He loves me, he loves me
not,” is a charming one. In this case, the words say, “Kewpie
Loves Me.” Since we have shared so many examples of Redwork designs
with written messages, this one seems appropriate to add, and
permission was granted to do so.1
"The Kewpie Loves Me" design was found in a 1914 Fourth Edition Catalog of Needlework Art that Doreen Locati purchased in a shop in New Jersey. The catalog has no less than five pages of various Kewpie motifs. One could purchase a stamped and tinted top for sixty cents; a kit that included a stamped design, silk and floss for $1.40; or a finished model for $6.75. Designs for Kewpie pillow tops, crib covers, laundry bags, and bureau scarves were offered.
Quote
from 1914 Fourth Edition Catalog of Needlework Art
Everybody tells us we're the cutest, most lovable little creatures ever made to smile at people and make them smile. We came from Rosie O'Neill's pen, then, we've been dolls for children, and now embroidery designs for the grownups.
You can only get us in Royal Society Outfits, for Rosie O'Neill arranged so that we would belong to the famous Royal Society family of needlework designs.
Kewpie Royal Society Package Outfits are made in a charming line of Pillows, Dresser Scarfs, Bibs, Fancy Bags and other novelties. The packages contain everything needed- material, sufficient Royal Society Embroidery Floss and complete instructions for making.
The above information is shared by Doreen Locati.
"Verses and Pictures by Rose O'Neill"
Kewpie figures first appeared as line drawings in Ladies Home Journal in December 1909. Kewpies, “chubby, Cupid-like figures,” as O'Neill described them, soon took on a life of their own. The author/illustrator envisioned some of these drawn characters as having wings so that they could fly all around the world.
Her Kewpie creations were cast as characters in an adventure series. One story, “The Kewpies and Their Adventures,” was published in Woman's Home Companion, October 1911. In the first drawing, Kewpies are flying over a village,2 along with a goose. The opening verse is:
In
this first picture here we view
The Kewpies
dropping from the blue,
The chief
says,“Kewps, I'd like to find you
Someone that you
could be kind to.
In 1911, Kewpie “Kut-Outs”3 which were two-sided, paper dolls were featured in Woman's Home Companion. This was only the beginning of the craze for all things Kewpie.
Books and Magazine Writings Lead to an Actual Doll
In addition to the three books she had written for adults, O'Neill wrote four Kewpie books for children: The Kewpies and Dottie Darling (1910); The Kewpies, Their Book (1912), The Kewpie Primer (1912), and The Kewpies and the Runaway Baby (1928). Joseph L. Kallus, still a student when O'Neill approved his work, is credited with designing the first three-dimensional Kewpie doll. Initially, these were porcelain. The J.D. Kestner Company manufactured the dolls in Germany from 1913 on. During World War I, the production of Kewpie dolls shifted to Japan and America.
The first clothKewpie doll was sold commercially in 1925. Today, Sally Goodspeed ofMaryland, offers full size
patterns for stuffed Kewpie Dolls invarious sizes.4
In addition, Goodspeed gives buyers an option to purchase either
individual designs, or sets of designs of Kewpie embroidery motifs.
The Kewpie doll's image has shown up on candles, salt and pepper shakers, toothpick holders, charms, talcum bottles, thimbles, tobacco flannels given as premiums with purchase, and all kinds of ephemera, including calendars. Among other licensed objects marketed in the 2005 Dollmasters' catalog5 are 1930s carnival style Kewpies, silk scarves with Kewpies, and a Musical Kewpie Jewelry Box.
Line drawings by Patricia Cummings, can be seen to the right. These are just two examples of popular Kewpie designs that appear on twentieth century vintage quilts.
Kewpie Quilts
Embroidered Kewpie quilts from the 1930s, often contain blocks with girls in bonnets, as well as whimsical bears engaged in playful behavior. Some of the quilts are embroidered with red and blue floss. Others incorporate a broader range of thread colors that were newly available at the time.
The two blocks below are among other bear and bonneted girl motifs that appear on an early twentieth century quilt that has Kewpie motifs. “Fish,” conveys the meaning of the block on the left, and is just another example of a Redwork design that includes a word message.
Photos
of blocks from a quilt in the collection of Debbie Cupp. Photo
credit: Debbie Cupp.
Books about Kewpies
Kewpies: Dolls & Art with Value Guide6 provides an overview of Kewpie dolls and manufacturing information, as well as Rose O'Neill's life, and examples of some of her published Kewpie pages. The 12th Blue Book: Dolls & Values7 provides detailed descriptions and seven photos of Kewpie dolls, including a Black one. O'Neill was known for her illustrations of African-Americans. According to the value guide, there have been various manufacturers of Kewpie dolls. A book, Rose O'Neill Kewpies and Other Works.8 is now out of print. Collecting Rose O'Neill's Kewpies (2003) is a book that was published more recently.9
Close-up of
two blocks from a 1930s Kewpie Quilt with a Pennsylvania provenance.
Courtesy of Stella Rubin Antiques.
Photo by Steve Goldberg.
Kewpie leading
the band, and Kewpie reading “Puss in Boots.”
Photo courtesy of Stella Rubin. Photo by
Steve Goldberg.
Photo by Steve
Goldberg, provided courtesy of Stella Rubin Antiques.
Click on the image for a larger view
“Kewpie Quilt”
This 74” x 82” quilt has eleven Kewpie blocks and an equal number of girls with bonnets. The varied thread colors used for this Outline Stitch Embroidered quilt make the quilt very unique. There is extensive hand quilting in various designs, including beautifully-quilted cable borders.
Other Kewpie Memorabilia
The small piece
of felt, shown to the right, measures 4 3/4” x 5 7/8” and
features Kewpie babies at the beach. The felt is typical of similar
felts that were packaged with tobacco products and given away free,
as a premium with purchase. This particular felt features Rose
O'Neill's name, and the date of 1914.
Flannel sizes ranged
from 2”x 4” to
8”x 11,” or larger. Flags of the world,
American Indian blanket designs, and Kewpie motifs, such as this one,
were among the more popular flannels issued by tobacco companies, in
a bid to get an edge on their competitors.
Photos by James Cummings.
Kewpie
Ad
The cardboard Kewpie Santa Claus, to the left, has an actual round pompom glued onto the textured red “hat.” The piece bears the unmistakable signature of Rose O'Neill, who always signed her name with long, thick brush strokes for the letters “R,” “N,” and the two “l”s. The date of 1913 is provided. The text says:
I am the Kewpie Santa Claus. I bring, my friends, a Christmas suggestion that is new, original and of wonderful interest to both those who give and those who receive, in Royal Society Kewpies.
What is so fraught with tender well wishing as a gift made by friendly hands- a gift of wonderful beauty for all the years- a gift of such irresistable appeal as Kewpie's embroidery designs? They are to be had either in tinted stamped goods or in the Royal Society Package Outfit, which embrace pillows, dresser scarfs, bibs, fancy bags, and all sorts of novelties.
Collection of Elizabeth Donahue-Davis.
1 Virginia Butler and Doreen Locati own “Sew Vintage Memories,” and sell patterns on eBay.
2 Some of the Kewpie dolls, most prized by collectors, are the ones with added wings.
3 Today, Kewpie “Kut-Outs,” a licensed product, are available through their print catalog or online at: www.dollmasters.com
4 See the Resouces section at the end of this manuscript for contact information.
6 Kewpies: Dolls & Art with Value Guide, 2nd Edition, by John Axe (MD: Hobby House Press, 1987).
7 12th Blue Book: Dolls & Values by Jan Foulke (Grantsville, MD: Hobby House Press, 1995), 244-248.
8 Rose O' Neill Kewpies and Other Works by Lois Holliday Holman (L.H. Holman, 1983), 160 pages. ASIN B00064RBSO.
9 Collecting Rose O'Neill's Kewpies by David O'Neill and Janet O'Neill (Schiffer Publishing Ltd., August 30, 2003). ISBN: 0764318551
Go to Chapter 15
©Copyright 2006/2007. Patricia and James Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. All Rights Reserved. Please enjoy the designs contained in this pages, and make lots of fun projects, but we ask only one thing, PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE THE DESIGNS FOR SALE. Thank you.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: pat@quiltersmuse.com