Kewpie Composition (HUGE!) Antique Baby Girl Doll, 24 inches ~ RARE Depression Era

Extremely old composition baby doll with original blonde curly mohair wig.
Adorable with crazing and crackles. Perfect for a collector of Kewpies.

Kewpie dolls were created by illustrator Rose O'Neill in 1909 as cartoon characters in magazine illustrations, eventually becoming one of the most iconic and beloved doll designs of the early 20th century. The Kewpie dolls' popularity led to the production of physical dolls, starting with bisque versions and later transitioning to composition materials as a more durable and affordable alternative, particularly during the Depression Era (1929–1939).

By the time of the Great Depression, the composition of Kewpie dolls became widely available. These dolls were known for their wide, round eyes, chubby cheeks, and pudgy limbs, as well as their distinctive topknot of hair. The 24-inch composition Kewpie doll was larger than the original versions and designed to be a cuddly, charming companion for children during difficult economic times. Composition material, a mixture of sawdust, glue, and other compounds, allowed for more affordable mass production, making these dolls more accessible to families during the Depression.

I do not see any markings on this doll, hence the research was a bit challenging. She appears to be a Kewpie, Depression era, with black painted socks and shoes, and jointed arms.

Approximately 24 inches tall...the largest I have ever seen like this!!

She is VERY loved, or tattered and a bit cracked. Please use the Etsy zoom in tool for better viewing.
Her arms move, but they are weak and loose. This doll is very, very old. Looking for a new home.

Composition and celluloid: 1916–1930s

Rose O'Neill, a Midwest native who had worked as a writer and illustrator in New York City, initially conceptualized the Kewpie as a cartoon intended for a comic strip in 1909. According to O'Neill, the idea for the Kewpies came to her in a dream.[3] The comic, featuring the cherub-faced characters, was first printed in Ladies' Home Journal in the December 1909 issue.[4] O'Neill described the characters as "a sort of little round fairy whose one idea is to teach people to be merry and kind at the same time."[4] Their name, often shortened to Kewpies, derives from Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love.[5] After the characters gained popularity among both adults and children, O'Neill began illustrating paper dolls of them, called Kewpie Kutouts.[6]
Kewpie is a brand of dolls and figurines that were conceived as comic strip characters by cartoonist Rose O'Neill.
After World War I began in Europe, production of the bisque Kewpie dolls moved from Germany to France and Belgium, due to rising tensions after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Around this time, the dolls also began to be produced in the United States, made of composition material rather than bisque, due to bisque's fragility. The manufacturers also began to increase the sizes of the dolls, producing 22-inch (560 mm) versions in addition to the 12-inch (300 mm) versions. The American composition dolls also had a distinctive heart-shaped decal on the chest, reading "Kewpies, des. & copyright by Rose O'Neill." Like the original bisque models, some of the composition Kewpies were also hand-signed by O'Neill, and they all included jointed arms.

Item will be very carefully wrapped and packed in all new materials, USPS, Priority Mail, with insurance, and tracking number.

Smoke-free home; mine as well as the estate of the collector from which this was inherited.

For more information or additional photos, please contact me.
Price may be negotiable with a reasonable offer.

All sales are final. Non-refundable.