Kewpie
Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on illustrations by Rose O’Neill that appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal in 1909. These illustrations,which incorporated words and pictures with the recurring Kewpie characters, are considered to be early versions of the comic strip medium. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s. They were first made out of bisque and then celluloid. In 1949, Effanbee created the first hard plastic versions.
Their name, often shortened to “Kewpies”, in fact is derived from “cupid”, the Roman god [1]. The early dolls, especially signed or bisque, are highly collectible and worth thousands of dollars. The time capsule at the 1939 New York World’s Fair contained a Kewpie doll. The term “Kewpie doll” is sometimes mistakenly applied to the troll doll.
Many other articles were made using their images, like coloring and poem books, cups, plates, curios, etc. The incredible success of these characters made their creator rich and famous. It’s a rare example of a woman becoming successful in the media business at such an early date. Kewpies should not be confused with the baby-like Billiken figures that debuted in 1908.
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Vintage black kewpie doll by Rose O'Neill US $76.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 9:00:10 PDT |
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RARE!13"BLACK COMPOSITION SCOOTLES!!!! US $695.00 End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 13:13:47 PDT |
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Rose O'Neill Kewpie International Six Inch with Box MIB US $90.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 17:27:17 PDT |
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Kewpie Doll - Antique - Rose O'Neill - Composition Nice US $250.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 18:03:12 PDT |
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Antique Bisque *KEWPIE HUGGERS* 3 1/2" w/Costumes ~ VGC US $56.56 (6 Bids) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 18:44:25 PDT |
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Rose O'Neill Kewpie with Tuxedo Jacket US $185.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 19:01:36 PDT |
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Antique Rose O' Neill Bisque Kewpies Hugging Great Tag US $89.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 20:24:03 PDT |
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Vintage Charlie McCarthy Hand puppet toy composition US $112.50 End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 20:58:53 PDT |
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1915 Original Kewpie Doll Porcelain - 14121 US $150.00 End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 9:30:03 PDT |
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vintage kewpie 1940's cameo composition excellent cond US $175.00 End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 11:44:36 PDT |
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KEWPIE DOLL 9" tall Rose O'Neill Cameo 1930's US $50.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 13:24:24 PDT |
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Kewpie Nativity Pageant (Rare) Enesco with boxes US $300.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 14:07:00 PDT |
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1920's Rose O'Neill Bisque Action Kewpie Doll-Kneeling! US $338.77 (9 Bids) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 14:49:29 PDT |
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Four 100th Anniversary Rose O'Neill Kewpie Cups Dishes US $120.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 16:14:51 PDT |
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Lot of 4 Kewpie Dolls Still in Box US $75.00 End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 17:06:21 PDT |
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Excellent 12" Old Composition Cameo Kewpie Doll US $70.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 19:29:32 PDT |
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Pair of Early Bisque Kewpie Dolls Bride and Groom US $60.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 19:30:25 PDT |
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Kewpie Bisque Reading Book / Germany US $54.95 End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 4:57:52 PDT |
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Vintage Kewpie Doll From the 1940's Original dress US $299.00 End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 7:30:30 PDT |
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As KEWPIE Rose O'Neill B & W real baby italy photos US $59.00 End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 10:44:25 PDT |
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Kewpie Doll 100th Anniversary Limited Edition 30" US $170.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 17:42:34 PDT |
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The Ashton Drake Galleries Wizard of Oz Kewpie Dolls. US $50.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 18:42:19 PDT |
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VINTAGE- RARE - PARMA - by: AAI - KEWPIE DOLL VASE US $120.00 End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 19:06:40 PDT |
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1930S-40S-50S KEWPIE DOLL TWINS BOY AND GIRL ORIGNALBOX US $225.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 7:31:03 PDT |
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Original KEWPIE DOLL US $299.99 End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 14:13:59 PDT |
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Vintage Bisque KEWPIE Doll Baby Boy Hand Painted US $222.22 End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 16:21:30 PDT |
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3 Rose O'Neil Tiny 2" Kewpie Doll Figurines 2 w Banjos US $135.50 (7 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 16:53:28 PDT |
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KEWPIE DOLL *GOING TO THE CHAPPEL* 8" VINYL RETIRED US $59.95 End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 17:25:44 PDT |
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The Kewpie Birthday Boy 30" Limited Edition US $170.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 17:29:25 PDT |
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1920'S ROSIE O'NEILL-KEWPIE- LUSTRE WARE DESSERT DISH-1 US $75.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 17:51:01 PDT |
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Blue Winged Kewpie US $52.50 End Date: Tuesday Sep-07-2010 19:43:35 PDT |
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Kewpie Doll Bluebird of Happiness Cameo 12" Ltd Edition US $65.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 3:59:13 PDT |
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Kewpie Santa Claus Christmas Doll Large 16" New in Box US $75.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 4:09:43 PDT |
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Antique Bisque Kewpie Hugger Bride & Groom Dolls WINGS! US $199.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 14:32:03 PDT |
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KEWPIE DOLL - COMPOSITION - ADORABLE US $97.75 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 18:14:31 PDT |
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ANTIQUE KEWPIE BISQUE 30's SIGNED JAPAN A+ CON DOLL US $65.00 End Date: Wednesday Sep-08-2010 20:20:58 PDT |
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Kewpie Doll ROSE O'NEILL 8 1/2" TALL PLASTIC DRESS NICE US $50.00 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 0:27:16 PDT |
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Old Vintage Celluloid Fig of Kewpie Doll from Japan1930 US $85.00 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 0:46:22 PDT |
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Small Solid Standing Straight Kewpie 1915 US $145.00 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 9:35:12 PDT |
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Antique 1934 Owatonna Fair Kewpie Doll US $79.99 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 12:13:16 PDT |
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KEWPIE German Halfdoll Pin Cushion Doll Schafer & Vater US $89.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 16:47:01 PDT |
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NIB KEWPIE BRIDE GROOM JESCO CAMEO 16" VINYL 1983 DOLL US $81.00 End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 18:12:38 PDT |
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Cute Vintage Kewpie Doll German ?Unknown Maker US $95.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Sep-09-2010 22:52:24 PDT |
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Antique German Bisque Kewpie Doll Marked O'Neill US $50.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-10-2010 5:59:55 PDT |
Thanks to Wikipedia for the explanation.