Perhaps the most expensive of the early dolls, occasionally found today, is Beloved Belindy, a plump black doll wearing a headscarf. Raggedy Ann is often dressed in a pinafore worn over a cotton print frock and stripy red stockings. In Britain, she is much less-widely known, and frequently gets muddled with the ‘Orphan Annie’ character who later became the star of a musical and movie. Volland dolls were made during the 1920s and 30s, and many are highly prized, while even those from some of the later companies, Knickerbocker for instance, are increasing in price, especially in America where Raggedy Ann is one of the most famous character dolls. The early Raggedy Ann dolls often had brown hair, and less of a caricature face than later Raggedy Anns. One hangtag reads, ‘These stories – infused with a father’s pure, simple love – became immortal.’ The dolls have been made by manufacturers such as Volland, Knickerbocker, Russ, Playskool and Dakin. Many people, especially in America, concentrate on Raggedy Ann and Andy, forming immense collections of dolls and other memorabilia. So far, this hasn’t be proved – old dolls don’t seem to contain any remnants of candy, though it is a charming idea. One delightful rumour said that each doll was given a candy heart which read ‘I Love You’, just as Raggedy Ann has in the story books. Apparently Johnny Gruelle persuaded his family to make some cloth dolls to accompany the earliest of the books, maybe for shop display purposes, we can’t be sure now. Raggedy Ann dolls have been made for almost as long as the books have been published. More stories followed Raggedy Ann’s Magical Wishes, The Paper Dragon, Raggedy Ann in the Deep Deep Woods and Raggedy Ann and the Left-Handed Safety Pin amongst many, many others. Volland company, who later followed up the success with a character Raggedy Ann doll. Other characters have been introduced too, perhaps the most famous being her brother Raggedy Andy, Beloved Belindy, Uncle Clem and the gloriously-named ‘Camel With Wrinkled Knees.’ The stories tell how Raggedy Ann, a sweet kindly doll – because she has a candy heart – comes to life when humans aren’t around, and has great adventures with her brother, Andy.įirst in the series was ‘Raggedy Ann Stories’, which was published in 1918 by the P. Over the years, numerous editions of the books have appeared, though they have never been as popular in Britain as they are in the United States. He patented and trademarked the Raggedy Ann design in 1915. Tragically, Marcella died when she was still quite young from a smallpox vaccination which became infected, and it was then that Johnny took the decision to publish the stories which she had loved, for other children to share – it was his tribute to his daughter. Marcella was enchanted, and from then on, Raggedy Ann became her constant companion, inspiring her father to tell stories to the little girl about her doll. Her father drew a new face onto the doll, and it was she who became immortalised as Raggedy Ann. Johnny’s small daughter was named Marcella, and one anecdote has it that while she was playing in the attic she discovered an old cloth doll with a faded face, which had belonged to her grandmother. However, the anecdotes woven around the creation of this charismatic doll have become embellished, contradicted and disputed over the years, so no-body really knows for certain. Her creator was an artist and storyteller called Johnny Gruelle, who told the tales and drew the delightful pictures to entertain his small daughter when she was ill – or so the story goes. Unlike the majority of dolls which are devised purely for commercial reasons, Raggedy Ann was created for the nicest reason of all – she was created through love. Sold for £700 at Bloomsbury Auctions, October 2010. Johnny Gruelle Raggedy Ann & Andy original pencil and crayon drawing signed by the artist image 245 x 210m. Instantly recognisable with her beaming smile, red triangular nose and round black eyes, Raggedy was originally a storybook doll. Raggedy Ann Dolls by Sue Brewer Ann Dolls are one of the great American classic dolls.
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