'The Princess Paper Doll Book' paper dolls featuring Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret
Object No. 85/623
This paper doll set illustrates the two British royal princesses, Princess Elizabeth who went on to become Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. They are cut out from The Princess Paper Doll Book: The Two Royal Princess of England Elizabeth and Margaret Rose published in America by the Saalfield Publishing Co. of Akron, Ohio, in 1939. The paper dolls represent the princesses in 1939 when Elizabeth (born in 1926) would have been 13 and Margaret (born in 1930) would have been nine. They are shown complete with their coronation robes worn when their father, George VI, became King in 1937 as well as their Girl Guide uniforms. To enable the little princesses to socialise with girls their own age, the First Buckingham Palace Girl Guide Company was formed in 1937 for Princess Elizabeth made up of girls from the Royal Household and Palace employees. A Brownie pack opened at the same time for Princess Margaret and her Brownie uniform is depicted. Princess Elizabeth's love of horses is seen in the outfits with one devoted to riding complete with a pony. Although the manufacture of paper dolls goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, the most popular period was from the 1930s to the 1950s. The set illustrates the popularity of the British monarchy and the public's world-wide fascination with their lives. The paper dolls were made in the USA and used in country NSW by Janet Windeyer (later Denne) when she was a child in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Margaret Simpson Curator, Transport & Toys May 2011
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Summary
Object Statement
Paper dolls (2) and clothing accessories (24), cut out from 'The Princess Paper Doll Book: The Two Royal Princesses of England Elizabeth and Margaret Rose', paper, by Saalfield Publishing Co, Akron, Ohio, United States of America, 1939, used by Janet Windeyer, Australia, 1939 - 1945
Physical Description
Dolls, paper dolls, cut out from "The Princess Paper Doll Book: The Two Royal Princesses of England Elizabeth and Margaret Rose", made by Saalfield Publishing Co., Akron, Ohio, USA, 1939 used by Janet Windeyer, 1939-1945 This paper doll set comprises paper cut out dolls of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose and their clothes and accessories including Coronation robes, and Girl Guide and Brownie uniforms.
DIMENSIONS
Height
249 mm
Width
77 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
The paper cut-out dolls were published in a book entitled The Princess Paper Doll Book: The Two Royal Princesses of England Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, published in 1939 by the American firm, the Saalfield Publishing Co. of Akron, Ohio. Saalfield were manufacturers of children's books established by Arthur J. Saalfield in 1899 (or 1900?). It grew into one of the world's largest publishing houses devoted to children's books and educational toys including cloth books, puzzles, paper dolls, sewing cards, follow-the dot, wet-a-brush, rub-a-pencil, stencil, tracing, painting, colouring and scrap books. They published the most important and influential American children's authors including the works of Louisa May Alcott, Daniel Defoe, Herman Melville, Dr Seuss, and Mark Twain. In 1933 the firm gained the exclusive rights to items related to Shirley Temple including paper dolls and colouring books. From the 1930s until the 1970s Saalfield employed a number of artists and illustrators to design their paper doll sets including Maybell Mercer, Betty Bell, Ann Kovach and Jean Morse in the 1930s and 1940s, Mary Knight in the 1950s and Irene Geiger in the 1970s. The firm closed in 1977 and its archives and library were acquired by the Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.
HISTORY
Notes
This item was owned by Janet Windeyer (later Denne) when she lived as a child on Deepwater Station, Deepwater, NSW, in the 1930s and 1940s.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Janet Denne, 1985
Acquisition Date
13 May 1985
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