Sometime during the night they had entered her room as she slept and had awakened her by bouncing on her feathery pillow. Now she watched them in amazement as they danced around the bedroom, performing amazing acrobatics and hilarious stunts. She still was not certain who (or what) they were. These tiny babies with sprouting blue wings just above the shoulders were sent, it seemed, just for her amusement.
Rose was just 14 when she entered her work in a contest and won, the judges couldn't believe the drawings came from such a young artist, her father had specially sharpened pencils and paper always laying around the house. At the age of 19 Rose moved to New York and became a illustrator for Puck magazine, she sent money home to her family and was the main provider. Attending a prestigious school and studying sculpturing under Auguste Rodin (the thinker and another one of my post), Rose O'Neill married and divorced philander, she considered him a gambling womanizer. Shortly thereafter she returned to the family homestead and found she was getting mail from a secret admirer, it was the editor of Puck, they were married and after five years they separated. It is said Rose became lonely often referring the her former husband as the beloved. Kewpie was born.
Rose O'Neill recognized commercial value, she licensed in countless forms.Here is the patent for the Kewpie doll.She was institutional in taking paper dolls to a new level, in 1912 Kewpie Cutouts were published in Woman's Home Companion, those Kewpie paper dolls were two sided for the first time in a magazine's history.In 1913 German porcelain manufacturers began making bisque Kewpie dolls in 3 different sizes, Rose and her sister Calista (her manager, business partner) made a visit to many factories and at one point the smaller 6 inch Kewpie was being made with poor quality materials. Rose insisted they be made with finer quality because they were the doll the poor children would buy. Finer 6'' dolls began selling on the market.
Rose had a generous pocket, if she heard a child needed something she didn't hesitate to purchase it for them.The classic Kewpie had little air quality wings on their backs. Shortly after Rose went to New York her family purchase land in the Ozark mountains, southwest Missouri, her father had tired of the city life. Together with a son , Mr O'Neill began building what Rose named, "Bonniebrook." She also referred to the place as the "The Tangles" as the isolation of the thick forest reminded her of such. Bonniebrook began as two log cabins with a breezeway between them. One cabin for dining and the other for sleeping, it was constructed in 3 phases, floor planned by Mrs. O'Neill. Rose had the third floor as her studio, it had a daybed for Rose to nap. It is said Rose worked day and night and this was where she did her best work. Bonniebrook was where Rose retired after her mother died, she was said to be affected deeply by her passing.
Bonniebrook burned after Rose passed away, it was a faulty heater her brother was using. No one was hurt as he was the only one living in the home at the time. Bonniebrook was reconstructed in 1977 by the Historical Society and they facilitate tours today.During the almost 30 years Kewpie was marketed Rose O'Neill made 1.5 million dollars, men, women and children wanted a Kewpie. It still maintains a popularity today.
By 1937 Rose had lost her fortune do to her extravagant nature and by the time the depression came, Rose found illustrations replaced by photography, she died in 1944, at the age of 69, she was living with her nephew. He was named beneficiary of her estate and removed all of her work from the home before it burned.
Kewpie has many occupations and personality roles. C&G Design.
10 comments:
I never knew the history of Kewpies. But they are everywhere-to this day. I can find them at flea markets regularly. Very interesting!
Thank you Dawn for a most interesting lesson in the Kewpie Doll. I did not know any of this. Another reason to blog...to be educated and empowered. Do you own any Kewpies? Have a terrific Monday! The rain is coming.....Hugs, Kathleen
This is most interesting how the Kewpie came about! We had what I thought to be a kewpie but it had hair and more a troll looking thing with big nose. Do you recall them and what their name was? Still see them today also...
Wow, I had no idea they were that old. They run a close second to the Raggedy's to me as I always liked them. The hisory lesson in them and the inventor was very interesting. A woman ahead of her times....I like that.
I have seen the Kewpies & think them lovely. I didn't know of their history. Thanks Dawn for the informative post.
Thanks for this wonderful post1 i enjoyed learning the history of Kewpies very much.
Very interesting! I didn't know much at all about kewpie dolls before reading your post!! Have a nice day~
Oh my goodness I remember Kewpies too but never knew the history. I loved that doll. Well I loved all my dolls had so many of them. Wish I had a couple of them still.
Hi guys, I have a vinyl kewpie, I don't think it's a O'Neill though.
Skeeter, I can envision the figurine your talking about but the name escapes me! Urgh! It was/is a cute little doll.
I knew about Rose and the kewpies but never knew the complete history the way you have told it here! Nice job! I have come across some kewpies in my antique/yard sale travels and they are adorable. I was told the only real ones have wings. There are many fake. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
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