The 2008 Paper Doll Convention Archive

Farewell

2008-11-01T12:00:00.003-04:00

Thanks for following this blog over the past year. It's been fun, and I couldn't have done it without the great images that Jan McKay, Sylvia Kleindinst, Pat Rooney and so many others sent along. This will remain online as a record of the 2008 convention, but I won't be adding to it after today.

I hope you'll visit me at my new blog, The Paper Collector, http://thepapercollector.blogspot.com/
You'll find paper dolls, toys, bridge tallies, postcards and other ephemera there, starting today.

So you want to plan a convention!

2008-11-01T01:30:00.003-04:00

Cost of the convention:
$30,000.

Memories:
Priceless.

Folks, this is what they call a nonprofit venture.

The downturn in the economy no doubt took a bite out of attendance in Piscataway.

127 attended; 33 subscribed to the absentee souvenirs.

But the continuing recession may in fact hold opportunity for convention planners to negotiate, for next year and beyond. We can deliver over 100 people, who not only sleep and eat at the hotel, but tour the surrounding area and shop locally, too. You'll be dealing with a strong hand, so don't be afraid to challenge prices. If you're like me and you're lousy with figures, business negotiations, etc. -- find someone who can take that role on with relish, and save yourself a lot of grief. You'll learn a lot just by watching. Everything is negotiable. (And special thanks to Sheryl Jaeger, who drummed that into my head.)

What I learned:

Location: It's not easy to find an ideal location: hotels near city center are expensive, and the cheaper ones further out in the suburbs involve commuting expenses to and from the airport. The San Antonio convention was memorable in this regard because you could walk the city right outside your hotel door. Weigh your costs, options and trade-offs carefully.

Sales Room: Size is important. The one in Parsippany was too small, and would have meant splitting up the Sales Room or simply having people sell from their rooms--which would have added enormously to our costs. More importantly, it was an idea which people hated, because as I learned they want to be in one big room to get maximum foot traffic and to be next to friends they see but once a year. Chalk it up to a beginner's mistake. We shifted to Piscataway to get the 5,822 sq. ft. ballroom, and it was worth the headache and penalty.

Delegate: The people I relied upon the most live in other states, from California to Connecticut, so distance should not be a factor. Many people who have organized conventions in the past are eager to help out. Some can help you with planning, others will sign up for duties during the convention itself (and some will gladly do both.) Find someone who lives nearby to help you negotiate with the hotel in person. There’s a lot of information to absorb, lots of notes to take. You don’t want to miss a thing. As you might have deduced by now, Sheryl Jaeger was indispensable in this regard, negotiating with the hotel in addition to overseeing the Sales Room, among many other things.

Embrace the new: Stay open to new ideas. I hope Bruce Patrick Jones’ Artists Sweatshop becomes a convention tradition – it’s a fun and instructive workshop that produces new art on the spot.

Balance: We need BOTH antique/vintage and new/contemporary paper doll artists to be successful.

Promote and advertise: Very important--and you don't have to spend a dime. In addition to the paper doll magazines, there are lots of free listing opportunities with your local newspaper. Somerset Studio magazine has a free event listing service online. Don’t neglect the antique/collectibles press (i.e., Maine Antiques Digest, Paper & Advertising Collectors' Marketplace, Antique Week and Antique Trader). Most will pick up and use a press release, unedited, so make sure you get it right. Even if readers don’t attend this year, they now know we exist, and may attend sometime in the future. Also, many of them sign up for absentee souvenirs, an important source of convention revenue.

Some readers jump at the chance to attend. Bonnie Hanson saw a press release I sent to one of the antique weeklies – she had attended conventions in the past, but lost track of us. Who is Bonnie? See below:

Yes, THAT Bonnie--a big winner at Competition.

Go online: Start a blog, Facebook, myspace, live journal, whatever. Promotion is easy when all you have to do is send a link with all the information. Garth Lax’s e-mails are extremely effective—providing information (he does a lot of his own research on convention locale touring) and reminding people about deadlines, nudging them to send that check in.

Snail mail: And let’s not forget our friends who are not online and have no e-mail. Many people print out Garth’s e-mails and snail-mail them to friends. That’s very important. Many off-line people subscribe to paper doll publications (Paper Doll Review, Golden Opportunities, Cornerstones, Paper Doll Circle in the UK); get the editorial calendar from the editors, so you know when to send in a timely letter or press release with convention updates.

Dealers: There are paper doll dealers who faithfully come to every convention. And there are paper doll dealers who attend because they live near that year’s convention site. (Did you see Don and Jo Ann Reisler's fantastic sales table? There also was another couple at San Antonio in 2007 who had a great selection of antique paper dolls.) Those one-shot dealers need to hear about us. That’s why promotion locally and nationally is important.

Dover: Dover Publications came through with $1,000 to support our opening reception, and showed a willingness to stay involved. This is a good thing, and their support should become a tradition, too. Contact me if you need information or help to keep them involved. The graphic at the top of this post is taken from the Dover Electronic Clip Art collection, "Advertising Cuts of the 20s and 30s."

Be prepared for the unexpected I: I had no idea my late father would fall seriously ill during the convention planning year. But I was able to lose myself in the details of convention-planning, and let a lot of stress roll off that might have sunk me any other year. My father's illness put a lot of things in perspective.

Be prepared for the unexpected II: Lori Lawson of Virginia was supposed to help me out. Where was she?

Having a baby! Ethan Shelton Craig was born August 29.

Well, that's all I can think of right now. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Thanks to all of you who attended and helped out in so many ways.

I look forward to seeing all of you again in Las Vegas.

Happy Hallowe'en

2008-10-31T09:32:00.003-04:00

Pat Corte Rooney drew "Little John" for today's UFDC regional Halloween Dinner, hosted by the Young at Heart Doll Club of N.J. in Cape May. The theme: "A Victorian Holiday in Cape May," a shore town here in Jersey famous for its Victorian houses and flair.

"Little John" is based on an actual souvenir doll designed and handmade by Rosemarie Snyder. Pat tells me that "Little John" is upset because his Trick Or Treat bag has a hole in it: "This happened to the artist's son and he wore a devil costume…which also made him upset!"

Rosemarie Snyder's doll is an antique reproduction; the clothes are not removable and his body is stuffed. For her paper doll version, Pat kept "Little John" trim in order to place the tabs, "and he had to look good in his undies!" She generously sent me a copy in the mail, and allowed me to place it on the blog today. Thank you, Pat!

I'll be interviewing Pat Corte Rooney soon about her paper doll art for an upcoming issue of Paper Doll Review.

Colorful cards

2008-10-30T15:23:00.004-04:00

Paper doll people send the nicest cards and letters...

Jan's Convention Photo Album IV

2008-10-30T12:05:00.004-04:00

I believe this is a nerferkiti (Debra Van Dyke) display.

Brenda Sneathen Mattox, Deanna Williams, Jan McKay, Jenny Taliadoros, Kwei-lin Lum.

Jan and Jo Ann and Don Reisler. This was the Reislers first convention, and they had some wonderful items for sale. Their specialty is works on paper and art from children's books. Check out: www.joannreisler.com/

Margaret and Howe Brown, and Scott Jorgenson.

David Wolfe, Leslie Ann Stockton and Diane McBurnett.

Me (looking relieved, and no doubt with a glass of wine on that table!) and Jan.

Jan's Convention Photo Album III

2008-10-30T11:45:00.002-04:00

Peggy Ell, Pat Motley and Brenda Givens.

Mel Odom, Jan McKay and Samy Odin.

Jan and Kathy O'Tierney.

Mel Odom, Samy Odin and me. (That's Bruce Patrick Jones in the foreground, left.)

Karry Fuller, Gregg Nystrom and Bruce. That's me, foreground left, this time.

Helping out in the Raffles Room

2008-10-30T09:53:00.006-04:00

My husband Rob and his mom, Lois Gebeloff keep track of the tickets and cash in the Raffles Room on the Saturday Sales Room Day. By volunteering to monitor Raffles that day, they gave a break to Grace and Katherine Keene and Ron Fong who did a lot of work setting up the room, selling tickets and standing guard over the raffle treasures. (Many experienced paper doll convention organizers told me how important it is to have trusted family and friends involved as volunteers, so that collectors won't miss out.)

Lois and Norman and my extended in-law family were a great help during the event, including their grandchildren Marissa Rozenfeld and Rachel Gebeloff, who along with my sister-in-law Cindy and her husband Steve Rozenfeld helped deliver the goodies when raffle prizes were called. Rachel, the daughter of Rob's brother, was visiting from Florida.

Marissa and Rachel in the lobby of the Embassy Suites, Piscataway. They attended Saturday's banquet, and now they both know who Ethel Merman and Mary Martin are!

Lois, her grandson Joshua Rozenfeld, Rob and Steve.

Joshua (back to camera), Steve, Cindy and Marissa (Rachel just outside the frame).

Scenes from the Sales Room

2008-10-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

Marion Creamer (in pink, right) walks purposefully through the Sales Room with some found treasures, as my husband and I browse the goodies on the far left (taking a break from the Raffle Room, hence the aprons). On my right, Valerie Fahey.

Sheryl and Ralph organize their corner, as Beverly Micucci and Sandy Vanderpool make their way through the room.

David and Sandy

2008-10-29T09:30:00.000-04:00

Emcee David Wolfe and Sandy Vanderpool on the verge of distributing one of the convention's six souvenirs.

Ralph, Sheryl and Patti

2008-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ralph Gallo, who with Sheryl Jaeger runs eclectible on eBay.

Sheryl on the phone, and Patti Fertel.

Jan, Paula and Tom

2008-10-28T12:50:00.002-04:00

Jan McKay, Paula Sherrick and Tom Tierney.

My thanks once again to Jan and Sam McKay for creating a splendid photo album of the convention, and sending me a copy on disk to post on the blog.

Mary, Norma Lu and Judy

2008-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Mary Meehan Firtl, her mom Norma Lu Meehan and Judy Johnson.

Elaine, Mary and Peggy

2008-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's a lot of knowledge about paper dolls sitting at this table: Elaine Price, Mary Young and Peggy Ell.

Jenny from our block...

2008-10-27T09:10:00.001-04:00

The birthday girl holds court.

A touch of the wand to Ron Fong.

That 70s gal and Sam McKay.

Parting shots...

2008-10-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Bruce Patrick Jones lines up his shot at the N.J. Historical Society in Newark. The portrait is of the artist Anna Lindner, whose exquisite watercolor paper dolls were on display just for us.

Hitting the big town: Katherine Keene, Jan McKay, Sondra Leeds, Laura Cushing-Kidney (Debra Ann Earls is hidden behind her), Grace Keene and right behind her, Paula Sherrick.

The Ephemeral

2008-10-26T11:43:00.009-04:00

Collecting ephemera is such a joy. There is the sense with each discovery of rescue, something saved from the dustbin (or these days, the garbage compactor and recycling bin). Webster's dictionary defines ephemeral as "lasting one day" and "short-lived; transitory."

The doll on the left, found at convention, is played with, incomplete and shows wear. Cut-out paper dolls are the ones I love best -- usually less expensive, and always dear because they were well loved by some child long ago. They hold all the dreams and fantasies of childhood play.

My new blog, The Paper Collector, will launch Nov. 1, and will feature ephemera, paper dolls and toys, information about conventions and parties and much more. I'll post a few more convention items here within the next week.

Below, some of my father's favorite movie stars: Clark Gable, Ava Gardner Rita Hayworth and Charlie Chaplin. I found the Chaplin pantin online years ago, and made a copy to cut and assemble for my father. He also loved Jane Fonda, and she's on my search list for the next convention in Las Vegas.

Dagwood

2008-10-19T13:46:00.002-04:00

My memories of Sunday morning as a child include reading the funnies, something I know my father also enjoyed when he was a kid growing up in New York City in the 1930s. Today was my father's last Sunday, and I know he would have enjoyed seeing this Dagwood cut-out, one of his favorite comic strips.

Jan's Convention Photo Album II

2008-10-18T09:00:00.001-04:00

Marilyn Henry, who did the Jane Powell souvenir, and edits Paper Doll Review to boot; and collector Jane Alfano Rasor.

Far left, partly obscured, is Jayne Keller, who organized goody bags; Mary Meehan Firtl, Norma Lu's daughter and also an artist; and the wondrous collectors, Garth and Diana Lax. Garth did a great job with a difficult task -- organizing the Competition, and protecting valuable antique paper dolls and toys from around the world.

London calling: Marion Jennings, Lorna Currie Thomopoulos and husband George. In the foreground: a Deanna Williams centerpiece. I look forward to hearing all about Deanna's Fall Frolic, which is being held today in Los Angeles.

Jan's Convention Photo Album I

2008-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ralph Hodgdon and Maria Pereira.

Ron Fong -- who did a great job organizing the raffles room -- and Laura Cushing Kidney.

Valerie Fahey, Sylvia Kleindinst's daughter; Sheryl Jaeger -- who was not only in charge of the sales room, but gave me invaluable assistance in many other convention tasks; Ralph Gallo; and Jan McKay.

Convention Souvenirs 5 & 6

2008-10-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday's souvenir: Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, by David Wolfe. Sunday's souvenir: An Affair to Remember, by Norma Lu Meehan.

Convention Souvenirs 3 & 4

2008-10-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

Thursday's second souvenir: Bling City Paper Dolls, by Bruce Patrick Jones. Friday's souvenir: Sex and the City by Sandra Vanderpool.

Convention Souvenirs 1 & 2

2008-10-17T08:15:00.001-04:00

The Tom Tierney birthday tribute paper doll booklet by Brenda Sneathen Mattox was distributed Wednesday night; the Jane Powell booklet by Marilyn Henry was the first of two Thursday night souvenirs.

More art by Sandy Vanderpool

2008-10-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

Sandy at the Artists Gallery. She had one of the best convention duties: giving out the souvenirs, assignments that she delegated to various artists months ago.

Jenny's Birthday Paper Doll by David Wolfe

2008-10-16T10:44:00.003-04:00

David Wolfe and Paper Studio Press are making the Jenny Birthday Paper Doll available for one free download/printing at: http://paperstudiopress.com/jennypaperdoll.htm

Just received the latest issue of Paper Doll Review--lovely Suzy Parker doll by Marilyn Henry, and an article by David Wolfe on 60s fashions, to name just two of the many fabulous features.

Art by Martha Davis

2008-10-16T08:47:00.001-04:00

Martha Davis sold out of her lovely paper dolls and crepe dresses.

Art by Samy Odin

2008-10-16T08:44:00.001-04:00

Samy Odin came loaded with goodies; not only the Poupee Modele exhibit, but his own artwork, too.

Satch La Valley

2008-10-15T00:44:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Louise Leek, a blue ribbon winner: Czechoslovakia by Satch La Valley.

Pretty Polly by Helen Page

2008-10-15T00:40:00.001-04:00

From the collection of Johana Gast Anderton, an original paper doll by Helen Page in the style of Grace Drayton.

Kathe Kruse Doll

2008-10-15T00:24:00.002-04:00

Sylvia Kleindinst just sent over several more pictures. Here, a Kathe Kruse doll as drawn by Pat Corte Rooney.

Mystery Set

2008-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Does anyone have background on this lovely hand-drawn set?

Clues in the diamond-shaped border: LKG at 7, 1912.

Columbus Day

2008-10-12T07:30:00.000-04:00

Queen Isabella of Spain and Christopher Columbus, Boston Sunday Globe Supplement, 1910.

Susan Lee, McLoughlin c.1858

2008-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

The vivid colors on these very old sets never cease to astonish me. The name of the person who entered this in competition is not visible; perhaps someone out there can help us ID the owner.

The note on the entry reads: "Circa 1858. 5" young lady with 7 costumes, all printed front & back. You will note I have included a doll from another set, both are the same except for face, costumes were the same on both."

Pangea

2008-10-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

I love this set from the incredibly imaginative mind of Kwei-lin Lum. 17 pages of heads, clothing, hats, shapes to do with what you will. "Mix and match wildly," she advises. Read more in the instructions (yellow sheet above).

See more of Kwei-lin's paper doll art at: http://flatdoll.com/. She has some wonderful Halloween cards for sale, too.

La Poupee Modele VI

2008-10-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

I can't get enough of these Poupee Modele images from the collection of Samy Odin. They are rare and lovely, and what a privilege to have them on display at convention. I'm glad Jan, like Garth also took many pictures of them. I love the Autumn theme above (Printemps or Spring, is the cut-out standing to the side; no date visible), and check out the costumes for Colette (1910) below.

Espagne, or Spain (date not visible):

Furnishings for a doll's house (1906):

A classic flower theme (1909):

A Bleuet set (1909):

Makiki

2008-10-08T08:30:00.000-04:00

A blue-ribbon winner by Kwei-lin Lum, this cut and fold set of art paper was inspired by the neighborhood in Hawaii where she lived as a child.

Hollywood Style

2008-10-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

The fabulous artwork of David Wolfe, who did a great job of emceeing the convention and produced a great souvenir tribute to Ethel Merman and Mary Martin.

Be sure to visit his website to see more of his work:
www.paperdollywood.com/

And you can purchase David's paper dolls at: www.paperdollreview.com

Oklahoma

2008-10-07T10:36:00.000-04:00

From the collection of Anne K. Donze: Oklahoma, published by Whitman, 1954.

My smallest doll's room

2008-10-07T08:30:00.000-04:00

A furnished fishery! A German toy from the collection of Lorna Currie Thomopoulos.

Famous Queens

2008-10-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

A first place blue ribbon for a set of famous queens.

Little Lambzie Dizie

2008-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Original art by Judy Yates, 1983.

Lots of Fun and Little Bo-Peep

2008-10-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

Two sets from the collection of Jan McKay.

The Exotic Enchantress

2008-10-06T00:13:00.003-04:00

By Sandra Vanderpool, one of my favorite paper doll artists. Sandy organized the souvenirs for the convention--a great line-up that I will spotlight this month.

Sandy has many paper dolls for sale, including the Exotic Enchantress. She doesn't have a web site, but you can order her catalog:

Sandra Vanderpool
Box 695
Erie, CO 80516

More from Agence Eureka

2008-10-05T12:24:00.004-04:00

I love that she also photographs the sets that she has constructed:

And yet even more:

I've only scratched the surface of her enormous collection. In addition, you'll find images that may come in handy for your craft projects, altered books, tags, artist trade cards, collage, etc.

Agence Eureka

2008-10-05T11:57:00.008-04:00

The words that come to mind when I visit this site (and I check it often in recent days) is "me encanta!" -- I love it (in Spanish)!

If you have not seen this site yet, you are missing out! A woman named Patricia in France has an enormous collection of vintage paper dolls and toys, and a great deal of other colorful images. She has generously posted them on a flickr site, which makes it easy to download a quality image at the size of your choice to cut-out or simply to save to your own computer.

Here's a small sample of what you'll find at http://bibigreycat.blogspot.com/; click on flickr photos on the right, then go to her papercraft sets to find these and many, many more:

Patricia also posts additional images that make it easy to copy and cut:

I was pleased to see that she found this blog, too, and posted images of the French set I bought at the convention (she downloaded and cut out, I think, unless she had it in her collection already). She also included a link back to this blog--a nice surprise!

Love Panchito below; I've seen this image somewhere else; could be from Spain, or somewhere in Latin America. The words on the bottom "para ti," mean for you.

Agence Eureka will be the inspiration for a new blog, The Paper Collector, which I will begin sometime in mid November--the emphasis will still be paper dolls, but I'll include other vintage ephemera, too.

I still have convention pictures to post, so this site will remain active for awhile. But when I do finish posting here, this site will live on as an archive of the 2008 convention (hence the redesigned logo above!)

Another Eye-Opener

2008-10-05T11:02:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Deanna Williams. The hat lifts up to open eyes and reveal ad copy--it reads like a sales pitch from the 1920s (the cap also appears to be from that era).

Awake & Asleep Valentine Card

2008-10-05T10:55:00.002-04:00

A blue-ribbon entry from the collection of Jean Sullivan. A fully-articulated card -- her head tilts to open or shut her eyes. Circa 1920s-1930s.

Brenda, Sylvia and Weaver

2008-10-05T10:03:00.002-04:00

Brenda Sneathen Mattox (creator of our wonderful first souvenir, "Little Old New York," which was part of our surprise birthday tribute to Tom Tierney); Sylvia Kleindinst (who did a fantastic job of overseeing two nights of the Artists Gallery--and whose calm in the middle of any storm is something I greatly appreciated!) and Rebecca Tallman, (better known as Weaver to the online yahoo paperdollnews group).

Poupee Modele Jumping Jack 1870

2008-10-04T10:36:00.002-04:00

Another treasure from Samy Odin: an articulated paper doll from La Poupee Modele.

La Psyche

2008-10-04T10:31:00.001-04:00

From the collection of Samy Odin. Love the accessories attached to each dress, including a jumprope.

The Fashionable Little Girls

2008-10-04T10:25:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Letty Schwarz.

Margie, Cynthia and Helen

2008-10-04T10:12:00.002-04:00

Margie Seltzer (who created our wonderful name badges), Cynthia Wutrich (contributed one of her fabulous handmade necklaces to the Raffle table) and Helen Wilson (one of Margie's sisters who attended the convention and whose own artwork was on display as part of the Artists Sweatshop).

Letty, Norma and Jayne

2008-10-04T10:09:00.001-04:00

Letty Schwarz (extraordinary collector whose many treasures were on display in competition), Norma Lu Meehan (a favorite artist, created the convention's final and quite fabulous souvenir) and Jayne Keller (indispensable in taking charge of the raffles and goody bags, and also found time to give a workshop with Louise Leek on paper doll greeting cards).

Little Easter Paper Doll

2008-10-04T08:30:00.001-04:00

From the collection of Lorna Currie Thomopoulos, "The Little Easter Doll in Pretty Dresses," from the late 18th-century, which also includes a boy companion doll. Remember to left click on the photo to see some of the exquisite detail here. I especially like the dress, bottom row middle, that places a rabbit in her arms.

Nestle Poupee

2008-10-03T10:11:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Samy Odin, an early 20th-century paper doll sheet with furniture.

Dutch Folk Costumes

2008-10-03T10:05:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Lorna Currie Thomopoulos, this set contains 9 cards of authentic costumes.

Paper Dolls from Shan State

2008-10-03T09:57:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Margaret W. Brown. This was sent to her by a friend who is a junior Foreign Service officer stationed in Burma. Sales of the set support the Shan Women's Action Network (www.shanwomen.org)

Gundamwing

2008-10-02T22:26:00.003-04:00

From the collection of Peggy Ell, "The Gundam on the After Colony," a set in the anime style, from Japan I believe (although artists from other countries have copied this style as well). This is a transparency/cell paper doll; clothing is changed by placing a new transparency over the dolls.

Carrie Hall by Degen, Estes & Co.

2008-10-02T12:47:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Letty Schwarz: "Carrie Hall," published by Degen, Estes & Co., a little known Boston firm. Once again, the kind of rare treasure you see only at Competition. And no surprise, it garned a First Place blue ribbon for Letty.

Altered Books by Patti Fertel

2008-10-01T10:56:00.004-04:00

These are taken from Sylvia Kleindinst's link--I'm grateful she captured Patti's fantastic work. They are one-of-a-kind works of art. And yes, that is a Paul Newman altered book that you see in one of the pictures, with a movable head, like the early paper doll books that allowed you to place the character in different situations on the page. Left click for a closer look.

Claire McCardell

2008-10-01T10:14:00.005-04:00

Mary Longo sent this photo, taken on the FIT tour. "---Claire McCardell prototype of her signature outfit I believe. I wrote the info on a piece of paper handy, but I must have tossed it in my attempt to lighten my luggage of any excess. Perhaps someone can recall the specifics. Was this muslin piece made by students or is it the original made by the designer herself??"

I hope someone reading this will fill us in. Here are some pictures of two McCardell sets. The first was published by Whitman in 1956.

I purchased this one from Tracy Williams at the convention salesroom. Her rendition of the clothing is wonderful; I especially like the blue wool suit with black chenille stripes.

Gail Patrick, Fashion Parade 1936

2008-10-01T09:36:00.002-04:00

This page is dated Dec. 6, 1936. Jean Woodcock's reference book, Paper Dolls of Famous Faces, lists this and others in the 1936 Chicago Sunday Tribune series: Olivia De Havilland, Ruby Keeler, Ida Lupino, Virginia Weidler, Rochelle Hudson and Anita Louise.

Helen Rose by Martha Raively, 1993

2008-09-30T22:24:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Chris Cannon: "This is my mother Helen Rose--and the exact clothes she wore in 1920-1925. She grew up in Philadelphia."

Barbara Britton

2008-09-30T22:05:00.003-04:00

A rarely seen celebrity set.

Mein Schelm-My Rogue 1920s

2008-09-30T21:58:00.002-04:00

Absolutely lovely, and what a title. German, 1920s.

The Dapper Don Cut-Out Set

2008-09-30T21:53:00.003-04:00

Anyone googling the Dapper Don in search of John Gotti will now find this fine young man instead!

A blue-ribbon entry, and I'm going to say it's Deanna Williams' but I'll have to check to make sure...

UPDATE/CORRECTION: This is from the collection of Peggy Ell.

Katie, Selchow & Righter, c. 1920s

2008-09-30T21:00:00.001-04:00

From the collection of Louise Leek.

The Artists Sweatshop II

2008-09-30T11:16:00.005-04:00

A Bruce Patrick Jones watercolor.

I think this is a collage-type outfit by Kwei-lin Lum; one of my favorite artforms is collage, and I was happy to see others tried their hand at it, too:

The Artists Sweatshop I

2008-09-30T11:03:00.003-04:00

Bruce Patrick Jones had an excellent idea when he came up with the Artists Sweatshop: Have participants come up with ideas for a theme on which six paper doll artists would create a paper doll and outfits within one hour; six people at each artist's table would also lend a hand in the creation, and one would win a prize if their theme was selected. The three-hour workshop was a big hit: it combined a hands-on experience with the privilege of watching an artist at work, too! Themes included the Statue of Liberty and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Above: a snappy dress by Marsha King.

Two lovely gowns above by Agnes Poropatic.

Two gowns above are by Debra Van Dyke, "nerfekiti."

By Helen Wilson, sister of Agnes and Margie Seltzer, who did our convention badges.

By Martha Davis, whose handcrafted paper dolls were also a big hit at the convention.

Two Jans

2008-09-30T10:47:00.001-04:00

Jan McKay and Jan Belcher.

The Toymaker

2008-09-29T10:01:00.005-04:00

Marilyn Scott Waters is The Toymaker -- a site filled with paper toy images to download for FREE. She recently posted these paper dolls. Go to www.thetoymaker.com to get the larger pdf version (and additional costumes). If you can, you can contribute a little something via PayPal. Marilyn is so generous with her art and talent.

Try your hand at constructing some of her paper toys. She has easy to follow instructions for these and other toys:

Miki Gross

2008-09-29T09:54:00.004-04:00

Miki Gross has also produced her version of Katy Keene. Miki started publishing a fashion quarterly this month--congratulations, Miki, looks good! Left click on each picture for larger picture, and to read ordering information.

The New Katy Keene

2008-09-29T09:46:00.004-04:00

Today I'm posting a few images found since the convention. Here's the latest Katy Keene, as seen in the Model Behavior comic book (this one is being marketed as a graphic novel).

Wacky Magnets

2008-09-29T09:34:00.003-04:00

Several convention goers visited the Green Flea on Columbus Ave. and 77th St. in Manhattan and bought a few items from Carolyn Smith's Wacky Magnets-- her very own trademark business of magnetizing paper dolls. You can't see it too well in these pictures, but each paper doll and outfit is laminated and magnetized.

Check out Carolyn's web site if you missed her in August, www.wackymagnets.com. Carolyn expressed an interest in joining us in Las Vegas, so I hope to see her there.

Edwardian girl with cabana

2008-09-28T14:47:00.002-04:00

A blue-ribbon winner from the collection of Letty Schwarz. The doll is quite lovely; be sure to click on the picture for a closer look.

Peter and Polly by Hilda Miloche

2008-09-28T14:20:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Anne Donze, a blue-ribbon winner by a beloved artist. The clothes stay on with static cling.

Eugenia by Kwei-lin Lum

2008-09-28T00:41:00.003-04:00

Eugenia, a Mildly Melancholy Bride, made by Kwei-lin using a damask patterned scrapbooking pad found at Target. Ingenious use of common scrap materials, and a wonderfully imaginative story to go along with it. "The character somehow managed to find a story," Kwei-lin writes in her caption (click on pictures to read), "so the set was mounted and words were added."

The Editors of Paperdoll Review

2008-09-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Jenny Taliadoros and Marilyn Henry have been busy! Check out Jenny's blog for information about the latest issue of Paperdoll Review, with a gorgeous cover by Marilyn. Shipping in October.

And did you know Marilyn is working on a Ginger Rogers paper doll book, ready by December?

See the cover art, also on Jenny's blog: www.paperdollreview.blogspot.com/

A Chrysler Paper Toy

2008-09-26T02:03:00.003-04:00

Another blue-ribbon paper toy from the collection of Deanna Williams, as displayed in Competition. Deanna is also planning a Fall Frolic AND next year's convention in Las Vegas. See the new category, "events" on the right for more information, and click on the link to opdag, which has more details.

Modern Priscilla

2008-09-25T17:28:00.003-04:00

This series of advertisements is fascinating--how best to reach the female consumer at a time when her traditional role as homemaker and mother is evolving? That's a question companies still ask. Fans of "Mad Men," the AMC show about advertising in the early 1960s, will especially appreciate this set and the care that went into crafting its message. Remember to click on each picture to get a closer look (and a readable type size).

A 1940s Handmade Paper Doll

2008-09-25T17:25:00.000-04:00

From the collection of Elaine Price.

New Fashion Dolls, early 1930s

2008-09-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

From the collection of Louise Leek, a lovely Japanese box set with colorful papers to make kimonos. Remember to click on the photo to get a closer view.

Fun with Dick and Jane

2008-09-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Mattox Musical Fashions

2008-09-24T12:57:00.003-04:00

Brenda Sneathen Mattox did an excellent job capturing these famous film costumes from some of her favorite musicals.

Ovomaltine Paper Dolls

2008-09-24T12:03:00.002-04:00

From the collection of Deanna Williams -- you'll see many more from her collection, as they appeared in Competition, posted here. Again, my thanks to Jan McKay for her thorough photo documentation of this event.

Miss Jello

2008-09-24T11:57:00.002-04:00

A 12-card series of overlay paper doll figures and outfits.

A Rarely Seen L&B Die-Cut

2008-09-24T11:50:00.001-04:00

Jan McKay won a blue ribbon for this L&B die-cut that does not appear in any of the reference books.

The Farce of Fashion, 1945

2008-09-23T23:05:00.002-04:00

What a great title for a book! I love this kind of mix-and-match book, where you flip a leaf to get a new image. Note the funny cover blurb: "May we divide your attention for a moment?"

This won Lorna Currie Thomopoulos a first place blue ribbon in the fashion category. Publishers: Riddle Books Ltd., London. Art by Riddell & Berry.

Jan, Kim and Anne

2008-09-23T22:38:00.001-04:00

Jan McKay,Kim Brecklein and Anne K. Donze.

Anne K. Donze Paper Dolls

2008-09-23T21:06:00.001-04:00

Anne's work was on display at the Artists Gallery. Be sure to click the link on the right of this page to visit Anne's web site.

Marion Jennings and Samy Odin

2008-09-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

Tom T. and Jenny T.

2008-09-22T11:55:00.001-04:00

Snow White Palmolive

2008-09-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

A Palmolive paper doll giveaway from the Competition (any ideas who it belongs to?)

Miriam Hopkins

2008-09-21T12:06:00.002-04:00

Miriam Hopkins, beautifully depicted by Brenda Sneathen Mattox.

Robin Hood Typhoo Tea Cards

2008-09-21T11:25:00.003-04:00

From the collection of Deanna Williams. Who knew these even existed? That's something you say to yourself a lot when you view the convention Competition. And there's so much to take in, I don't recall seeing these myself. Thanks again to Sam and Jan McKay for photographing these gems.

Mel Odom and Gene Marshall 101

2008-09-20T10:41:00.002-04:00

I was so glad to see that Jan captured this shot of Mel Odom presenting "Gene Marshall 101" on the last day of the convention. It was an excellent slide show introduction to Mel's glamorous doll.

Jan McKay

2008-09-20T10:29:00.003-04:00

Jan McKay sent me a CD with hundreds of convention photos -- including several of the Artists Sweatshop led by Bruce Patrick Jones, the Artists Gallery and the Competition. I'll be posting many of them here.

Thank you, Jan! Look forward to seeing you and Sam in Las Vegas next year.

Arabella Grayson article online

2008-09-19T01:09:00.003-04:00

Check out www.theroot.com/ for "Making Paper," Arabella Grayson's discussion of black paper dolls and the art of Bruce Patrick Jones. Above, a page from "Bling City Paper Dolls," Bruce's wonderful convention souvenir.

It's great that a news web site like The Root, which is affiliated with the Washington Post, has published Arabella's article, informing a wider audience about paper doll art. Arabella's byline info notes: "Her touring collection of black paper dolls can be seen in the upcoming exhibition 'Paper Cuts: Two Hundred Years of Black Paper Dolls,' which opens at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles in January 2009."

Congratulations, Arabella!

Around the World Cut-Out Dolls

2008-09-18T07:32:00.002-04:00

Another convention find was this cardboard rectangle (from the back of a cereal box?) in another around the world series. The style of the drawing makes me think it is from the 1940s-1950s.

Dolls of Many Lands, 1931

2008-09-16T22:34:00.002-04:00

An incomplete, partly-cut set I found at the convention. Above, Rita of Spain, below, Marie of Italy. Remember to left click on the images to see detail and to save in your own computer files.

Arabella Grayson

2008-09-15T11:28:00.004-04:00

I was delighted to see that yesterday's Star-Ledger used a paper doll by Donald Hendricks to illustrate a book review about the family of Sally Hemings, "The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family." The caption also references the Smithsonian exhibit, "200 Years of Black Paper Dolls: The Collection of Arabella Grayson." Arabella gave a presentation on that topic at the convention. Her exhibit continues to travel, and she is also working on a companion book.

Bruce Patrick Jones did an excellent paper doll of Arabella, "Arabella on the Go."