DEAN'S RAG BOOK CO.
English Cloth Dolls | History | Internet Doll Research | Chad Valley | Dean's Rag Book Co. | Farnell | Harwin |
Liberty of London | Norah Wellings | More Information | Works Cited
Liberty of London | Norah Wellings | More Information | Works Cited
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History
Dean’s Rag Book Company opened in 1903 in London and have been in continuous operation since making cloth toys and dolls. The company was established as a manufacturer of lithographed cloth books, toys and dolls. They were among the first companies to print books for children whose purpose was more for fun than education. The first book they made was titled "The Life of Bold A.B. on his Ship in the Rolling C". Pollocks Dictionary of English Dolls
states:
The colours were fast, the product certified as hygienic. The pages could be
washed without damage, and sucked with impunity: perfect, in fact, for children
who, in the words of the rag book's originator, "wear their food and eat their clothes".
The first dolls were printed on cloth to be cut out and sewn at home. They soon began to make completed dolls that they advertised as being hygienic, indestructible and washable. A certification from the English Institute of hygiene is printed on their bodies. Some dolls were called Knockabout dolls, another way to promote their indestructibility. Seems as if children have been hard on their toys throughout all ages. One of their baby dolls, from 1924 was large enough to wear real baby clothes.
Another innovation was the introduction of story dolls based on nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and Shakespeare. Other characters were Pierette, Sambo and many others. They also made a wonderful series of Alice in Wonderland dolls, which included several of the main characters. In 1920, the company brought out a series called Goo Goo Dolls. I have to wonder if there is any connection with that name to the 80's rock group of the same name. "The trio picked their name from a True Detective ad for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll". (Goo Goo Dolls, Wikipedia)
With WWI, along came patriotic dolls such as soldiers and sailors and more. “True to Life Dolls” appeared in the 1920’s and were the first molded, pressed three-dimensional dolls. (Judd) There is a discrepancy in the research as Pollock's gives the date as 1913.
Dean's Rag Book Co. hired many well-known artists of the times to design their dolls, such as Hilda Cowham, a children's book illustrator and a cartoonist named John Harsall. Many Dean's dolls have hand painted eyes and have floppy cloth bodies that made them especially popular for very young children. Many types of fabrics were used over time, such as cotton, felt and velvet.
E. I. Horseman distributed their dolls in the United States. It is speculated that the Dean's Rag Book dolls might have been part of Horsman's Babyland line.
The first Mickey Mouse soft toy was designed and released by Dean's in 1930. During the next decade, they also produced Donald Duck, Pluto and other character dolls.
During the 70s and 80s, Dean's continued to market character and historical dolls, reproducing some of their original dolls, and also making Charles and Diana Royal Engagment osuvenirs.
The Dean's Rag Book company is still in existence, but is now exclusively producing teddy bears. From the company website:
Times were difficult for Dean's after the war during the period of austerity and in 1956 ...... By now, Teddy Bears were a major part of the Dean's collection and many of the toys were produced by Gwentoys.... The two companies merged in 1972 and the headquarters were moved to Pontypool ....until 2005. By the time the current owners of Dean's, Neil and Barbara Miller acquired the company in 1988, toy manufacture had been taken over by the Far East and from the eary 90s, Dean's concentrated on making collectable bears in the UK....Dean's relocated to the wilds of Herefordshire in 2005 from where the business is now run.
states:
The colours were fast, the product certified as hygienic. The pages could be
washed without damage, and sucked with impunity: perfect, in fact, for children
who, in the words of the rag book's originator, "wear their food and eat their clothes".
The first dolls were printed on cloth to be cut out and sewn at home. They soon began to make completed dolls that they advertised as being hygienic, indestructible and washable. A certification from the English Institute of hygiene is printed on their bodies. Some dolls were called Knockabout dolls, another way to promote their indestructibility. Seems as if children have been hard on their toys throughout all ages. One of their baby dolls, from 1924 was large enough to wear real baby clothes.
Another innovation was the introduction of story dolls based on nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and Shakespeare. Other characters were Pierette, Sambo and many others. They also made a wonderful series of Alice in Wonderland dolls, which included several of the main characters. In 1920, the company brought out a series called Goo Goo Dolls. I have to wonder if there is any connection with that name to the 80's rock group of the same name. "The trio picked their name from a True Detective ad for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll". (Goo Goo Dolls, Wikipedia)
With WWI, along came patriotic dolls such as soldiers and sailors and more. “True to Life Dolls” appeared in the 1920’s and were the first molded, pressed three-dimensional dolls. (Judd) There is a discrepancy in the research as Pollock's gives the date as 1913.
Dean's Rag Book Co. hired many well-known artists of the times to design their dolls, such as Hilda Cowham, a children's book illustrator and a cartoonist named John Harsall. Many Dean's dolls have hand painted eyes and have floppy cloth bodies that made them especially popular for very young children. Many types of fabrics were used over time, such as cotton, felt and velvet.
E. I. Horseman distributed their dolls in the United States. It is speculated that the Dean's Rag Book dolls might have been part of Horsman's Babyland line.
The first Mickey Mouse soft toy was designed and released by Dean's in 1930. During the next decade, they also produced Donald Duck, Pluto and other character dolls.
During the 70s and 80s, Dean's continued to market character and historical dolls, reproducing some of their original dolls, and also making Charles and Diana Royal Engagment osuvenirs.
The Dean's Rag Book company is still in existence, but is now exclusively producing teddy bears. From the company website:
Times were difficult for Dean's after the war during the period of austerity and in 1956 ...... By now, Teddy Bears were a major part of the Dean's collection and many of the toys were produced by Gwentoys.... The two companies merged in 1972 and the headquarters were moved to Pontypool ....until 2005. By the time the current owners of Dean's, Neil and Barbara Miller acquired the company in 1988, toy manufacture had been taken over by the Far East and from the eary 90s, Dean's concentrated on making collectable bears in the UK....Dean's relocated to the wilds of Herefordshire in 2005 from where the business is now run.