The Cosmopolitan Doll and Toy Corporation first manufactured the 8" Ginger in 1954 in Jackson Heights, NY. It's believed that the company was founded by Kathryn "Kitty" Kay, who had been a saleswoman for the incredibly popular Vogue Ginny dolls. Ginger was also sold in Sweden and was used by several other doll companies who used the purchased Ginger bodies for their own promotions.
Gingers were not marked and are most easily identified by the arm hooks. They also have circular mold marks at the wrist and the head seam goes through the middle of the ears. They came with either small, medium, or large eyes. Their clothes I have always found very stylish and the first Ginger booklet credits "Simone", a celebrated designer, for Ginger's clothing. The doll itself and her furniture were supposedly designed by Belle Kogan.
Here I have a big eyed Ginger who is near mint, with beautiful coloring, wearing a dress which I have seen in an ad for Fab detergent. If you sent in a boxtop and $1 you received a doll or an outfit. The outfit looks exactly like the pink dress with blue trim and the pink hat in the ad.
The seated doll in brown taffeta I believe to be a small eyed Ginger. She needs a new wig. Her dress is one that a Little Miss Ginger (8" teen doll) was wearing but I have seen it on a Ginger in photos.
The Ginger in pink I am less certain about. She has the same look and is approximately the same size. She looks shorter because of the other doll's stand and shoes. She has the same mold marks on her wrists and the arm hooks are those of a Ginger. Her legs have the walking mechanism but the walking post either broke and was removed or was never inserted. Her hair is glued on mohair. Also, her feet were painted with white "shoes" although she has toes! Just not the same quality, but I had to rescue her and was curious about her feet. She was wearing the red dress but it was pulled across and pinned in the skirt. The dress is very narrow in the waist.
I'm including the photo of the Ideal Shirley Temple in the Dimples coat and hat outfit because I got it at the same flea market as the Ginger (?) in pink.
Here I have a big eyed Ginger who is near mint, with beautiful coloring, wearing a dress which I have seen in an ad for Fab detergent. If you sent in a boxtop and $1 you received a doll or an outfit. The outfit looks exactly like the pink dress with blue trim and the pink hat in the ad.
The seated doll in brown taffeta I believe to be a small eyed Ginger. She needs a new wig. Her dress is one that a Little Miss Ginger (8" teen doll) was wearing but I have seen it on a Ginger in photos.
The Ginger in pink I am less certain about. She has the same look and is approximately the same size. She looks shorter because of the other doll's stand and shoes. She has the same mold marks on her wrists and the arm hooks are those of a Ginger. Her legs have the walking mechanism but the walking post either broke and was removed or was never inserted. Her hair is glued on mohair. Also, her feet were painted with white "shoes" although she has toes! Just not the same quality, but I had to rescue her and was curious about her feet. She was wearing the red dress but it was pulled across and pinned in the skirt. The dress is very narrow in the waist.
I'm including the photo of the Ideal Shirley Temple in the Dimples coat and hat outfit because I got it at the same flea market as the Ginger (?) in pink.
No comments:
Post a Comment