Doll
Period1915 - 1917
Place MadePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
MediumPainted wood, wool, cotton, leather
Dimensions22.5 × 8 × 5.5 in. (57.2 × 20.3 × 14 cm)
SignedThe doll is stamped on the upper back "SCHOENUT DOLL. PAT. Jan 17 - 11U.S.A. / & Foreign Countries."
ClassificationsDolls
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Francis McMenimen, 1974
Object number1974.29.38
DescriptionA child doll, dressed as a boy, with a carved and molded wooden head and fully jointed wooden body. The doll's face includes painted brown eyes, a pale pink mouth, and short dark brown human hair. The doll is dressed in an early 20th century football outfit consisting of a knitted red turtleneck sweater, brown canvas pants, tan cotton gaiters, black laceup shoes, and a leather and cotton football helmet.Curatorial RemarksAlbert Schoenhut,the "King of Toymakers," was born in Wurttenburg, Germany, in 1849. After emigrating to Philadelphia in 1865, Schoenhut worked for Wanamakers Department Store for a time repairing damaged German-made toy pianos and musical instruments. In 1872, Schoenhut opened his own toymaking company, specializing in high-quality toy pianos. Schoenhut had learned his trade from both his father and grandfather, who were toy and doll makers. The Schoenhut company branched out from toy pianos to dollhouses, toy sets, games, and dolls and sold their products both in stores and through catalogues. In 1897, the Schoenhut Company was incorporated and the name changed to A. Schoenhut Company. At his death in 1912, Albert Schoenhut's company was the largest toy manufacturer in the world. His sons continued the family business. In 1919, the company introduced its entirely wooden painted jointed doll, the "all wood perfection art doll." The naturalistic, lifelike quality of the doll style coupled with its lightweight, easily cleanable wooden body, was a marked departure from earlier 19th century doll styles made of ceramic, porcelain, or wax. During the Great Depression, the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1935. The following year, Albert's son Otto Schoenhut opened a new firm, O. Schoenhut, Inc., which continued the tradition of high-quality toy products. The company is still in business today, producing a wide range of children's toy and small-sized musical instruments, including toy pianos.
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