Celluloid Kewpie Doll
Celluloid Kewpie Doll with wings on the back. Arms move. Wearing a white and red dress. States Made in Japan 16″ on the back.
Rose O’Neill, a Midwest native who had worked as a writer and illustrator in New York City, initially conceptualized the Kewpie as a cartoon intended for a comic strip in 1909. According to O’Neill, the idea for the Kewpies came to her in a dream. The comic, featuring the cherub-faced characters, was first printed in Ladies’ Home Journal in the December 1909 issue. O’Neill described the characters as “a sort of little round fairy whose one idea is to teach people to be merry and kind at the same time. The name Kewpies is derived from Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love. In the mid-1920s, celluloid versions were mainly manufactured in Japan, unlicensed, and were of a lower quality than other Kewpies. During this time, many Kewpies were sold with clothing, as well.