item details
NamePaper doll set, blouse
ProductionUnknown; manufacturer(s); 1950s
Classificationpaper dolls
Materialspaper, ink
Techniquesprinting
DimensionsPart: 75mm (width), 84mm (height)
Registration NumberGH024587/20
Credit lineGift of the Barkman family, 2015
Overview
This paper doll is a beautiful example from the 1950s. It was purchased at the Carlton Kindergarten gala in Whanganui, about 1968. The set was still intact and the fashions continued to intrigue and delight their new owner.
The glamorous figure and beautifully collated wardrobe shows the influence of Hollywood style glamour in dolls.
Paper dolls gained popularity in the 1930s and during the war years when imported dolls were scarce and too expensive of most families. Paper dolls could be produced cheaply and still provided hours of fun. Children often added to the sets by creating their own outfits, just as Sue Glyde (nee Barkman) did with this set in the 1960s.