Dolls, how many people are familiar with “Raggedy Ann?” When my mother grew up as a child in Italy, she didn’t have a doll. She must have longed for one, because when we were young she was ALWAYS looking for Raggedy Ann dolls.
When we walked through antique shops, she always found one. There were different sizes and styles as the doll kept evolving over the years. You can see in the YouTube video, this woman has quite a collection. I noticed the original dolls had orangey hair, not bright red and the doll is known for her triangular nose.
As I researched, I found that Johnny Gruelle (illustrator from Illinois) was the creator of Raggedy Ann. His daughter Marcella brought him a old rag doll, he drew a face on the doll and named it Raggedy Ann. His daughter loved her doll, so he created a book/doll combo (got a patent in 1915) and started selling in 1918. First dolls were delivered to Chicago! Many books followed.
Finally, Chicago is known for more than Al Capone / gangsters. I had no idea!
This is interesting, 75,000 handmade dolls were made between 1918-1926 by a toy company in Michigan called, “Unbreakabale Toy Company.” In 2018, the town of Muskegon celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Raggedy Ann and Andy. Yes, Raggedy Ann eventually had a brother, Raggedy Andy.
In 2002 Raggedy Ann was voted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. In 2007, Raggedy Andy, her brother, joined her.
My Mom will be so surprised to hear that her beloved Raggedy Ann was the creation of a man from Chicago.
And as Paul Harvey would say, “And now you now… the rest of the story.”
Brilliant Viewpoint 
I still have my Raggedy Ann. 🙂
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Would love to see a photo of it. Did you take care of it or LOVE it too much. 🙂 Does yours have the really read hair? I kind of liked the orange colored hair better, looks softer.
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Mine has bright red hair. She’s neatly tucked away, a little dirty; I live in AZ, can’t be helped. 🙂 You dust and as soon as you finish you could dust again. 😀
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Same in Chicago… dust, dust, dust.
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Didn’t she have something embroidered on her chest?
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Yes, from what I remember she had a heart on her chest, but I didn’t read anything about that.
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That was my favorite part of her
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Agree, it was very sweet.
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I had no idea there was a (Strong) “Museum of Play”, nor a “National Toy Hall of Fame”. I didn’t have either of the Raggedy dolls as a kid, but I sure loved board games instead. The Strong museum has an impressive collection of them. Bucket list item – thanks!
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I didn’t know about the Toy Hall of Fame either. I have to look at it more closely. Wonder if Chutes/Ladders in there. I think slinky might be.
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