Posted
on September 7, 2015
I
would have thought that Raggedy Ann was invented by a toy maker, or
maybe by a seamstress. Or at least by doting grandmother... But
instead it was invented by a man – a man who was a writer, a
cartoonist, and a father.
According
to that writer / cartoonist, Johnny Gruelle, what happened was this:
In 1914, Gruelle was working at home, facing a deadline. He was
interrupted by his daughter, Marcella, who had found an old hand-made
rag doll in the family's attic. Gruelle explained that it must have
been one of his mother's old dolls.
The
rag doll had no face, and Marcella said she wished it had one. So
Gruelle did a couple of brushstrokes on the doll's head with red
paint, quickly dabbing a smile and a nose. He found two shoe buttons
in his desk drawer and attached them as eyes. Then he came up with
the idea of painting that heart tattoo on the doll's chest, under her
clothing. His daughter read the words “I love you” and said,
excited, “I love her, too!”
Gruelle
and his daughter came up with the name “Raggedy Ann” – and soon
Marcella was carrying raggedy Ann around, everywhere she went.
Gruelle began to tell her stories about Raggedy Ann. When Marcella
couldn't settle down to sleep, Gruelle told her that Raggedy Ann was
waiting for her to go to sleep so that she could have her own
adventures.
Now,
I read this account of the invention of the Raggedy Ann doll several
times, but I also discovered an article that warned that this
account is partly true but almost certainly partly legend.
 |
| Raggedy Ann may be the first doll ever marketed with books! |
What
is known for sure is that, on this date in 1915, Gruelle was awarded
a patent for his doll character, and he began to sell hand-made dolls
and, soon, story books about the doll's adventures. A few years
later, Gruelle introduced the world to Raggedy Ann's brother, Raggedy
Andy!
And
the cheery rag dolls and their books became a multi-million dollar company!
Check
out some of these pictures of Raggedy Ann and her doll friends.
- Here are some printable Raggedy Ann and Andy paper dolls.
Did you know...?
 |
| Some people collect Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Some people dress up as Raggedy Ann or Andy for Halloween. And there are even annual rallies for friends of Raggedy Ann and Andy! |
Also
on this date:
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ahead:
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out my Pinterest boards for:
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