1880’s Paper Doll Child with 6 Handmade Paper Dresses

Paper dolls and their costumes have been found from as early as the 1780’s so we know that people have been making them for at least 250 years. By the end of the 19th century, paper dolls were being manufactured by American companies including McLoughlin Brothers, Peter G. Thompson, Dennison Mfg and Frederick A Stokes and Company, but commercial dolls are an extravagance if you can cut people’s pictures from a magazine and make a wardrobe to fit or better still, draw your own doll and then make the costumes. It is always a delight to find hand made paper dolls and their wardrobes.

These six dresses and four accompanying hats were all made for the same paper doll. What a lucky doll she is! She appears to have been selected from a magazine of the time—perhaps Delineator, with its patterns and fashions. It’s hard to know whether the dresses were copied from fashion plates or designed by the maker. The dresses are made of glazed papers, patterned paper and embossed paper lace. Four are embellished with silver Dresden scraps.

The paper doll has toned and foxed over time. There is a light crease in her neck. Her paper dresses are in good condition. Three dresses no longer have their flaps, several have some foxing on the back. Please examine the photos and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

While you are here, do take a look at the other groups of paper doll dresses I have for sale at this time. Thank you for visiting my shop today.