Magenta by Kwei-lin Lum

 

Magenta is a colorful collage style paper doll by Kwei-lin Lum. The 8-page set can be ordered for $30 (includes shipping). Check out Kwei-lin's web site for her contact information and to see more of her paper doll art.  

Millie the Model

Thanks to Angela in Brazil who sent me on a search for Lili and Zizi in the comic books, which included paper doll coloring pages. I found an excellent site, which leads me to believe Lili and Zizi in Brazil were Millie and Chili in the U.S.  The photographer boyfriend was called "Clicker."

Atlas Tales has 107 Millie the Model covers, and information about writers and illustrators (including the famous Stan Lee and Dan De Carlo) plus an index of the contents of each book, including paper dolls. There was a coloring contest which came to an end in 1958. Top: a 1957 cover; below, 1960.

 Click here for the Atlas Tales web site. (And they have many other comic books indexed.)

Here is a look at Millie the Model over the years, all from the Atlas site:

 1947

 1948

 1949

1953

This 1968 cover is from a blog called "I'm learning to share"

(and we are grateful!)

Zelda paper doll, 1938

Found at a flea market at Barnegat Light last week, this little doll was part of the set "27 Dancing School Paper Dolls," published by Merrill in 1938. The Z on her ruffle I assume refers to her name, which I'm guessing is Zelda. And why not? Brings to mind the dancing dreams of Zelda Fitzgerald.

Sea shell cocktail napkin

Not vintage by a long shot, but a pleasing memento from a wonderful week at the shore.

Florida Ostrich Farm, 1909

Another great image from the Duke Digital Archive, which I haven't visited for awhile. Click on the link to see the contents of this 1909 booklet. Those big plumed Gibson Girl hats came at a price. I never thought about where all those feathers came from. 

La Jana, c. 1930s

 

Thought of Bob of Holland as soon as I saw this German cigarette card at a street fair, and knew he would be able to enlighten me. Read the entry from Bob's blog, European Film Star Postcards to find out about La Jana, and her tragic end.

Paper Doll Studio Issue #97

Another great issue by Jennie and Co., reflecting the talents of the original artists paper doll community.

Order your copy here.

Hello! 1907 postcard

Let's see, what is the equivalent of this postcard today? Perhaps someone sending, via cellphone, a picture of herself writing an e-mail message?  I am fond of ads and images that show off the new technology of long ago, and I guess in 1907 telephones still had some cachet as status symbols, like the iPhone and iPad today.

Wonder about the artist signature, "M.M.A." (A quick Google search turned up Mixed Martial Arts! Not in this case.)

 

There's a whole lot more of vintage to see at Beth's site, The Best Hearts Are Crunchy.

Wilbur's Cocoa Cut-Out

Little "Will-Burr." c. 1920. Another Rutherford Street fair find. A real cutie. Now I have to find some of the little guy's outfits. Not often you see bar-bells on this kind of paper doll.

1939 World's Fair Handkerchief

I saw this at the Westwood Craft and Antiques Fair, lingered a bit, then passed it by. Found it when the same vendor still had it the following weekend at the Labor Day Rutherford Street Fair. A sign that I should have it, no? And a perfect ending for my reverie of the past week on the enduring city of New York.

In Old New York Colonial Paper Dolls

Saalfield, 1957.

New York Talk

Harry's Bar, Venice, 2001

 

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday, connecting people and postcards all over the world. See more at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy.

Massoud, 2001

Our "Watch on the Rhine"? Perhaps not a perfect parallel. But still this 1998 film, which was screened at the Film Forum in 2001, can be considered prophetic.

You can read the New York Times review here.

Watch on the Rhine, 1941

Paul Lukas reprised his role in the movie version and won the Academy Award for Best Actor; the movie also starred Bette Davis. The drama centers on a German engineer in Washington D.C. with his American wife,  working underground to defeat the Nazis. He encounters ignorance and blackmail that puts his family at risk. The play, set in 1940, opened in April 1941, eight months before Pearl Harbor, when there was still a public debate about how involved the U.S. should be in the war against fascism.

On the back of the postcard: great blurbs from famed gossip columnist Walter Winchell and the NY Times critic Brooks Atkinson, who later had a theater named in his honor.

Gotham Book Mart

 
"Wise Men Fish Here," read the silhouette sign outside the Gotham. It was created by John Held Jr. But I didn't know that when I browsed there frequently in the 1980s, walking up 47th St. from 6th Ave., and always being delighted to see the sign amidst all the hustle and bustle of the Diamond District. An oasis awaited. A good place to pick up small literary journals, books on New York City history, poetry, the movies and movie stars. I believe the cat behind the postage stamp square is an Edward Gorey cat. The best book stores always have a cat or two wandering around.

The Gotham Book Mart closed in 2007. You can read about its glory days here.

Jenny Lind by Sandy Vanderpool

Jenny Lind is one of my favorite New York City stories. She was already famous in her native Sweden and Europe when P.T. Barnum promoted her in the U.S. with an appearance at Castle Garden in lower Manhattan. According to Wikipedia: 

Lind's first two American performances were given as charity concerts in New York City on September 11 and 13, 1850 at the Castle Garden Theater, now better known as Castle Clinton, with thousands attending and collecting an astonishing $10,141 and $14,200. The first "Regular Concert" was given on September 17, 1850.

 More than 100 years later, I was among the school children still reading about "the Swedish Nightingale."

This beautiful set comes with five costumes, and can be ordered from artist Sandra Vanderpool. $25 to Sandy at P.O. Box 695. Erie, CO 80516. She has many, many other sets: order the 24+ page catalog for $2.50 plus 3 first-class stamps.

And congratulations to Sandy, who will have her first paper doll book by Paper Studio Press published later this year, with four more books to follow!

Embossed Easel Post Card Novelty, 1909

A mystery of sorts in my collection:  a black farmer is featured on a paper toy, with the slogan, "I Think I'll Stay Right Here." I wanted to post someone at work  for the Labor Day weekend, and this man looks like he's on the job.

"Your friend G W" sent this to Miss Mary Gunn in Troufebury (?), N.Y. in 1909. Can't find the town on a quick Google search, but did find Whitesville, where the card was postmarked. It's in Allegany County, N.Y., not far from the Pa. border 

Our host Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy has some wonderful things to see on her blog... 

Seashore by Susan Branch

These stickers were a free insert a few years back, in Woman's Day or Family Circle magazine. I could never bring myself to use them. Beautiful images for the end of summer. Susan Branch has a wonderfully distinct style in her art and writing. Delicate and whimsical.