Rag Darlings

Discover the history behind more than 250 dolls, with photos, fabric panels, and ephemera that bring America’s past to life. Since the day a simple rag doll was carried off the Mayflower, dolls have captured our hearts, and thrifty Americans have always made dolls for their children. As the centuries progressed, early homemade dolls with painted faces gave way to commercial cut-and-sew versions. Then advertisers jumped in with dolls printed on flour sacks and fabric panels—which became precious possessions of little girls during the dark days of the Great Depression and World War II. In this book, you’ll find history and photographs of more than 250 dolls, fabric panels, and doll ephemera, many rarely seen items, careful collected and documented by historian Gloria Nixon.