Snow White and Rosebud

Do you remember the story of Snow White and Rose Red from Grimm's Fairy Tales? Well, I've got Snow White and Rosebud dolls.

Snow White dolls became popular in the late 1930s after the release of Snow White by Walt Disney. Not everyone manufacturing a Snow White doll was licensed like Madame Alexander and Ideal, so to get around this, one company made a Snow White doll with blonde hair.

This composition doll stands 13.5 inches tall and sports a blue bow in her hair.  She has side-glancing painted eyes. She is unmarked, but she is unmistakably designed to look like the Disney Snow White. Sadly, I have never seen this doll offered for sale with her original outfit, and indeed, my Snow White is wearing a satin underdress and robe that, while old, is obviously a replacement.  She is wearing her original oilcloth shoes and rayon socks, however.

Snow White can stand independently. Her joints are held tightly with springs instead of elastic, which was a wonderful improvement over other methods. I'm not sure why this didn't catch on with other manufacturers, although I suppose cost is always a consideration. Her neck is not jointed - it is molded with the body.

Snow White's companion is Rosebud. Rosebud is a composition baby doll made in England. She is marked ROSEBUD on the back of her neck. Rosebud has orange sleep eyes and brush lashes, a painted closed mouth, and has five  joints (neck, arms and legs.) Rosebud was manufactured in the 1940s and her composition is in fantastic shape. She also stands about 13.5 inches tall. Her hair is painted, but later Rosebud dolls made in the 1950s, were made from hard plastic and were wigged.

Rosebud looks very much like a composition Pedigree doll, but was made by a Pedigree competitor. Horsman also made a Rosebud doll, but that doll is a little girl and is marked E. I. H. CO. INC.  Rosebud's rayon dress is old but not original, and her shoes are long gone.

Both dolls make a sweet addition to my collection.