Posted 12 years ago
oxyz
(1 item)
This pair of 4 1/2 inch high all-bisque Fumsup dolls came to me through my mother. My grandfather, who was a medical doctor with the Canadian Army in WWI, managed to bring his wife and two small daughters to England despite the hostilities. A note with the dolls mentions the year 1916 and going to see 'Chu Chin Chow'.
The dolls' arms are jointed at the shoulder, thumbs cocked. A green four leaf clover is painted on their foreheads, and blue wings on their heels. The eyes are painted, and their heads bald except for a pony tail painted at the back. They are dressed identically in a short white undergarment with a green overgarment which has wings at the back.
Each doll has a heart shaped green paper sticker on the chest bearing the words, 'British Fumsup Regd Nos' and two series of numbers, 631613 and 359090.
Can anyone suggest a likely manufacturer of these dolls? Also, is it possible to decipher a date of manufacture from the registry numbers?
I appreciate your attention.
I believe they may have been made in Japan . Now sure about the name of doll or that is was a term in another language to mean Kewpie doll. They are modeled after Rosie O'Neills Kewpie which was made from Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on comic strip-like illustrations by Rose O'Neill that appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early twentieth century. So your 2 dolls were made after 1909 . And I would think several years after Rosie put her's on market . They are precious .
One that just sold like yours but had they used the work Kewpie Fumsup it may have drawn more collectors . They are priceless with the story along with them and I would cherish them as gifts from your grand parents :-)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fumsup-Doll-Body-/270994156293?pt=UK_Doll_Bears_Dolls_EH&hash=item3f1882ab05
Does 'Fumsup' mean 'thumbs up'?
Yes, I have read that 'Fumsup' is Cockney slang for 'thumbs up'. This may be part of the role small dolls played as good luck charms for soldiers.
Margit Nilsen did a Thumbs up doll for England . Her name was "thumbs up" in 1940's . Good eye Stef I see the slang in fumsup now :-)