My Celluloid Carnival Doll. . . .

When we moved to Mesa from Descanso, California, in 1989, I

packed an old trunk with dolls and things related to dolls. The

trunk sat in our storage unit until just a few months ago when

George brought it to the house so I could go through it and

decide what I am going to do with the things that are in it.

I opened it this morning for the first time since I packed it all of

those years ago. I did it with feelings of dread that the hot Mesa

summers had ruined everything that was in it. Laying on top

was a small tissue wrapped item with a sticker reading "Celluloid

Carnival Doll - Utah State Fair - 1939".

I opened it and saw a cute little Kewpie celluloid doll smiling at

me. Her feathers were disintegrating but otherwise she was

still in remarkable condition considering she is 72 years old.

Feelings of nostalgia overwhelmed me as I was assailed by my

memories of a visit to the Utah State Fair those many years

ago. I was visiting Theresa and LeGrande. The fair had opened.

I had never been to a large fair and they thought it would be fun

for us to spend the day there. I was in heaven! The sights, sounds,

and smells were amazing. I had my very first ride on the huge

double Ferris Wheel. We went to the area where the animals were

on exhibit. They bought me a candy apple, ice cream, and pink

cotton candy as we strolled the midway. We played some games

and LeGrande won a prize for me throwing coins into ashtrays.

I had my choice of several prizes and after agonizing over making

a decision, I chose this little celluloid doll. Originally, she was

fastened on a bamboo cane. I don't know what happened to it.

We looked through many buildings housing different exhibits. It

was a magical day for a little girl from the tiny town of Panaca.

After I became an adult and began to spend time with Theresa,

not as her little sister but as a best friend, fellow doll lover and

collector, we often talked of that day. Theresa asked me if I

remembered the last thing I did at the fair. She was laughing as

she shared it with me. As she talked, I did remember most of

what she told me.

This is her account of what happened. It was almost time for us

to go home and Theresa wanted to see the displays in the Home

Arts Building. This building was where the sewing, embroidery,

crocheting, knitting, quilting, and other fancy handiwork was

displayed. Theresa made beautiful clothing. She quilted and her

embroideried pieces were absolutely beautiful.

LeGrande was not interested in walking through those displays.

He told Theresa to go and enjoy herself and he would take me to

some of the Midway shows. When we met her later, I began to

tell her about the show we saw where a huge woman was dressed

in a costume made from balloons and feathers of all colors and sizes.

She sat on a throne which was on an elevated stage. A carnival barker

asked people in the audience a question and if they answered it

correctly, they could pop a balloon. I don't remember when we left

the show, but I do remember a lot of balloons were popped before

we did. With each balloon that was popped, more of this huge woman

in her feathers, was revealed.

Theresa became more and more angry as I told this story. She

said to LeGrande, "What on earth were you thinking taking a

child to that show?" LeGrande was blushing a little, but he was

smiling as he answered, "Well Sugar (he always called her Sugar),

there were a lot of kids there and they were loving all of the

balloons popping. It was not anything to worry about because I

knew we could leave before too many of them were popped, and

we didn't pop any. And then, he sweetly asked, "Did you enjoy the

Home and Fine Arts displays?"

Now, Theresa was the one who told me all of the dialogue that

was exchanged between her and LeGrande. Theresa visited me

when we lived in El Cajon and on two occasions we went to the fair

at the Delmar Race Track and Fairgrounds. She and Edna visited

me in Mesa and we went to the Arizona State Fair. Each time, as

we were walking through the Home Arts Building, Theresa would

tell the story again and we would laugh until we cried and had to

sit down.

Through the years, this has remained one of my favorite stories.

My little Celluloid Carnival Doll is very special to me. It is not just

that she has survived for 72 years, but because of the wonderful

memorie she evokes.

Celluloid being as fragile as it is, I am surprised that I still have

her. She has lived most of her life in a trunk. She was in

Mother's trunk in her closet until after I married and began

collecting dolls. She was on display for a time in Descanso and

then once again put into a trunk where she lay for 21 years.

Even without all of her feathers, I love her.

A little history about celluloid:

Celluloid is one of the first synthetic plastics ever created. It is

made from wood products that include cellulose nitrate and

camphor. It is not the perfect plastic since it is flammable and

deteriorates easily if exposed to moisture. It also can be prone to

denting, cracking and yellowing.

Bisque and china dolls were breakable, fragile, and expensive,

so in the 1830s, doll and toy makers began experimenting with

celluloid. It was easily molded and was generally inexpensive.

Some fine dolls were created by major doll manufacturers from

celluloid and by the early 1900s were plentiful. In the late 1930s

and 1940s, Japan and a few companies in the United States and

Europe found a market for the inexpensive lesser quality celluloid

used to make carnival dolls and the other cheap toys and trinkets

that began showing up at carnivals and fairs. The celluloid Kewpie

Carnival Doll was one of the more popular items offered as a game

prize on the midways of these events. These little vintage dolls like

mine are now a sought after collectible coveted by doll and toy

collectors.