McKim Studios and Kimport Dolls

Below is a biograpy of Ruby Short McKim, which I am posting after meeting her wonderful granddaughter Merrily. I saw a program given by Merrily and Jannette Dwyer her friend and a talented quilter in her own right. I loved the quilts and came home with books and patterns more excited than I've bee about nany things. I grew up reading about Kimport and Doll Talk. It was amazing to see a member of her family. In 1975, my family was in Independence, but the folks at Kimport were on a tour, so it was closed. I did buy many things by mail order, and am still searching for the Dressed Fleas. I disocvered that I owned some of the printed quilt blocks and my mom embroidered them for one of our quilts.

RUBY SHORT McKIM
1891–1976

Many are familiar with Ruby Short McKim’s quilt and needlework designs. She is widely recognized for her body of work, as well as for her book One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns published in 1931. Her quilt pattern series were syndicated in newspapers all over the country–weekly or monthly. Readers would patiently (and sometimes impatiently) wait for the next block. Her first published series was the “Quaddy Quiltie”, also known as the “Bedtime Quilt”, in 1916 in the Kansas City Star. This was the launch of her new-found career, with children’s themes at the heart of those first offerings.

Grammy was born in Millersburg, IL in 1891. Her older sister, Cordie, was born in 1881, her brother June in 1884. In 1899, when Grammy was 8 years old, the family moved to Independence, MO into a log cabin riddled with bullet holes from the Civil War. Her father, Morris T. Short, a frontier missionary affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-Day Saints (now Community of Christ), died of ill health in 1901 just two years later. They were a poor family financially, living on donations from church members and her mother’s job as a librarian with the church, but their life was rich in values. Her mother, Viola Vernon Short, was a powerful role model for her children. She was an accomplished teacher before marriage, and a strong promoter of children’s education. Later she even published her own book and traveled around the country promoting it at the same time the McKims were traveling to promote the quilt patterns.

Grammy showed an early interest in drawing, carrying a sketchbook with her everywhere she went. After graduating from High School in 1910, her uncle sponsored her studies at the New York School of Fine & Applied Arts, now known as Parson’s, The New School for Design. She graduated in 1912, with her diploma signed by Frank Alvah Parsons, himself. Grammy then returned to Independence becoming the Supervisor of Drawing for the Independence School District, and a very popular teacher among the students. In 1916, she taught at Manual Training High School in Kansas City, MO.

That same year, Henry Holt and Company, a New York publishing firm, was getting ready to launch a series of children’s stories about small woodland animals written by author Thornton Burgess. Ruby Short was chosen as the winner of a contest held by the Kansas City Star to design a quilt pattern for children which they would publish in the paper. Her “Quaddy Quiltie” quilt blocks were published in a promotion that was co-copyrighted with the author. This was her first, and probably most famous quilt series. The same New York publisher was also publishing a book by Independence lawyer and author, William Rose, entitled The Tin Owl Stories, Grammy was chosen as one of the illustrators for that book as well.

Ruby Short, artist, married Arthur McKim, a public relations businessman, in 1917, and so their journey began. Following her dream to inspire others’ creativity through her art designs, Grammy stopped only to give birth to Betty, their first child, in 1918. From about 1920 to 1922 the McKim duo was on the road, building business relationships across the country in order to sell Grammy’s quilt patterns and needlework designs, while family members at home took care of Aunt Betty. When their second child, Marilyn, was born in 1923, the family told them it was time to stay home. Traveling paid off. In January 1922, Ruby Short McKim became the Children’s Art Editor of a new publication, Child Life Magazine. This relationship, which included quilt patterns and needlework projects for children, continued into the 1930s.

Settling down in Independence, Granddaddy worked for Franken, Frank & Company, a Kansas City ad agency, to support his family, while Grammy taught art in the basement of their house and continued supplying newspapers with new quilt patterns. In 1925, Granddaddy accepted an advertising job for the Brown Shoe Company, moving their family to St. Louis; Grammy continuing her work from there. In 1927, they decided to return once again to Independence.

With the growth of Grammy’s popularity (she was now offered the position of Home Art Editor with Better Homes & Garden Magazine), they started McKim Studios in 1928. This was a home-based mail order business offering needlework supplies and patterns. Their Designs Worth Doing catalogs featured many patterns and projects for the everyday woman so that all could have beautiful, well-designed, artful items in their homes at very little cost. They also published Adventures in Needlecraft as well as smaller catalogs which featured quilts from early Americana.

Throughout this time, Grammy and Granddaddy continued establishing many contacts in the publishing world. The relationship with the Kansas City Star began with the publication the “Quaddy Quiltie” series in 1916. When the Star started publishing continuous quilt patterns in 1928, Grammy was chosen as their designer for the first three years. She continued designing for them only intermittently until the middle of the 1930s as she had moved on to other ventures such as Women’s World magazine which featured Grammy’s whimsical “Jolly Circus Quilt” in 1921, and offered pre-stamped kits through the mail. In 1922, they featured “Betty Blue & Bobby Shaftoe”, familiar nursery characters of the day. Child Life Magazine published “Alice in Wonderland” and the “Child Life Quilt” as well as needlework crafts for children. These quilts were designed in the linear fashion she had made famous in her 1916 “Quaddy/Bedtime Quilt”. Later her style changed to a more organic form for the children’s quilts. The “Adventures in Home Beautifying” column for Better Homes & Garden magazine focused on a different room of the house or craft idea each month. This lasted until 1938, although she wrote under the pen-name of Doris Hale the last four years.

In 1931, Grammy published One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns. These patterns were a compilation of old time quilt patterns redrawn or reworked by Grammy. The informative text was written by Grammy and possibly Granddaddy. Many people still consider this book to be their ‘Quilt Bible’. Reprints of the book have been revised and omit a lot of the original content. Our website includes everything from the original 1931 printing, all 101 patterns are free to download, and the valuable text can easily be printed. If interested go to http://www.101patchworkpatterns.com.

The 1930s was the business and personal transition decade for the McKims, starting with the arrival of my father, Kim, in 1933. In addition to the changes in demand of quilt related products, McKim Studios had grown so large that it was necessary to ‘job out’ different aspects of it. They couldn’t ensure quality control, and Granddaddy refused to put out an inferior product. So began the metamorphosis of McKim Studios into Kimport Dolls, around 1935.

Grammy’s art talents also found a place in the family’s new venture, with the publication of a bi-monthly magazine, Doll Talk. This publication was a catalog of foreign, Kimport-made, or antique dolls offered via mail-order to customers worldwide, and included pictures of which she often sketched herself.

Because of her work with dolls and quilts, Ruby had the honor of being included in the early 1980s, 2nd edition of Who’s Who Among American Women. She was also inducted into the Quilter’s Hall of Fame in 2002. In addition to the quilt designs and Doll Talk illustrations, Grammy was an accomplished artist. Her charming watercolors and oils are among the family’s prized possessions as they depict vacations and events within our lives. To her children and grandchildren she was an example of how every person can set and achieve goals. She believed in living life to the fullest, taking time to enjoy the beauty nature has to offer. She shared that beauty with family, friends and all who came to know her work. Combining her vocation with marriage and family, she was a woman ahead of her time, and one that will be remembered by many for a long time to come.

Merrily McKim Tuohey
Youngest Granddaughter of Ruby Short McKim

Made possible with the assistance of Christina Fullerton Jones
Eldest Granddaughter of Ruby Short McKim · Family Historian

And, a review of a book on Presidential Kimport Dolls from Powells.com:
Synopses & Reviews
Publisher Comments:
Allow us to share with you a collectors diary of classic, handmade Kimport Dolls produced by an American Artist. Doll designer, Ruby Mckim, created these remarkable, 100% handmade dolls from the 1940's through the 1960's. This book guides the reader through the achievements of the Kimport Doll company and shares her love of the United States Presidents.
back to top
What Our Readers Are Saying
Be the first to add a comment for a chance to win!
back to top
Product Details
ISBN:9781600475504
Publisher:Wasteland Press
Subject:Antiques-Dolls
Author:Mancuso, Suzanne Kraus
Publication Date:20110231
Binding:TRADE PAPER
Language:English

Auctions featuring Steiner

Years ago, I used to correspond via email with Florence Theriault. I love their auction catalogs, and their write-ups. I am posting a couple even after the auction is over because I enjoy the prose and history. I have a lovely repro Le Petit Pariseinne by Clair and Evie Kidman of Wisconsin. I bought her in 1975, and she has gorgeous, long blonde, human hair. Enjoy:

Those were the words of the jury of 1878 International Exposition of Paris. They were describing the bebes of Jules Nicolas Steiner, and they went on to proclaim him “the inventor of the king of bebes”.

Which may help to explain why today’s collectors clamor for these beautiful French bisque dolls. Other reasons are their variety of faces and expressions, the curious and amusing mechanisms to be found on some, and their exquisite quality of bisque and painting. Theriault’s Marquis catalog doll auction, “The Well-Bred Doll”, coming up next Saturday, March 31, at the Westin Market Street in San Francisco offers wonderful Steiner bebes to satisy every collector.

Leading the list is the very rare series G bebe, having a superb presence at 28”, and with gorgeous modeling and bisque. Her luminous eyes and enchanting “pointy tip” nose are complemented by waist-length soft mohair wig and a fine costume, possibly original, including “Modes de Paris” signed shoes.

Jules Steiner had a special interest in the exotic doll, which was created in various complexions. A 24” bebe offered in “The Well-Bred Doll” has a superb ebony complexion that contrasts her daintily-painted coral lips and brown paperweight eyes. Her magenta and aqua knit costume is original, and a perfect example of two of the favored doll costume colors of the late 19th century. Extremely rare and pristine, with fine luminous complexion.

Other fine examples of Bebes Steiner in the auction are Bebe Gigoteur, Series C bebe with closed mouth in antique mariner costume, beautiful Figure A bebe, size 20, 28” with rare brown paperweight eyes and wonderful antique costume, and the rare Figure B model with double row of tiny teeth and very sweet expression.

French bebes, in fact, from many firms, make their presence at the auction, with nearly 50 choices for collectors from Bru, Jumeau, Schmitt, Gaultier, and others, as well as Steiner, ranging from a charming 10” size 1 Paris Bebe to a 38”bebe by Thuillier, size 15. Big, small, blue-eyed, brown-eyed, there are enchantments for all from the world of the French bebe.

The March 31st auction contains a wonderful collection of antique dolls, automata, and childhood ephemera of all sorts, to please every collecting taste. To see all of the lots in the auction, click here. The auction weekend fun continues on April 1st when the complete contents of the famous European doll and dollhouse museum, De Kleine Wereld, will be sold. To see all of the lots in the April 1st auction, click here.

San Francisco is surely the place to be for the early Spring doll events. We’ve arranged a special room rate at the hotel. Just call 800-638-0422 and ask for the special Theriault room rate of $199.

If you cannot attend the auction, there are many other ways to bid. We welcome absentee bids, live telephone bidding at the actual time of the auction, or live internet bidding at the actual time of the auction. For more information about any of these ways to bid, just call us at 800-638-0422 or email info@theriaults.com.

Gorgeous award-winning full color catalogs are available for both auctions. Click here to order.

Paper Dolls

OPDAG http://www.opdag.com/convention.html

Information for 2012 paper doll collection and, along with Marilee's Paper Doll Page, a great place for those who love paper dolls of all kinds. When the going gets tough, the tough print out paper dolls from the web!

Doll Museum: Flora Gill Jacobs Obituary

Doll Museum: Flora Gill Jacobs Obituary: See below, I had another source that said she was 93: June 12, 2006 Flora Gill Jacobs, 87, Who Opened Dollhouse Museum, Dies By MARGALIT...

Doll Museum: Baby Houses and Flora Gill Jacobs; Ann Sharp's Bab...

Doll Museum: Baby Houses and Flora Gill Jacobs; Ann Sharp's Bab...: I recently was able to reread Jacobs smaller classic History of Doll Houses, and was struck with the history incorporated in such a tiny vol...

An Experience from the 80s when I bought my first Compo Bye-Lo

CHAPTER ____
THE DOLL MAN OF PEORIA


The crowds were even larger than anyone had expected that day. The weather must have had a lot to do with it. Rain seemed to dampen people's enthusiasm, while sunshine, like that day's bright sky and warm glow, seemed to call people outside from their homes.

I was looking forward to this particular doll show. I had only been to one like it once before, three years earlier, but I remembered the large variety of dolls available, and the wide-open display areas that allowed everyone to browse in comfort. I had had fantastic luck before at large shows like this, finding dolls in either mint or near-mint condition for veyr low prices, or antiques bargain-pricedd because they needed repairs.

Men at doll shows were nothing new to me. I had gotten used to seeing them as both dealers and collectors. In self-defense, when some Barbarain would accuse me of having a babyish hobby, I sued to rattle off a list of famous men who collected dolls. Still, I wasn't quite prepared for the man who sold me my first Bye-Lo baby.

Before I get too much into the story, I should state that the Bye-Lo was designed by an American atist named Grace Storey Putnam. She was a sculptor who had made and designed other dolls, including "Peter Pan" and "Helen Pan" (Young 113). After looking for a model for some time, she found her inspiration in a three day old infant at the Salvation Army. She modeled a clay head, then made plaster mold (113). From this, she made a live-sized wax copy, and these wax Bye-Los are the rarest of all. When she was ready to market the dolll, she came into contact with George Borgfeldt, who distributed other popular dolls by the German firm of J. D. Kestner. In fact, Kestner contracted to make Rose O' Neill's kewpies. Putnam and Borgfeldt entered into a ten year contract (113). As the say, the rest is history. The doll was made in ten sizes, seven inches to life sized, and was very popular, so much so that it was called "The Million Dollar Baby." Borgfeldt promtoed composition babies in around 1934 becaues it became too expensive to make the doll of bisque (114). In the early 1970's, Shackman reproduced the doll in various sizes and materials, and Horseman put out a vinyl doll called by the same name, though it does not resemble the original Bye-Lo very much.

12'' Head Circumference Antique My Dream Baby Doll.
Solid dome bisque head, painted hair, set brown glass eyes, cloth body, original rubber hands (little finger gone on left hand). Doll nicely dressed. Mark #341 Armand Marseille, Germany 1924
Antique , contemporary with the Bye-Low, The Dream Baby was one of its biggest competitors.
Courtesy, Milton and Marilyn Shaw, Treasures and Dolls, Bellair Bluffs, FL.

Now that we've had our history lesson, it's time to return to the Peoria doll show. I made three or four trips to the display table where I first found the Bye-Lo. The display consisted of three tables covered with all kinds of dolls, some in various stages of disrepairm others just dirty and forlor from spending too much time in forgotten attics and boxes. My arms were already full of packages and bags by the time I noticed the baby doll. She was lying on a table in a very old, torn, almost gray baby gown. She was a later Bye-lo, with composition head and painted bisque hands. She had the typical frog body, now gray and stained with age. The price taped to her clothes was $20.00. I had noticed the doll on my first trip around, and kept looking at her. Twenty-dollars certainly wasnt' a fortune, and it was a steal for a Bye-Lo; still I had spent at least five times that already. My full shopping bags were testament to that!l My other proplbem was that I needed reassurance that the dolls was soemwhat genuine. The two girls working the display table knew nothing about dolls. I got permission to take the doll to several other dealers to as their opinions, but they knew nothing. the last woman I asked finally tookt he time to give my baby, for I had already come to think of the doll as mine, a close scrutiny. She convinced me that I should buy the doll. By then, the owner of the doll appeared. He was a typical, middle-aged man, graying hair, jeans, green and white plaid shirt. "This one's from my shelf," he said, and added, "We both have very good taste." He wrapped the doll and took my money. His last words as he handed me the bundle were to the doll, "don't worry; you're going ot a good home."

And, he was right. Baby has gone to a good home. Her once dingy gown is white and carefully lmended. Shw wears a hand-knit pink, baby sweater with matching booties and shares a place wtih several antique bisque dolls and china heads. As my price guides indicate, she is well worth the $20.00.

I always knew Grace Storey Putnam was the mother of the Bye-Lo Baby, but I never realized its father was a Peoria man in a a green and white shirt with salt and pepper hair.

On Automantons, in French, from a Museum

http://www.souillac.net/musee.automate/redir.mv?visite.html


Musee de L'Automate, Souillac, France

Déroulement de la visite

Les automates sont des sculptures animées. Ce sont aussi de délicats mécanismes difficiles à maintenir dans un bon état de conservation.

Ces objets illustrent les grands thèmes qui ont de tout temps dominé leur histoire. La musique, les jeux du cirque, la vie de la rue, sont les fils conducteurs de la visite.

Dès votre arrivée dans une salle, la lumière, naturellement faible pour la protection des tissus, s'intensifie. Un film vidéo, que vous pouvez voir sur un ou deux écrans selon la section, vous montre le sujet traité depuis les temps anciens jusqu'aux automates contemporains.

Dès la fin du film, les automates électriques s'animent l'un après l'autre, au son d'une vive musique.

Un temps de silence vous permet de passer dans la salle suivante ou de regarder plus attentivement les oeuvres.

Il en est ainsi tout le long de votre parcours. Seules les grands scènes ont une vie indépendante et se mettent en mouvement toutes les 3 minutes.

La dernière partie du musée est elle consacrée aux automates contemporains et à la robotique. Vous découvrirez notamment deux scènes géantes Le rêve de petit Pierre et La Chouette et le Robot qui consistent en une mise en scène théâtrale, intégrant robots, automates, diapositives, vidéo.