Michigan WPA 12” boy doll with limited hair

Hard-to-find Michigan State College WPA 12” boy doll.

Works Progress Administration (WPA) cloth

dolls provided work for artists and seamstresses during the Depression years from 1935 to the early

1940s.

In Michigan, the State-Wide WPA Toy Project, sponsored by Michigan State College, made

cloth dolls used as school visual aids. Most of the dolls wore international costumes, while some were

dressed as nursery rhyme characters.

This doll has hand painted facial features and dark brown yarn hair which sticks up. His eyes are

glancing to the side. This doll has a very large stomach that sticks out. He is wearing blue shirt which

can be unsnapped. There is a brown cape over his shirt that can be unsnapped. The doll has blue

and white stripe denim pants and

he is wearing black leatherette shoes with red fabric trim at the top.

The doll’s hands are stitched to give the impression of fingers. There are not any holes in his

clothing. His

body is stamped “Michigan WPA Toy Project Sponsored by Michigan State College”,

but it is very faded.

Michigan WPA 12” boy doll with limited hair

Hard-to-find Michigan State College WPA 12” boy doll.  Works Progress Administration (WPA) cloth dolls provided work for artists and seamstresses during the Depression years from 1935 to the early 1940s. In Michigan, the State-Wide WPA Toy Project, sponsored by Michigan State College, made cloth dolls used as school visual aids. Most of the dolls wore international costumes, while some were dressed as nursery rhyme characters.

This doll has hand painted facial features and dark brown yarn hair which sticks up. His eyes are glancing to the side. This doll has a very large stomach that sticks out. He is wearing blue shirt which can be unsnapped.  There is a brown cape over his shirt that can be unsnapped. The doll has blue and white stripe denim pants and he is wearing black leatherette shoes with red fabric trim at the top. The doll’s hands are stitched to give the impression of fingers.  There are not any holes in his clothing.  His body is stamped “Michigan WPA Toy Project Sponsored by Michigan State College”, but it is very faded.