Authentic Shirley Temple Paper Dolls and Dresses 

The “Authentic Shirley Temple Paper Dolls and Dresses” book collection was published by Dover Publications on February 1st, 1991, compiled and edited by Marta K. Krebs. However, it is a reprint of a rare original edition from The Saafield Publishing Company in 1937, in Akron, Ohio. 

Shirley Jane Temple, most famously known as Shirley Temple, was an American actress who gained fame as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. She starred in a plethora of movies and many musical singing and dancing numbers. Her stardom surged due to the Great Depression, as she provided people with joy and happiness through her optimistic performances and personality. 

At the same time, paper dolls grew in popularity between the 1930s to 1950s, often seen as the “Golden Age of Paper Dolls.” As technological advances were made, printing companies expanded and had a massive influx of things on paper. They were first marketed as children’s toys in 1812 in a book called “The History and Adventures of Little Henry” by Joshua Belcher, where children could take out the dolls and dress them for the story. When paper dolls reemerged a century later, they were used as a depiction of popular culture at the time, mostly for women. They reflected an idealistic lifestyle, with lavish clothing and accessories, a way of escapism for children during the Great Depression. Some outfits depicted certain roles, lifestyles, or activities- they represented how women lived or wanted to live. 

The Shirley Temple paper dolls were a blend of pop culture, escapism, and nostalgia. They allow people to dress her in various film outfits, and use them for play. Later on, people who used to love Shirley Temple could look back on them and feel nostalgic, seeing her old outfits and accessories contained in a time capsule of a book. They are important to graphic design history because they capture pop culture and values from the past, create a sense of nostalgic and cultural sentiment, and show the impact of technological growth on design through printing companies and the impact of television. It shows how graphic design can capture the cultural lifestyle of a certain time and place.

“Childrens Book and Paper Dolls ‘The History and Adventures of Little Henry Exemplified in a Series of Figures.’” Powerhouse Collection, collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/57167. 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Shirley Temple.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Shirley-Temple. 

“History of Paper Dolls and Popular Culture.” National Women’s History Museum, 20 Nov. 2016, www.womenshistory.org/articles/history-paper-dolls-and-popular-culture#:~:text=The%20first%20American%20paper%20doll,scenes%20as%20the%20narratives%20unfolded. 

Kraly , Judy. “Historical Treasure: Paper Dolls Have a Fashionable History.” Tribune-Star, 27 June 2020, www.tribstar.com/features/valley_life/historical-treasure-paper-dolls-have-a-fashionable-history/article_e59134b9-7235-5470-8bc2-939a53c81bb1.html#:~:text=This%20was%20a%20popular%20scene,paper%20dolls%20in%20their%20issues. 

“Original Shirley Temple Paper Dolls.” Dover Publications,  store.doverpublications.com/0486254615.html.