Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation

A cooperative effort between Meeteetse Museum and Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation in Thermopolis shows how the proposed new facility in Hot Springs State Park can help the region.

The exhibit, “Classic American Dolls: U.S. Postage Stamp Dolls,” is sponsored in part by the Wyoming Arts Council, which is looking for ways for cultural groups to help each other.

The exhibit opened Feb. 3 and will run through May 15.

In 1997, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 15-stamp set picturing the most innovative dolls in American history. The 19 dolls pictured on the 32-cent stamps were gathered from collectors and museums around the country.

The postal service licensed each doll to be replicated as closely as possible to the original. Doll manufacturing companies still in business – such as Madame Alexander and Effanbee – were asked to reproduce their doll using their archival records. Other dolls were reproduced from the original patent documents. Because some early rubber compositions used to make the original dolls actually turned to mush, those dolls were reproduced in a medium as true to the appearance of the originals as possible.

The exhibit includes the 19 replica dolls, first-day covers, an original stamp set, copies of early doll patents and interpretive information on early manufacturing. The materials are from collections held in trust by the Thermopolis Foundation.

The dolls range from a Native American hide doll, rag dolls, composition and modern plastics dolls – but no Barbie. (Although Barbie was designed by an American, she was manufactured in China, and that disqualified her as a truly American doll.)

Dolls are significant because they represent one of the earliest successful manufacturing businesses owned and run by women. Some – like Madame Beatrice Alexander (Madame Alexander Dolls) and Rose O’Neill (kewpie dolls) – were astute businesswomen who licensed their products and made fortunes. At one time, Madame Alexander was the third largest toy company manufacturing in the United States.

The originals of the dolls pictured on the stamps are rare, but even the replicas -- now 12 years old -- have become difficult to find.

A companion display of dolls from the community are also on display at the Meeteetse Museum.

This is the first traveling exhibit to be sponsored by the Foundation, but others are planned.