Rosie with some of her toys and a "Lotz Holly Baby Doll" photo by Jean Lotz

Rosie enjoying a summer day with one of her dogs photo by Jean Lotz

Schoenhut dolls are fun to pose and display with accessories to celebrate each season. It's even more fun when you have more than one Schoenhut doll. They love to play with each other. Schoenhuts also like to make friends with other dolls and meet new people. Leave it up to a Schoenhut, and soon the whole room will know everyone else there. Sitting on the same display forever, even if it is a colorful one, is not good for these playful dolls. So, every now and then, be sure to move your Shoenhut to a different spot in the room.

Walker and a Toddler from the McClanahan Collection

Miss Rosie walking with her best friend, Gilly photo by Allie Lotz

Schoenhut dolls and toys have a unique jointing system allowing them to hold their poses. Looking at the Schoenhut Salesman's Sample (below), you can see what I mean. Adding to their ability to balance, they have pegs on the stands, that fit into their feet through holes in their shoes. One of the holes in the foot is straight and the other is drilled at an angle to allow you to pose your doll as if it were standing on its toes.

I bought a Schoenhut to be able to study the jointing myself, only then could I understand the patent drawings and some poorly reproduced illustrations.

These metal joints are "kind to the wood" because special washers protect the wood. They are truly unique. Precise tension is provided in both the x & y direction on each joint. All is held together in a custom made "U-shaped" piece of hardware. The bottom of the "U" forms a washer for the "springed hinge pin". Two separate springs are used in each joint within this "U". The springs are kept in a strong compressed state (not stretched). The hinge pin spring is compressed between the washers (lower U). The y stresses holding the joint together are provided by a spring compressed between the top of the U and the head of a special connector pin. This nail type pin goes through the spring and through a hole in the top of the U allowing the joint to swivel at this point. A loop made in the top of the nail pin is attached to the connecting body part by a holding bar/pin inserted through the body part.

Schoenhut Salesman's Sample Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

The Schoenhut Salesman's Sample, pictured at left, shows the special spring-jointed construction. The patents and drawings provided by the Schoenhut company itself are available for study in the book THE SCHOENHUT COLLECTORS ENCYCLOPEDIA by Carol Corson. Salesman cut-away samples are on display at some museums. But only with a Schoenhut doll in hand, will my explanation and the drawings make a lot of sense. The only problem with the Schoenhut jointing system is that it needs a lot of clearance to be installed so the slots in the wood are far from invisible. But these dolls can hold their poses well and are some of my favorites. a cut-away illustration of the Schoenhut spring hinge - coming soon -

Schoenhut Bride and Groom

click on image to see the full length view Schoenhut Bride and Groom photo thanks to Mrs. Tamye R. Smith

This is a very special Schoenhut group. They are featured in the price guide "Doll Values" by Patsy Moyer and are located on page 192. The owner says of the dolls, "They were given to me when I was a child, by a friend of my parents. They are in excellent condition, in their original clothes. They have carved hair and intaglio eyes. I have never seen any like them."

Assorted Schoenhut Dolls

Carved Hair Girl photo thanks to member of North Shore Doll Club / UFDC-region 7

Dolly Face photo thanks to member of North Shore Doll Club / UFDC-region 7

Photo thanks to Regina A. Steele

Schoenhut Manikin 1914 - 1918 use of photo permitted by Theriaults

A lovely #308 c. 1912 photo thanks to Connie Hosier

Galadriel "Gilly" #308 c.1916 Photo thanks to Regina A. Steele

Schoenhut dolls were made by the very famous, quality toy manufacturer; Albert Schoenhut Company Philadelphia, PA USA. These dolls were made by steam pressing wood heads under high pressure into metal molds. They were either sold with carved hair or wigged. Details were sometimes re-carved to clean the heads up after they were removed from the press mold. They had a heavy coating of flesh colored oil-based enamel. The details of the early dolls were hand-painted.

Schoenhut dolls are famous for their fabulous SPRING jointed machine-carved bodies. Two springs in each joint provided precise tension so these dolls could maintain even gravity defying poses yet move smoothly. Two patents were awarded to the Shoenhut Company for their unique doll bodies. One for the walking doll and the other for their spring hinge jointed bodies.

As cost cutting measures, the last jointed dolls were made with decals and/or stenciled features, and then the company started stringing these dolls with elastic. A cheaper-to-produce line of babies with cloth bodies was also introduced.

There were a lot of professionally designed head styles produced. Schoenhut designers were:

• Adolph Graziana
• Mr. Leslie
• Harry Schoenhut

14" Toddler blue decal eyes, original hair, original paint in excellant condition, suit made from a Schoenhut pattern

11" Toddler blue decal eyes, replaced hair, original paint with a slight nose rub, suit made from a Schoenhut pattern

Dolly Face

Dolly Face

Dolly Face with a replacement wig

Dolly Face

Character Face

Character Face

SCHOENHUT TOYS

The Pinn Family

Ty Pinn, Baby Pinn, Hattie Pinn,& Bobby Pinn all with their name tags and all original near mint clothing Photo thanks to Doll Express

Pinn Family Box Photo thanks to Doll Express

The Pinn family, Circa 1936. was made by the Schoenhut Co as an inexpensive toy. Although they were made with simply shaped wood parts the head was attached to the body with the a sophisticated, Schoenhut, swivelling, joint spring. The Schoenhut sense of fun shows in the use of clothes pins for arms and then their use of puns about the word "Pin": hat pin, baby pin, tie pin (tie tack), etc. The box label proclaimed "Pinn Dolls Americas Doll Sensation".

photo thanks to Jerry McCollum

All new! Now you can visit our just - released Schoenhut Circus page. It showcases Albert Schoenhut's wood and metal toys and circuses. Click Here to look at this page.

* SCHOENHUT DOLLS - A Collector's Encyclopedia / Hardcover - Carol Corson