(PAPER DOLLS). Girlfriends. Together, five sheets containing the cover design, two dolls, and two sheets of outfits and accessories for the book "Girlfriends Paper Dolls" (Akron, Ohio: Saalfield Publishing Co., 1973). Gouache, graphite, and ink on paper. Four sheets measure 381x203mm; 15x8 inches, framed to 22x14 3/4 inches; the cover illustration measures 368x197mm; 14x7 3/4 inches with the inked title at the top, framed to 25 1/2x14 1/2 inches. A copy of the book accompanies the lot.
These sheets offer a unique look at the pre-publication stage of the making of paper dolls. Published by Saalfield, which operated from 1899 to 1977 and was at one time one of the largest publishers of children's material in the world, the images feature the bright patterns and colors of the early 1970s, complete with knee-high boots, bell-bottom pants, and mod hairstyles. As with most similar publications, the items provide no hint as to the identity of their artist, but Saalfield's main artist of the 1970s was Irene Geiger, and these images may very well be her handiwork.
