Beloved Belindy

For those of you who didn't know about Beloved Belindy or that she was a friend of Raggedy Annie, here is a little information I copied and pasted for your reading pleasure. 

BELOVED BELINDY

Readers of Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann Stories are familiar with Raggedy Ann's chubby black friend Beloved Belindy, who had a separate Beloved Belindy storybook about her own adventures with the dolls in Marcella's nursery. (P.F. Volland 1926, M.A. Donohue & Co., 1930s)

In an April 1941 advertisement for Gilberts Quality Paper that appeared in Fortune magazine, Beloved Belindy is shown with Raggedy Ann and Cleety the Clown pouring sawdust back into the Percy the Policeman doll. The ad was drawn by Worth Gruelle, Johnny Gruelle's artist son (father of Joni). A framed print of this 11"x14" color ad runs about $25.

Beloved Belindy cloth dolls were made as early as 1918 by "Grandmother Gruelle," then by P.F. Volland, Mollye Goldman, Georgene Novelties, Knickerbocker Toy Co., Hallmark and the latest by Toy Works.

The Volland Belindys, produced from 1918-1934, have mother-of-pearl button eyes, painted facial features, red sideways pointing feet and eyelet-trimmed collars and aprons over pale floral skirts. The $15" size is most common, with current price of about $3,000 in original outfit.

Scarest of the Beloved Belindys were those manufactured by Mollye Goldman's firm, Mollye's Doll Outfitters from 1935-1938. Only one Belindy was made for every 50 pairs of Ann and Andy.

Georgene Novelties' Belindys, 1938-1963, had painted facial features and pearl or black button eyes. Their body shape was unusual; the heart-shaped torso had comparatively small waist, large hips and a tummy.

They wore red kerchiefs, red tops and bold, floral-print skirts similar to those that appear in the cover picture on the Beloved Belindy book. Apron, collar and cuffs were usually trimmed with eyelet. Feet were solid red or a red print. Some had light print kerchiefs and wore sewn-on-earrings.

Most common were 15" and 18" sizes. A stamped marking on the head read, "Johnny Gruelle's Own Beloved Belindy/Georgene Novelties." Occasionally the mark appeared on the hips. Their current price is about $1,500.