UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

GUSSIE D. DECKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

DOLL

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724.822, dated April 7, 1903

Application filed December 17, 1903. Serial No. 135,557. (No model).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSSIE D. DECKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dolls, described and claimed in the annexed specification; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dolls, and relates more particularly to a doll constructed of leather or other soft and resilient washable material.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap, durable, and attractive doll and to render the same unbreakable and incapable of injuring infant children.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a symmetrical construction as nearly life-like as possible, in which the exposed parts shall have in turned seams, while those portions of the doll covered by the clothing have external seams, which are not only cheaper in construction, but also tend to stiffen the doll.

The invention embraces many novel features; and it consists in the matters herein after described, and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a doll embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section showing the tongue or closing -strip turned outwardly. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

As shown in said drawings, said doll is constructed of five pieces of soft leather, such as kid or the like, four of which, A A B B, are united along the middle of the front, back, and sides, forming body, head, and members of the doll. The fifth piece D is a strip of leather, forming a tongue or closing-piece when the doll is laced up the front. Each of said quarters is formed or stretched in a suitable mold to form one-fourth of the body and head and one-half of an arm and leg, as shown in Fig. 1, and also to provide for the contour of the head and face providing a well-defined nose, chin, and forehead. Preferably the face is pressed or formed after the front head-seam is sewed. When the quarters are united, the outer side is turned inwardly and all the head-seams, the back seams, and the upper and lower ends of the front seams are formed, leaving the lateral body, arm, and leg seams unsewed. The head is then turned right side out, turning the raw or free edges of the seams before formed inwardly. The side seams c' and the seams c of the arms C and the seams c of the legs are then sewed, with the raw or free edges directed outwardly. Eyelets a are provided along the unsewed portion of the front body seam, and the tongue or closing-piece D, of a length sufficient to reach from the crotch to the neck, is sewed at the bottom of the front body-seam. The body, the head, and the arms and legs are then stuffed with cotton-batting or the like, and said tongue or closing - piece is turned inwardly over the same, and the front of the body is closed by means of a ribbon E, of any preferred color, 55 75 which is laced through the eyelet and, as shown, tied in a single knot at the top, then passed around the neck of the doll and tied in a bow-knot. The eyes, nose, and mouth are then painted, stained, or otherwise rep resented upon the face by means of an indelible or waterproof paint of suitable color, and the head is painted or stained to indicate hair, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Preferably, however, an indelible stain is used not affected by the action of ordinary liquids or by saliva.

From the construction described it will be seen that the head is of a smooth exterior, having a well-defined nose, chin, and forehead and having the other features stained or painted thereon.

The parts of the doll are all nicely rounded, and inasmuch as the entire structure is packed firmly with a permanent packing material the original shape is retained longer than is usual with dolls constructed of other than rigid material. It is also true that the preliminary stretching or forming of the leather aids greatly in causing the doll to retain its shape. Inasmuch as the arms and legs are cut from the same piece of material, with the inside seams under the arms and body lying close together, as would be the case when the arm portion is formed by a single cut between the body and arm portion, it is obvious that great economy in material used in the construction is secured, as well as the greatest possible economy in workmanship, while causing the doll to present an attractive appearance. It will be seen also that the lacing ribbon brought about the neck and tied in a bow-knot under the chin adds to the appearance of the doll, forming a tie when the same is dressed.

Obviously many different kinds or grades of material may be used, and the dolls may be made of any size and many details of construction may be varied without departing from the principles of the invention.

I claim as my invention —

A doll of the class described having a stretched or formed leather body, head and arms and legs and constructed from a plurality of pieces of leather united in in turned seams in the head, and the side seams, and the arms and legs of which are united in outwardly-turned seams, eyelets disposed along an unsewed portion of the front seam, a ribbon or tape laced therethrough and tied about the neck of the doll and beneath the chin in an ornamental manner, a covering-strip secured in the body below and behind said eye lets, the head of the doll being pressed or formed before sewing to provide a permanent nose and chin and forehead, the hair and the face being indicated on said doll by means of a stain of indelible coloring material.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSSIE D. DECKER.

Witnesses:
A. C. ODELL,
W. W. WITHENBURY.