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Cradle:Hitty Doll Cradle with Quilt

ca. 1930

The Strong National Museum of Play

The Strong National Museum of Play
Rochester , United States

The Hitty doll is the central character in Rachel Field's 1929 "Hitty: Her First Hundred Years," a children's book that received the Newbery Award. Field garnered inspiration for her story from a wooden doll she saw a wooden doll seated in the window of a New York City antique shop. She created a story of the doll--named Mehitabel by her first owner, Phoebe Preble. The story is written from the doll's point of view and recounts how Phoebe shortened her name to Hitty. Hitty describes 100 years of adventures, beginning in Maine but extending to travels to New Orleans and Bombay, India. She recounts meeting Charles Dickens and John Greenleaf Whittier and she records that she had been lost, stolen, borrowed, exhibited, sold at auction, and abused by fire, water, and neglect. Through her many trials, she remains calm and stoic, and ever ready for her next adventure. The book inspired many whittlers to fashion Hitty dolls of mountain ashwood as gifts for little girls who enjoyed the doll's story.

Details

  • Title: Cradle:Hitty Doll Cradle with Quilt
  • Date Created: ca. 1930
  • Location: USA
  • Subject Keywords: Hitty, literature, doll furniture
  • Type: Doll Accessories
  • Medium: wood, paint, fabric
  • Object ID: 110.10783
  • Credit Line: Gift of the family of Patricia M. Morse

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