Doll:Schoenhut Manikin 19/175

Philadelphia toy maker A. Schoenhut prided itself in the realistic and poseable qualities of its "All Wood Perfection Art Dolls." The company used patented steel-spring joints in its entire doll collection. The system enabled a wide range of movements, so much so that advertisements touted the poseable dolls' potential to demonstrate exercises in gym classes. In 1914, Schoenhut introduced a new doll, the Manikin, advertising it as a product for "Students of Fine Art, or Dressed Figures in Window Displays." The figures had the same construction as the other dolls, with the addition of a ball-jointed waist and a more mature-looking face. Schoenhut offered five different Manikin models: an undressed figure intended for use in art classes, a "Basket Ball Player," a "Foot Ball Player," a "Base Ball Player," and a farmer dressed in an "Over-all Suit and Straw Hat." Buyers could also place orders for specially designed Manikins. Though the line remained in production only until 1918, the Manikin reveals Schoenhut's pride in the versatility and lifelike qualities of its unique joint system.