The following treasure is from the living estate of Ailene & Buddy Ford; noted dealers and lifelong collectors of exceptional antique & vintage heirlooms. Presented for your consideration this George Borgfeldt 1922+ Bye-Lo Baby 20" tall, bisque head, with cloth body, painted eyes. Designed by Grace Storey Putnam, based on a three day old newborn child. Bye-Lo Baby doll bisque heads were made by Alt, Beck & Gottschalck, cloth body dolls made by K & K or K and K Toy Co., wear & chips to hands - water stains to cloth body & resewn arm. Wearing: cloth diaper, leggings, crocheted booties, Burklands Perfect Fitting undershirt, an over-sized petticoat with safety pin closure (about 35" long), a matching gown 31 inches long (hems trim match), and a fantastic white rabbit fur cap! *** Weight: 3# 10 Measurements: approx 12 x 20" ********************************************************************** GRACE STOREY PUTNAM ******* Grace Storey, member of a San Diego pioneer family, was an artist and art teacher who married sculptor Arthur Putnam in 1899. Following Arthur's surgery to remove a brain tumor in 1911, his personality changed drastically and in order to spare her children from his abusive behavior and violent outbursts, Grace divorced him and began teaching art again to support her family. Soon after World War I, Putnam visited a Salvation Army foundling home where she saw a 3-day-old baby girl, later used as the model for an infantlike doll she wanted to create. At the time, most dolls were stiff, little-girl types made of hard materials. Putnam's design was a soft baby that could be snuggled by a child. With the help of a lawyer who worked for the FAO Schwarz toy company in New York, Putnam was able to copyright her doll and have it produced by a German manufacturer. Her cuddly Bye-Lo infant with hand-painted bis-que head and glass sleepy eyes debuted in 1920. Dress-ed in a dainty white christening outfit, the doll was an immediate success and eventually became known as the "Million Dollar Baby" because Putnam derived a fortune from its ongoing popularity.For a number of years, Putnam's doll was made in many sizes and variations by several leading German doll makers.

XA - DB71 - good condition, wear & chips to hands. Water stains to cloth body & resewn arm.