Textile, printed

Description

This reproduction “Tabby Cat” doll pattern was manufactured in 1977 by The Toy Works Inc., located in Middle Falls, New York, and was made for the Museum of the City of New York. The original 1892 pattern was designed by artist Celia Mattison Smith and manufactured by Arnold Print Works. Printed doll patterns like this became popular around the late 19th century and featured multiple views of animals or other characters, which only had to be cut out, sewn together, and stuffed for consumers to make their own soft toy at home. Ithaca, New York artist Celia Smith based the appearance of this toy on her own cat, Caesar Grimalkin. The pattern is sometimes remembered as the “Ithaca Kitty” or “Arnold Rag Cat” today. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.