Welcome, Raggedy Arthur!

Raggedy Arthur, circa 1978 by Knickerbocker Toy Co.

My Raggedy Ann Collection has a new addition: Welcome Raggedy Arthur!

I've been coveting this little guy for over 30 years. Seriously.

He was introduced in November, 1978 in the Chuck Jones' animated television special, "Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Great Santa Claus Caper". He was also featured the next year in Chuck Jones' "Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile". Raggedy Arthur wasn't an original Johnny Gruelle character (like Raggedy Ann, Raggedy Andy, The Camel with the Wrinkled Knees, etc.,) but he was made quite popular with the merchandising of the two Chuck Jones' animated television specials.

For some reason that I never figured out, somehow, I totally missed ever finding a Raggedy Arthur when they were first sold in 1978 and after. It boggles the mind. I would have been the perfect age (8 years old) and was already collecting Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and merchandise. In fact, I had plenty of "things" with Raggedy Arthur on it, but never a Raggedy Arthur doll. It's possible that I never even knew that they existed until I saw one on display in 1989 at a Raggedy Ann museum exhibit at the Oakland Museum. (curated by my now friend, Andrew Tabbat.)

Although I started collecting Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls since I was two, and had quite a collection through my childhood/teen years, I became a much more serious collector after having seen Andrew's museum exhibit. It was around that time that I started to scour antique stores and thrift shops looking for vintage Raggedy items. I also started to attend the Annual Raggedy Ann and Andy Festival in Arcola, IL.

(If, by this time, you didn't realize that I collect Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, and you'd like to know more about my collection, you can read more about it here.)

Even in the mid-90s, during the height of the Raggedy Ann Collecting Market, I never did see a Raggedy Arthur doll available for sale. They were very scarce, and if available, were very pricey.

Once ebay rolled out in the late 90s, prices of Raggedy Ann merchandise began to decrease, as collectable items were much more readily available. Even still, any Raggedy Arthur dolls that I did see were still very pricey and hard to come by.

...until a couple of weeks ago.

Well, honestly, I hadn't searched for one in a while, but when I did a couple of weeks ago, I found one, and realized that it was available and priced quite reasonably (compared to mid-90s prices, that is - not compared to what they originally sold for in the late 70s!).

Anyhow, that's the story of how this little guy came to join my collection today.

It makes me happy to have him displayed on a shelf with my other Knickerbocker era dolls - it makes my collection more complete.

Welcome, Arthur. I think you will be happy in your new home. :)