1938 Madame Alexander Snow White Marionettes

A series of Snow White marionettes were produced in 1938 by doll manufacturer Madame Alexander. The figures have composition heads, hands, and feet with fabric outfits. They stand between 9" (dwarfs) to 12" (princess) and come with wooden controllers and strings. The collection included 12 marionettes: Snow White, Seven Dwarfs, Queen, Witch, Prince, and Huntsman. (Four other Disney characters were also made.) A sewn cloth tag on each includes the character's name plus the Madame Alexander copyright.

Snow White

Original Snow White box and fabric drawstring storage bag (with tag).

Prince

Dwarfs

Original Seven Dwarfs Boxes.

Witch

Witch images via jaredclacorte.

Original box and storage bag.

Queen

Huntsman

Snow White, Huntsman, and Queen original boxes.

Each figure came with a 16-page Walt Disney's Marionette Plays booklet which contains three scripted performances. The longest is for Snow White. Two shorter scripts ("Mickey's Mix-Up" and "Donald's Disaster") are for the other Disney marionettes--Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto.

Images via Hakes + Heritage.

Snow White and the dwarfs were listed in a 1939 toy catalog. The princess was $3.65, the dwarfs $3.20 each. A Mickey's Marionette Theatre set was also available (complete with a Mickie and Minnie) for $7.90. Pictured in the 1974 Disneyana book by Munsey (p.72) were most of the marionettes, plus the theatre stage.

Catalog scan via gdawg.

Madame Alexander Snow White Composition Dolls

Madame Alexander has been making Snow White dolls for a long, long time. Their earliest Disney examples date from circa 1938. Composition head, body, and limbs. Black mohair wig. Sleep eyes with real and painted lashes.

This doll measures 13" high as marked on the back. Face mold with no dimples. Original clothing. Came with a Snow White wrist tag and a sewn-on cloth tag.

This 16" Snow White face mold features two dimples.

We can compare this doll to another 16” example which has the kind of damage that can occur with composition dolls because of their age.

More 16" dolls. Left: blue and pink dress example pictured in the 15th Blue Book Dolls & Values by Jan Foulke (p.211). Right: brown and yellow dress. Original box and wrist tag.

Dwarf dolls were also produced. Dopey measures 11" tall. Composition head, shoulders, and limbs. Painted eyes. Stuffed fabric body.

Embossed on the back of the neck is "Dopey" and "Madame Alexander". A cloth name tag is sewn to the felt clothing.

Dopey appears on page 849 of Hake's Official Price Guide to Disney Collectibles, 2nd edition, 2007.

Another version of Snow White measures 18" tall. All composition. Human hair wig. Sleep eyes with both real and painted lashes, dark eye shadow. "Snow White - Madame Alexander" tag on dress back.

She is listed on this page from a 1939 catalog. Retail price $9.50. Also pictured is the Ideal Dopey ventriloquist doll.

Catalog scan via gdawg.