Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on illustrations by Rose O'Neill that appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s. They were first made out of bisque and then celluloid. In 1949, Effanbee created the first hard plastic versions.
Their name often shortened to "Kewpies," the early dolls, especially signed or celluloid, are highly collectable and worth thousands of dollars. The time capsule at the 1939 New York World's Fair contained a Kewpie doll.
Further Reading
Kewpies Dolls & Art With Value Guide: Dolls & Art, With Value Guide September 2001, ISBN 0875885896
