Georgene Novelties/Madame Hendron
The Averill Manufacturing Co, Georgene Novelties and Madame Hendron form a complex and often confusing association of
companies that sold dolls and were owned by Georgene Hopf Averill and or her husband James Paul Averill.
James Averill began the Averill Manufacturing Co. When James married Georgene Hopf, he acquired a business partner.
Georgene initially dressed dolls purchased elsewhere and then sold through Averill Manufacturing beginning in 1913. Dolls
such as the bisque headed Bonnie Babe were made by ABG or Kestner, imported and then sold by Georgene Averill.
In 1923, splitting from the Averill Manufacturing Co. James and Georgene began a second company called Madame Georgene
Co. This company is not known to have directly made cloth dolls. However both before and after the split from the
manufacturing company, dolls appeared on the market using the name Madame Hendron, a name trademarked by the Averills
since 1915. A third company name was also used by the Averills. Georgene Novelties produced products from the 1920s (after
the split with the manufacturing company) forward and for the doll shop operated by Georgene.
Under these names, they made their own dolls. Some of these dolls include composition head dolls named Baby Georgene and
Baby Hendron appearing around 1918. The first of their own dolls appeared in 1922 and was a composition head doll, Wonder
Walker, attributed to be the first Mama doll. Little Brother and Little Sister, based upon designs of Grace Corey Rockwell, were
produced circa 1927. Under the name of Madame Hendron the Snookums dolls were produced circa 1928.
Most of the dolls produced under the Georgene Novelties name were mask faced cloth dolls with the exception of the Raggedy
Ann and Andys produced under license with the Gruelle estate. The mask faced dolls ranged from 12 to 26 inches tall. They
had painted features (a few with real eyelashes) and yarn hair. This was the height of regional doll clothes and many of the
dolls were so dressed. By the 1940s Georgene created dolls of comic strip characters such as Nancy and Sluggo and Little
Lulu. These were produced until 1965 when the company ceased production.
The Raggedys were produced for 25 years (1938-1963) under this arrangement.
Though James and Georgene Averill left the manufacturing company, that company continued to make dolls of its own. Dolls
were made on the designs of Grace Drayton and marketed under the names of Chocolate Drop and Dolly Dingle and were
distributed to stores such as Gimbels by the George Borgfeldt Co. In 1938, dolls named Sweets, Snooks and Peggy Ann
designed by Maude Tousey Fangel were produced by the Averill Manufacturing Co. All of these dolls were flat faced dolls with
painted features and mitten hands. The Drayton designed dolls were available in 11 and 16 inch sizes while the dolls designed
by Maud Tousey Fangle were available in 12, 14, 17 and 22 inches. The Averill Manufacturing Co. name has also been found
on cylinders inserted into the early "talking" dolls of the 1920s and 1940s such as those for Dolly Rekords which were made
from about 1922 to 1928 by Madame Hendren. This suggests that while the owners split from the original company in 1923,
interrelationships among the companies continued for years after.
Grace Drayton
Maud Tousey Fangel
Edwards, Linda. Cloth Dolls from Ancient to Modern. Atglen:Pa. Shiffer Publishing. 1997
companies that sold dolls and were owned by Georgene Hopf Averill and or her husband James Paul Averill.
James Averill began the Averill Manufacturing Co. When James married Georgene Hopf, he acquired a business partner.
Georgene initially dressed dolls purchased elsewhere and then sold through Averill Manufacturing beginning in 1913. Dolls
such as the bisque headed Bonnie Babe were made by ABG or Kestner, imported and then sold by Georgene Averill.
In 1923, splitting from the Averill Manufacturing Co. James and Georgene began a second company called Madame Georgene
Co. This company is not known to have directly made cloth dolls. However both before and after the split from the
manufacturing company, dolls appeared on the market using the name Madame Hendron, a name trademarked by the Averills
since 1915. A third company name was also used by the Averills. Georgene Novelties produced products from the 1920s (after
the split with the manufacturing company) forward and for the doll shop operated by Georgene.
Under these names, they made their own dolls. Some of these dolls include composition head dolls named Baby Georgene and
Baby Hendron appearing around 1918. The first of their own dolls appeared in 1922 and was a composition head doll, Wonder
Walker, attributed to be the first Mama doll. Little Brother and Little Sister, based upon designs of Grace Corey Rockwell, were
produced circa 1927. Under the name of Madame Hendron the Snookums dolls were produced circa 1928.
Most of the dolls produced under the Georgene Novelties name were mask faced cloth dolls with the exception of the Raggedy
Ann and Andys produced under license with the Gruelle estate. The mask faced dolls ranged from 12 to 26 inches tall. They
had painted features (a few with real eyelashes) and yarn hair. This was the height of regional doll clothes and many of the
dolls were so dressed. By the 1940s Georgene created dolls of comic strip characters such as Nancy and Sluggo and Little
Lulu. These were produced until 1965 when the company ceased production.
The Raggedys were produced for 25 years (1938-1963) under this arrangement.
Though James and Georgene Averill left the manufacturing company, that company continued to make dolls of its own. Dolls
were made on the designs of Grace Drayton and marketed under the names of Chocolate Drop and Dolly Dingle and were
distributed to stores such as Gimbels by the George Borgfeldt Co. In 1938, dolls named Sweets, Snooks and Peggy Ann
designed by Maude Tousey Fangel were produced by the Averill Manufacturing Co. All of these dolls were flat faced dolls with
painted features and mitten hands. The Drayton designed dolls were available in 11 and 16 inch sizes while the dolls designed
by Maud Tousey Fangle were available in 12, 14, 17 and 22 inches. The Averill Manufacturing Co. name has also been found
on cylinders inserted into the early "talking" dolls of the 1920s and 1940s such as those for Dolly Rekords which were made
from about 1922 to 1928 by Madame Hendren. This suggests that while the owners split from the original company in 1923,
interrelationships among the companies continued for years after.
Grace Drayton
Maud Tousey Fangel
Edwards, Linda. Cloth Dolls from Ancient to Modern. Atglen:Pa. Shiffer Publishing. 1997