by Jill Holt, Curator of Textiles

Over the first half of this year, we had an exhibit of toys. I have a soft spot in my heart for toys and had a wonderful time putting the exhibit together. So many of today’s toys are made of plastic but there was a time when metal was the preferred material for toys.

One of the metal toys in the exhibit was the “Corner Grocer.” The center panel has lithograph print of the interior of a grocery store and it is flanked with shelves which swing out. The shelves contain miniature canned and boxed goods. There is also a sales counter complete with scales, telephone, and a roll of butcher paper. Wolverine Supply and Manufacturing of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, made this toy beginning in the 1920s.

Another metal toy in the exhibit was the Play Steel Colonial Dollhouse. The lithograph of the interior and exterior was done by the National Can Corporation of New York in the 1940s. The house features a living room and dining/kitchen on the first floor with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor.

I spent many hours playing with similar toys during my childhood and these two toys brought back many happy memories for me.

by Jill Holt, Curator of Textiles

All is not as it seems at first glance. We received a collection of dolls in 2009 and I made the assumption that they were just dolls. Much to my surprise, I discovered that we had received a very unique and special doll collection.

Leota McGuire was born and raised in Okmulgee. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she received degrees in Home Economics and Fashion Arts. After graduation, she operated a dance studio as well as being a dress designer and artist.

With the poverty and hardships that were inflicted on the citizens of Okmulgee followed by the shortages and rationing of World War II, Leota McGuire decided to give back to the community.  After looking at dolls for sale at the Montgomery Ward Department Store, she realized that she could make them herself.

She dyed muslin fabric to be used in creating the doll bodies and she developed a secret recipe to create the head. Using a mold for the doll head, she poured her mix of materials into it. Once the materials were dry, she would sand, carve, and paint the head with each one being unique. Yarn was used to make the hair with some curly, some braided, and some cut short. Friends and family collected scraps of fabric and leather which she sewed into doll clothes.  The dolls were distributed to children of the community whose families were unable to provide them with that luxury.

Another part of the McGuire collection is a set of small handmade dolls that commemorate the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. The set includes the bride and groom, bridesmaids, best man, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The generosity and ingenuity of Leota McGuire were greatly appreciated by the citizens of Okmulgee and I am pleased that many of these dolls are now in the collection of the Oklahoma Historical Society.