These photos were found with Sharmel Elliott’s collection of pictures from her time at Effanbee working on the Historical Doll series.  

These pictures are of one of the sets of the 20 inch Display Series that toured the country and were exhibited in major toy and department stores and that also appeared at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.  These photos were taken before the dolls ever left the Effanbee factory and are from 1938-39. 

These individual portraits were done at the Effanbee Factory and feature ten of the Display Dolls from one of the sets of 30.  

Did you notice that Sharmel is wearing an outfit very much like the costume she designed for the 1939 Today Doll?  Sharmel loved to make her own clothes! 

The following promotional pictures show designer Sharmel Elliot working with several of the 14 inch Historical Series Replica Dolls.  Notice that the dolls not only have the metal Effanbee heart bracelets but they also have the gold cardboard heart tag. The one side that is visible reads: I am an Effanbee Durable Doll. To date, no 14 inch Historical Doll has turned up carrying this tag.