Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on illustrations by Rose O'Neill[?] and appearing in Ladies' Home Journal[?] in 1909. The small dolls are were first made out of bisque 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.
Further Reading
Kewpies Dolls & Art With Value Guide: Dolls & Art, With Value Guide September 2001, ISBN 0875885896