National Museum of Play Online Collections

Brownie year book

book

1895

Introduced in 1880, the stick-legged, potbellied Brownies drawn by Palmer Cox (1840-1924) took America by storm. Cox's illustrated rhymes amused children while providing a moral lesson: the often-mischievous Brownies always helped someone in need. Recounting their monthly adventures, Cox published the Brownie Year Book in 1895. It included many of his commonly drawn Brownies: Uncle Sam, a policeman, a soldier, and Asian and Native American characters. During a time when America was fairly hostile to minorities, Cox drew the Brownies in their own democratic, egalitarian world. In the Year Book, multi-ethnic Brownies play without regard to race or class. The marketing of Brownies also transcended race and class. The late-1800s manufacturing boom and the United States' increased standard of living contributed to the massive production of Brownie-related items. From toys to dishes, nursery decorations to cigar holders, the memorabilia attracted children and adults alike. With such a variety of products, families of all types could own a piece of the Brownie craze. George Eastman even chose Brownies to sell Kodak's Brownie Camera, introduced in 1900.

All artifact images, interpretive information, and website text
© The Strong.