Folk Cloth Animals

My development must be arrested, because I'm a sucker for primitive cloth animals. A faded, worn, turn-of-the-century flannel puppy just arrived in the mail for me, prompting my husband to ask, simply: WHY?

He just doesn't get the stuffed animals. But I'm sure you do. You're here, aren't you? Then let's get to them.

Cat Lady Antiques offers an entire zoo of old cloth animals, many of Shaker or Mennonite origin. Their simplicity is absolutely charming -- and sometimes even stunningly modern!

Tell me you don't love this old black kitty, still with her original bone button eyes:



And this 19th-Century velvet rabbit is begging for a snuggle:



Baker & Co. Antiques also sells several wonderful examples of cloth animals. I love the home-made, whimsmical quality of this sock cat. The stripes take the cake!



Finally, this Amish elephant (who knew elephants could be Amish?) from J. Compton Gallery is TO. DIE. FOR. The straw boater hat is a brilliant touch.

Arnold Print Works Redux

My Google stats show me that there's a significant number of people out there scavenging for Arnold Print Works cloth animals. Unfortunately, it's quite rare to find them, and even rarer to find them in decent shape.

The good news is, if you're willing to forego authenticity, Fiddler's Elbow offers a number of vintage-looking cloth doorstops that resemble the Arnold line. Check out their limited edition kitty, currently on sale at Arrow Gift Shoppe:



And I love this adorable pug:



These modern reproductions have the added advantage of being lightyears cheaper than their antique Arnold counterparts. At these prices, you could easily fill a basket with cloth friends!

The Arnold Print Works Menagerie

Arnold Print Works was a textile outfit that produced some delightful cloth animals around the turn of the 20th century. I love the primitive, folky look of this basket of kittens:



My daughter, the proud owner of a Russian Dwarf, adores this bunny, courtesy Carole's Country Antiques:



I'd like to perch this stern hoot-owl on my desk, to glower at me when I need to get to work: