Just got what appears to be a partial set of 7 Victorian Baseball Paper Dolls. They came to us with a fantastic collection of 1870's and 1880's Chromolithograph Paper Dolls (most by McLoughlin Bros.). These Baseball Paper Dolls however are the only Dolls in the collection that are not your typical "Girl's" Paper Dressing Dolls and they have thrown us for a loop.
They are blank backed and printed on a very light weight card stock. My first thought looking at them was that they were from the 1910's but the uniforms and the fact that none of the players are wearing gloves is more consistent with the 1880's. The uniforms all say "Detroit" and the uniforms are identical in style to those worn by the 1887 Detroit Wolverines of the National League. There was a note with the group in the collection that seems to imply that there may have been 23 Paper Dolls in the original set but there are only 7 present. These are not die cut but have been hand cut like all 19th century paper Dolls.
Has anyone ever seen these before or have a clue what they might be?
Thanks,
Tom