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| Above: Full view before framing |
This delightful and whimsical 1930s original artwork comes from a collection of published Campbell’s Soup Kids illustrations. The Campbell’s Soup Kids appeared in print ads in countless American mainstream publications such as The Saturday Evening Post. The brainchild of illustrator Grace Drayton, who debuted the first Campbell’s Soup Kid ad in 1904, the characters became so popular, that the company soon hired a number of illustrators to create ads in the manner of Drayton. It’s unknown whether Drayton herself is the illustrator of this example.
The work shows a Dolly Dingle-type Campbell’s Soup Kid putting her doll to bed. Accompanying text reads; “Not a drop of Campbell’s left upon her spoon, So the good old sand man’s Coming mighty soon!” Nicely matted and framed behind glass with typewritten caption window.
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| Above: Verso inkstamp |
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| Above: Verso view |
The Mother of Campbell Kids – Grace Wiederseim Drayton:
The Campbell Kids have been selling Campbell’s Soup since 1904 when Grace Wiederseim Drayton, an illustrator and writer, added some sketches of children to her husband’s advertising layout for a Campbell’s condensed soup. The Campbell advertising agents loved the child appeal and choose Mrs. Wiederseim’s sketches as trademarks. In the beginning, Campbell Kids were drawn as ordinary boys and girls, later, Campbell Kids took on the personas of policemen, sailors, soldiers, and other professions.
Grace Wiederseim Drayton will always be the “mother” of Campbell Kids. She drew for the company advertising for nearly twenty years. Drayton’s designs were so popular that doll makers wanted to capitalized on their popularity. Campbell’s gave the E. I. Horsemen Company the license to market dolls with the Campbell label on their sleeves. Horseman even secured two U.S. design patents for the dolls’ clothes.
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| Above: Andy Warhol’s iconic montage of Campbell’s Soup Advertising – Museum of Modern Art, New York |
Today, Campbell’s Soup Company, with its famous red and white label, remains a staple in the kitchen as well as American culture.
