Dec. 16, 2025
The Daily Cartoonist – Wayback Weekend: Otto Soglow, Rose O’Neill, and Syd Hoff features Rose O’Neill. Paul Trap uses his Dec. 14 Thatababy for a graphic biography of 20th Century cartoonist Rose O’Neill.
The online catalogue for the Ed and Mabel Clark Dec. 29, 2025, auction is now available. There are no additional uncatalogued Rose O’Neill related items to be included in this auction. The catalog may be accessed through two separate links: BidSpirit.com and has the lowest buyer’s premium of 18%. The Liveauctioneers.com link is at
Dec. 12, 2025
There are new Kewpie calendars and SMOKO figurines now available.
Dec. 2, 2025
Soulis Auction House (Lone Jack, MO) Update: Long time IROCF members Mabel and Ed Clark’s collection will be auctioned on Dec. 29, 2025 and the date for the second auction has been changed to Feb. 21-22, 2026. There will be no advanced viewing prior to the day of the first auction. The auction house will open at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 and the auction will begin at 10:00 a.m. The online catalogue will not be available prior to Dec. 19. The first auction will be collectibles, modern re-prints of Rose O’Neill works, several smaller and less complex pen and ink works on paper, and fine and large original oil on artist’s board 30 x 20 inches for Hendler’s Ice Cream in Baltimore, previously from the Hendler Family estate. At this time there is no additional information available and the auction has not yet been posted on the Soulis website.
Nov. 5, 2025
If you are not a member of IROCF this is what you are missing in the Fall 2025 issue of the Kewpiesta Kourier: Kewpie Pennants, Felt and Leather; Early Bisque Kewpies Produced in Japan; First UK Editions of The Kewpie Primer and the Kewpies and Dotty Darling; and German Paper Mache Kewpie Candy Containers. The full issue is available to members online at Members/Kewpiesta Kourier.
Nov. 3, 2025
Long time IROCF members Mabel and Ed Clark’s collection will be auctioned on Dec. 29, 2025 and Jan. 11, 2026 by Soulis Auctions in Lone Jack, MO.
Oct. 10, 2025
Canadian author Tony Shaman, has written an excellent article on Rose O’Neill. It is posted at Antiques67.com, a Canadian website for a wide variety of collectors.
Oct. 8, 2025
New Finds: The articles in the Members/Kewpieology section 
of the website about Kewpie Eggs, Red Hard Rubber Kewpies, and Shafer & Vater have been updated. New and rarely seen pieces have been added. Here is a teaser of one of the pieces you will see.
Oct. 3, 2025
Annabel Friedrichs of Hannover, Germany, has written Shaping Visions in U.S.-American Magazines, Women Illustrators and Visual Culture of Femininity, 1890-1920 for her graduate thesis. The five women featured are Rose O’Neill, Nell Brinkley, May Wilson Preston, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Alice Beach Winter. Here is the synopsis presented for the publication: The book presents the first comprehensive study on U.S.-American female illustrators’ creative imaginations of femininity, 1890-1920. It offers insight into the multi-faceted visual-textual relations across mass and little magazines. Four case studies encompass analyses from magazine front and back covers, illustrated advertisements and advice columns, to illustrated suffragist serials, including magazine illustrations never studied before. The 318 -page book is available is a free download.
Sept. 30, 2025
Womanica produced a series of podcasts about Go-Getters. Women who purposefully, or accidentally, acquired life-changing wealth, good fortune, or influence. Rose is featured on one of the podcasts. This originally aired in December 2024.
Sept. 29, 2025
We have just learn of a previous accolade that Rose received in 2006. In July of that year she was recognized as the Inventor of the Week by the Lemelson – MIT Program. The program is dedicated to honoring the acclaimed and unsung heroes who have helped improve our lives through invention. The program was established in 1994 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Sept. 21, 2025
A YouTube video is available on line by Oceanna Colgan about Rose. It talks about her life and involvement in the Woman’s Suffrage movement, specifically Katherine Stinson’s dropping Kewpies from her airplane in 1914 James Sandfort wrote about in the last Kewpiesta Kourier.
Sept. 9, 2025
Rose was posthumously inducted into the Missouri State University Public Affairs Hall of Fame on Sept. 5 in Springfield, MO. Inductees are selected based on their support of public affairs and engaged citizenship. Seen here with the award is David O’Neill and his grand daughter Kami Johnson. Photo courtesy of MSU.
July 26, 2025
Rose O’Neill will be inducted into the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre. The Hall of Fame was created in 2022 to honor Luzerne County natives or residents with roots in Luzerne County. Recipients receiving recognition have achieved success, gained notoriety, or have had a great impact on the world of arts in Northern Pennsylvania or beyond. Tickets for both the 5-6 p.m. VP mixer and 7:30-9:30 p.m. induction ceremony are available.
July 22, 2925
The Park Central Branch Library, Springfield, MO, will have an exhibit featuring artifacts from Bonniebrook from Aug. 1 – Sept. 30. “What Common, Everyday Objects Can Tell Us about Life in the Early-20th Century Ozarks” exhibit opening reception will be 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 1. There will be a presentation by Renee Walker, MSU BA History, minor in Museum Studies. Admission is free.
July 10, 2025
The Summer 2025 Kewpiesta Kourier is now available in the Member’s Section/Kewpieology/Kewpiesta Kouriers. This issue contains the following stories: Kewpies Parachuting from the Sky! Really?, 1925 – A Year in Rose O’Neill’s Life 100 Years Ago, The Baby Tourist in Bisque, Japanese Kewpies by Borgfeldt, and Electricity Comes to Bonniebrook.
July 9, 2025
June 3, 2025
We are saddened to share that long-time member and IROCF Past President Ed Clark passed away on May 16. Ed had an infectious love for everything Rose O’Neill with a particular fondness for Ho-Ho.
June 2, 2925
The Springfield, MO, is opening an exhibit titled Author, illustrator and artist Rose Cecil O’Neill with a reception and presentations on June 6. The event is one of the library’s Helping to Bring the Humanities to the Public Square series. It will be held at the Park Central Branch Library, 128 Park Central Square. The exhibit includes books and illustrations by Rose. The opening will take place during First Friday Art Walk (6:30-7:30 p.m.) and feature the presentation “Preserving O’Neill’s Books and Illustrations” by Missouri State University alumna Vinita Williams. Children’s activity sheets will be available throughout the exhibition.
The Missouri State University Museum Studies Program, Department of Art and Design, and the Park Central Branch Library, Springfield-Greene County Library System, are sponsoring this program in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council and with support from the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund.
The exhibit will be open until mid-week the last week of July. For more information call 1-417-831-1342.
May 14, 2025
VINTAGE ANGELS: ROSE O’ NEILL is a nicely written article available online. It includes this rare photo of Rose. 
May 10, 2025
A HUGE shoutout to David Cain who again was the official photographer at Kewpiesta. His photos are now available online via the following links. Using the first link you have the ability to download the image or order photographs if you desire. Use the following 4-digit PIN to download photos: 1010. For questions, please contact Dave at dave@flashphotobranson.com.
https://flashphotobranson.pixieset.com/kewpiesta2025/ for all Kewpie photos
https://flashphotobranson.pixieset.com/kewpiestagroupphotos/ for the Group photos
May 7. 2025
Celebrate A Kewpie Halloween with us at Kewpiesta 2026. Mark your calendars now for April 15-19. The event will again be held at the Branson Towers Hotel, Branson, MO. Photo at left, Rose O’Neill illustration from The Twentieth Century Home magazine, November 1904, The House of Ghosts.
May 5, 2025
Today is National Cartoonist Day. Rose is recognized for her contributions in this video.
April 16, 2025
Celebrating the Art of Rose O’Neill is a special segment being run by Ozark’s First television station in Springfield, MO. The segment was part of a month-long series highlighting women.
April 2, 2025
Springfield (MO) FY3 has a 13:46 minute video on Rose posted. The Place for History: Kewpie doll creator remembered for her push for women’s right to vote is available online.
This Rose O’Neill original artwork will be auctioned at Kewpiesta 8:30-11 Saturday morning, May 3. It is from the September 1918 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, page 51. The piece measures 21.75 x 28.5 inches. The auction is open to the public. Only in-person bids will be accepted. For more information: https://irocf.org/wp…/uploads/2025/02/Kewpiesta-2025.pdf 
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s Brilliant Exiles: Modern Art and Modern Women exhibit is moving to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, KY, March 29-June 22. The exhibit includes the 1915 oil on canvas portrait of Rose by Lillian Fisk Thompson (1884-1970). The oil is seen here with O’Neill family member, David, and exhibit curator Robyn Asleson.
Toddler dress No. 21 has been discovered. The full illustrated listing is available in the Kewpieology section: Kewpie Dress Company: Far-reaching impact of 1915 Commissioner of Patent’s Ruling Against Rose O’Neill’s trade-markThe Winter 2025 Kewpiesta Kourier is available in the Kewpieology section. This issue includes articles on Kruger Cuddle Kewpie Calendars, Kewpie Mountains, Bisque Kewpies on the Farm, Ozark Public Television’s Rose O’Neill – An Artful Life, Acid Free Preservation Important to Preserve Longevity of Paper Items, Wag’s Kewpie Salve – Kewpie Knockoff Gone Wrong, Wag’s Aspirin Tablets, and Kewpie Purses.
Feb. 17, 2025
Fort Wayne Indiana’s The Waynedale News features an article about IROCF’s own Jan Diller: Kewpie Love: Around the Frame. Thanks for sharing Jan!
Rose — The Musical Life of Rose O’Neill – “The Kewpie Lady” theatrical production resources are available for local theater groups to purchase and perform. On this site you may read a partial script and listen to songs in the show. The creators describe the play as a challenging musical dramatizing the life of Rose O’Neill, one of America’s most glamorous and eccentric artists and the creator of, among other things, the Kewpie Doll. The book, lyrics, and music are a collaboration from Neil K. Newell, Max C. Golightly, and C. Michael Perry.
Jan. 11, 2025
Update: The Columbia High School Kewpies received 88.55 percent of the top high school mascot votes in the Sports Illustrate Best Mascot contest. Go Kewpies!
Jan. 2, 2025
The Columbia High School Kewpies need our help. Sports Illustrated is conducting a poll to recognize the best high school mascots by state. The poll will close at 11:59 ET Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Hickman Kewpies: Here’s how this one-of-a-kind mascot came to be in 1914, according to kewpie.net: “Apparently, the school secretary owned a Kewpie doll, as they were popular figurines then, and she kept it on her desk. At one of the basketball games, she placed the Kewpie in the center of the court (I guess for good luck), and the entire game was played around it without its being broken. This was somewhat remarkable since the dolls were very fragile. Because it survived the game and brought a victory, it was thereafter considered the good luck mascot.” Vote Here: Top 10 high school mascots in Missouri: Vote for the best – Sports Illustrated
Jan. 1, 2025
Jan. 1, 2025, is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924. Duke Law Center for the Study of the Public Domain has compiled a summary of these works.