Brand record
Bliss
R. Bliss Manufacturing Company was an American maker of wooden toys, known for dollhouses covered with brightly lithographed paper. Based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, it began as a maker of wooden screws and related hardware before expanding into toys. Its dollhouses used simple wooden structures with printed façades depicting details such as siding, stone, shingles and brick. Models ranged from foldable cottages to multi-storey houses, and by 1907 the range also included cabins, stores and stables.
- Founded
- 1868
- Final year
- 1935
- Countries
- United States
- Locations
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States
- Founders
- Rufus Bliss
The story of Bliss
Rufus Bliss, a carpenter, founded a Rhode Island company sometime between 1830 and 1832. The business began with wooden screws made from hickory and later supplied screws, clamps and other items to cabinetmakers and pianoforte manufacturers. Bliss retired in 1863, but the company continued under the Bliss name. Its earliest toy advertisement appeared in 1871, when it was located in Pawtucket.
The company made its first dollhouse in 1889. Its houses paired wooden frames with brightly coloured lithographed paper, creating detailed façades from relatively simple structures. Models varied in size and design, from foldable cottages to houses as tall as three storeys. By 1907, the range also included cabins, stores and stables. In 1914 the company sold its toy-making division to Massachusetts firm Manson & Parker, which continued producing Bliss toys through 1935, with production greatly reduced in the final years.
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