Japanese nodders were sold everywhere from horse tracks to car tracks. They were attention getters, colorful & affordable (usually less than $2.00 apiece), and provided excellent momentos of whatever event they represented. Bobbing heads also promoted tourist spots. They were available at airports, amusement parks, newstands, and anywhere else visitors were apt to be.
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Charlie Weaver was my favorite; I never knew exactly what he did, but he was sure good at it. Television & movie studios produced figures like these to promote their stars and current programs.
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The Kentucky Colonel, Bob's Big Boy, and Planter's Peanut were, and still are, three of the most popular...makes you want to rush out for a bucket of the Colonel's fried chicken, doesn't it?
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"I LIKE IKE"
The fifties & sixties are often referred to as the Cold War era; the United States was fighting the Communist nations for air and sea supremacy. These dolls show our disdain for certain world leaders and our love for Ike. The figures probably also represent the prevailing Japanese opinion.
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Lego produced a set of six "Peanuts" nodders for United Feature Syndicates during the 1960's. The Japanese dolls were five and a half inches tall on square black bases. The figures were Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, & Pig Pen (this is probably the order of difficulty today).
Later, a number of smaller "Peanuts" nodders were made in Korea representing various themes; copyright dates indicate 50's & 60's, but these do not date the dolls. These are great little figures, but, for value reasons, be careful not to mistake them for the older Japanese dolls.
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE SCHULZ
If you have figures to sell or trade, please email me at: j.harry