Whitman Publishing Co.
119+ years and still operating (founded 1907)
About Whitman Publishing Co.
Whitman Publishing produced a vast range of children's coloring books, paper doll books, jigsaw puzzles, and games. Their licensed Big Little Books, Tell-A-Tale books, and card games featuring Disney, TV, and movie characters are treasured by pop culture collectors.
History of Whitman Publishing Co.
Whitman of Racine, Wisconsin is a publisher rather than a toy maker, but its output belongs squarely in the history of children's play. Its Big Little Books — thick, small, chunky volumes pairing a page of text with a facing illustration — were a Depression-era invention that put narrative in the hands of children who could not afford anything else, and they carried the licensed characters of the period.
Whitman also produced paper dolls in enormous quantity, jigsaw puzzles under Disney and television licences, Tell-A-Tale books, card games and colouring books. All of it was printed by Western Printing and Lithographing, of which Whitman was the children's imprint, and all of it was sold at low prices through variety stores.
The consequence is that Whitman is one of the best surviving records of what children were interested in decade by decade. The paper is fragile, the licences are dateable, and the whole output is now collected as much for its graphics as for its content.
Timeline
- 1907Whitman Publishing is established in Racine, Wisconsin
- 1916Whitman becomes the children's imprint of Western Printing and Lithographing
- 1932Big Little Books are introduced and become a Depression-era phenomenon
- 1945Paper dolls, jigsaw puzzles and Tell-A-Tale books are produced in large volume
- 1960Television-licensed colouring books and games lead the range
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Whitman Big Little Books
- Whitman paper doll books
- Whitman Disney jigsaw puzzles
- Whitman Tell-A-Tale books
- Whitman card games
- Whitman TV character coloring books
Identifying & Dating Whitman Publishing Co. Toys
- Look for "Whitman Publishing Co." and "Racine, Wisconsin" printed inside the cover or on the box, with a copyright year and often a stock number.
- Big Little Books carry a series number on the spine and cover, which identifies the title precisely.
- Licence text — Disney, Warner Bros., a television studio — dates the item to the property's active period.
Collector's Notes
- Paper condition is everything: spine cracking on Big Little Books, uncut and unpunched paper dolls, and complete puzzles with the box.
- Uncut paper doll books are worth many times cut ones, and cutting was the intended use, so intact examples are genuinely scarce.
- Value tracks the licensed character strongly. The same format with a forgotten property is worth a fraction of a well-known one.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Whitman Publishing Co. founded?
Whitman Publishing Co. was founded in 1907, based in Racine, WI.
Is Whitman Publishing Co. still in business?
Yes. Whitman Publishing Co. is still operating today, 119+ years after it was founded.
What is Whitman Publishing Co. best known for?
Whitman Publishing Co. is best known for Whitman Big Little Books, Whitman paper doll books, Whitman Disney jigsaw puzzles, among other toys.
Where was Whitman Publishing Co. located?
Whitman Publishing Co. was based in Racine, WI.
What kinds of toys did Whitman Publishing Co. make?
Whitman Publishing Co. is categorized under games, puzzles, books, paper toys.
How can you identify genuine Whitman Publishing Co. toys?
Look for "Whitman Publishing Co." and "Racine, Wisconsin" printed inside the cover or on the box, with a copyright year and often a stock number. Big Little Books carry a series number on the spine and cover, which identifies the title precisely. Licence text — Disney, Warner Bros., a television studio — dates the item to the property's active period.
Are Whitman Publishing Co. toys valuable?
Paper condition is everything: spine cracking on Big Little Books, uncut and unpunched paper dolls, and complete puzzles with the box. Uncut paper doll books are worth many times cut ones, and cutting was the intended use, so intact examples are genuinely scarce. Value tracks the licensed character strongly. The same format with a forgotten property is worth a fraction of a well-known one.