The Real History of the Sock Puppet Monkey
Excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times, Friday, October 31, 2003, Under the heading of Antiques Update:
An early sock monkey
Question: My grandmother made me a sock monkey when I was a little girl, in the early 1950s. I thought my monkey was one of a kind, but I just read an article about an art exhibit of 100 sock monkeys. What’s the story on these cute creatures?
Answer: An American crafts magazine published directions for making a sock monkey in 1955. But soft, stuffed, handmade monkeys have been around since at least the 1920’s. Their bodies were made from heavy cotton work socks with red toes and heels. The toe made a perfect mouth.
If your monkey dates before 1955, your grandma used her imagination to make it. A book on sock monkeys and an art exhibit in Philadelphia increased collector interest. The better a monkey’s condition and the fancier its clothing and features, the more interest it attracts. New monkeys are still sold at craft shows. [and Cracker Barrel!!!]
Question: My grandmother made me a sock monkey when I was a little girl, in the early 1950s. I thought my monkey was one of a kind, but I just read an article about an art exhibit of 100 sock monkeys. What’s the story on these cute creatures?
Answer: An American crafts magazine published directions for making a sock monkey in 1955. But soft, stuffed, handmade monkeys have been around since at least the 1920’s. Their bodies were made from heavy cotton work socks with red toes and heels. The toe made a perfect mouth.
If your monkey dates before 1955, your grandma used her imagination to make it. A book on sock monkeys and an art exhibit in Philadelphia increased collector interest. The better a monkey’s condition and the fancier its clothing and features, the more interest it attracts. New monkeys are still sold at craft shows. [and Cracker Barrel!!!]