Name: Rushton-Type Mask Face Doll and New Orleans Souvenir Doll
Made by and When: Unknown, circa 1940s
Material: Rubber, cloth, paint, soft stuffing (possibly Kapok)
Marks: Unmarked
Height: 20 and 7-1/2 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouths: The mask face doll has sculpted bangs and is missing a bonnet that covered the rest of the cloth head. The side-glancing painted eyes have black pupils, blue irises, and painted upper eyelashes. The chubby cheeks have dimples. The smiling mouth is painted red. The New Orleans souvenir doll has black yarn hair underneath a red bonnet, painted facial features with black eyes outlined in brown, two red dots for a nose, and a painted red mouth.
Clothes: The mask face doll wears a sewn-on red and white polka dot dress, a white lace-trimmed apron and panties, and sewn-on shoes made from the dress fabric. The New Orleans souvenir doll wears a white floral-print dress with matching panties and a red bonnet trimmed with off-white open-weave fabric. “New Orleans, LA” is printed near the hemline of the dress.
Other: The mask face doll is similar to Rushton mask face dolls and toys which were popular mass-productions during the 1940s. Except for the rubber face, it is made of brown fabric and has hands with thumbs but no fingers. Sold as a New Orleans, LA souvenir, the smaller doll is made of black cloth, has teddy-bear-jointed arms and legs, and hands and feet without fingers or toes.
Gallery (Photos and descriptions courtesy of Karen’s Dolly)
_________
Your comments are valued. Donations aid the initiative to preserve Black-doll history.
If you subscribe to DeeBeeGee’s Virtual Black Doll Museum™ by email, click the post title of the email, which links to the website to view all text and associated media. Please “like” and share this installation with your social media contacts. If you’d like to subscribe, add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar. Add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar.
Search for specific dolls or specific doll categories, e.g. “antique dolls” using the search field at the website.
DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum™ 